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Revolutionary research in Dresden: How axolotls could save our sense of balance!
Dr. Anna Czarkwiani from TU Dresden receives an ERC Starting Grant to research the sense of gravity and its regeneration.
Revolutionary research in Dresden: How axolotls could save our sense of balance!
Dr. Anna Czarkwiani, postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD). TU Dresden, receives a prestigious Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC). The funding of two million euros is intended for a period of five years and aims to research the biology of the sense of gravity and the diseases associated with it.
The ability to stand upright and find one's own orientation in space is largely based on the sense of gravity, which is anchored in our inner ear. Tiny biomineral crystals called otoconia are responsible for these perceptions. Degradation of these crystals can lead to serious balance problems, causing symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and difficulty walking.
Research priorities
Dr. Czarkwiani plans to study the mechanisms of otokonia formation and degeneration in depth. For her research, she uses the axolotl, an organism whose inner ear is structured similarly to the human ear and whose otoconia also have the ability to regenerate. This could open up innovative approaches to treating balance disorders.
The research focuses on three main areas:
- Untersuchung von Otokonien als Biomaterial zur Klärung ihrer Entstehung und Eigenschaften.
- Charakterisierung der Gene und Zellen, die für die Regeneration des Schwerkraftsinns verantwortlich sind.
- Entwicklung einer Plattform für Verhaltensanalysen zur Testung potenzieller Medikamente zur Wiederherstellung der Otokonia-Funktion.
Insights into the career
Dr. Czarkwiani earned a bachelor's degree in human genetics and a master's degree in stem cells and development from University College London (UCL). In 2012 she was awarded a Wellcome Trust PhD scholarship and completed her PhD in developmental and stem cell biology. Her academic career also includes a Humboldt research fellowship in 2018 and the awarding of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award in 2022. In 2023, she also received the Maria Reiche postdoctoral fellowship from TU Dresden.
This year, the ERC awarded a total of 478 starting grants, with a total funding of 761 million euros, to support outstanding research in various scientific areas. This shows the high appreciation and potential that Dr. Czarkwiani is stuck, as are they etc reported.
Since its founding in 2006, the CRTD itself has been dedicated to researching novel therapeutic approaches to cell and tissue regeneration and has established itself as an important institution in this field.