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Forschungsinstitut fuer AugenheilkundeForschungsinstitut fuer AugenheilkundeForschungsinstitut fuer Augenheilkunde
Forschungsinstitut fuer Augenheilkunde
INSTITUTE FOR OPHTHALMIC RESEARCH
FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT FÜR AUGENHEILKUNDE

Timm Schubert

Dr. rer. nat.
Research fellow, deputy group leader
 

Business address

Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience (CIN)
Institute for Ophthalmic Research
University of Tübingen
Otfried-Müller-Str. 25
D-72076 Tübingen,
Germany

Phone: +49 (0)7071 29-84749
Fax: +49 (0)7071 29-25011
E-mail: timm.schubert@cin.uni-tuebingen.de

Main Areas of Research

  • Synaptic interactions in the outer retina
  • Functional and morphological development of retinal synapses
  • Parallel signal processing
  • Remodeling synaptic connections in the degenerating retina
  • Novel light microscopical techniques

Academic Education

05/2015MQ1 Teaching Certificate (Medizindidaktische Qualifikation), University of Tübingen
2005Ph.D. (Magna cum laude), Neurobiology, University of Oldenburg
1999Diploma degree in biology, Biology, University of Oldenburg
1992 – 1999Studies of biology, Biology, University of Oldenburg

Professional Experience

06/2009 - todayResearch fellow, Neuroscience, Prof. Dr. Thomas Euler, Centre for Integrative Neuroscience / Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen
06/2006 - 06/2009Prof. Rachel O. Wong, University of Washington, Seattle
11/2005 - 06/2006Postdoctoral fellow, Neuroscience, Prof. Rachel O. Wong, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis
05/2005 - 10/2005Postdoctoral fellow, Prof. Dr. Reto Weiler, University of Oldenburg, Germany
2005Member of the HMI project “Affinity-regulated artificial synapses”
2000 – 2005Member of the International Graduate School for Neurosensory Science and Systems, University of Oldenburg
1999 – 2005  Member of the Sonderforschungsbereich 517 “Neurokognition”, University of Oldenburg

Professional Activities

Invited Presentations

2014“Synaptic interactions between cones and horizontal cells in the outer mouse retina” - University of Oldenburg, Germany
2013“Synaptic interactions in the healthy and degenerated outer mouse retina” - University of Erlangen, Germany
2012“BK channels and TRPM3 channels mediate pathway-specific modulation of bipolar cell activity in the mouse retina” - ISER Meeting, Berlin, Germany
2012“Beyond Colour Vision: Dichromacy Provides for Optimal Sampling of Contrast Statistics in Natural Scenes” - University of Washington, Seattle, USA
2009“Development of cone photoreceptor and horizontal cell connectivity in the absence of GABA synthesis in the outer retina” - European Retina Meeting, Oldenburg, Germany
2005“Connexin expression in retinal neurons” University of Bonn
2004“Gap junctional coupling in ganglion cells of the mouse retina” - ISER Meeting, Sydney, Australia
2004“Gap junctional coupling in ganglion cells and horizontal cells in the mouse retina” - University of Texas, Houston, USA
2004“Electrical synapses in the mouse retina” - Washington University, St. Louis, USA

Organization of Academic Events

2013/15Organizer and Chair of Young Researcher Vision Camp
2013Organizer and Co-Chair of Symposium "Local Synaptic Coding in the Retina" at the Göttingen Meeting of the German Neuroscience Society

Academic Awards

2011Poster Award, Tübinger Outer Retina Conference (TORC)
2011Young Investigator in Focus 9/2011 (European Vision Institut)

Academic Services

Peer Review Activity for

  • Neuron,
  • Journal of Neuroscience,
  • Neuroscience,
  • Frontiers in Neuroanatomy and Visual Neuroscience

Memberships

  • Deutscher Hochschulverband (DHV),
  • Society for Neuroscience (SFN),
  • German Neuroscience Society (NWG),
  • Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO),
  • Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR),
  • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde (DGHT)

Academic Teaching and Services

2015Electrophysiological Lab Practical Course for PhD program in Experimental Medicine
2012 – todaySensory Systems: Basics and Principles
2011 – todaySpecial Interest Group Anatomy (Lecture series)
2011 – todayStructure and Function of the Retina (Lecture)
2011 – todayElectrophsysiological Lab Practical Course at the Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience
2011 – todayWhat Does the Eye Think? (Seminar)
2010 – todayFrom Molecules to Circuits – The Retina as a Model System (Lecture)
2010 – todayProgress in Ophthalmic Genetics/Pathophysiology of the Retina (Seminar)
2009 – todaySupervision of PhD students, master students and lab rotation students

Past and Current Funding

2015 - 2019Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions - Innovative Training Network (ITN);
total sum awarded: 3.800.000 €, own funding: 206.000 €;
“switchBoard - In the eye of the observer: Visual processing at the heart of the retina”
Coordinators: M. Bitzer, T. Euler & T. Schubert
2014German Research Council (DFG), Investitionsmittel nach §91b;
sum awarded: 250.000 €; “Konfokales aufrechtes CLARITY Mikroskop”
T. Schubert & T. Euler
2014 - 2016German Research Council (DFG), Sachbeihilfe;
sum awarded: 202.000 €
“Parallel synaptic mechanisms in the outer mouse retina”
T. Schubert
2011 - 2013Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, intramural funding;
sum awarded: 60.000 €
“Synaptic interactions in the outer retina”
T. Schubert & T. Euler
2005 - 2007German Research Council (DFG), Postdoc stipend;
sum awarded: 44.000 €
“Formation of presynaptic inhibition in the mouse retina”
T. Schubert

Publications

In Preparation:

  1. L. Chang, T. Schubert, O. Auferkorte, E. Butz, L. Hüser, S. Haverkamp and T. Euler: Spike desensitization as a mechanism for high-contrast selectivity in retinal ganglion cells. In preparation.
  2. T. Euler & T. Schubert: Multiple independent oscillatory networks in the degenerating retina In preparation. Review, contribution to the Research Topic on "Disruptions of visual processing by the inner retina accompanying photoreceptor degenerations" in Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. In preparation.

Published and Peer-reviewed:

  1. M. Kulkarni, T. Schubert, T. Baden, B. Wissinger, T. Euler and F. Paquet-Durand. Imaging calcium dynamics in cone photoreceptor axon terminals of the mouse retina. J Vis Exp. doi: 10.3791/52588, 2015.
  2. T. Schubert*, C. Gleiser*, P. Heiduschka*, C. Franz*, K. Nagel-Wolfrum, A. Sahaboglu, N. Weisschuh, G. Eske, K. Rohbock, N. Rieger, F. Paquet-Durand, B. Wissinger, U. Wolfrum, B. Hirt, W. Singer, L. Rüttiger, U. Zimmermann and M. Knipper: Deletion of myosin VI causes slow retinal optic neuropathy and age-related macular degeneration (AMD)-relevant retinal phenotype. Cell Mol Life Sci. DOI 10.1007/s00018-015-1913-3, 2015.
  3. S.C. Lee, A. Meyer, T. Schubert, L. Hüser, K. Dedek K and S. Haverkamp: Morphology and connectivity of the small bistratified A8 amacrine cell in the mouse retina. J Comp Neur 1;523(10):1529-47, 2015.
  4. W. Haq, B. Arango-Gonzalez, E. Zrenner, T. Euler§ and T. Schubert§: Synaptic remodeling generates synchronous oscillations in the degenerated outer mouse retina. Front Neural Circuit, doi: 10.3389/fncir.2014.00108, 2014.
  5. R. Kemmler, K. Schultz, K. Dedek, T. Euler and T. Schubert§: Differential regulation of cone calcium signals by different horizontal cell feedback mechanisms in the mouse retina. J Neurosci 34(35):11826-43, 2014.
  6. T. Baden*, T. Schubert*, L. Chang, T. Wei, M. Zaichuk, B. Wissinger and T. Euler: Beyond Colour Vision: Dichromacy Provides for Near Optimal Sampling of Contrast Statistics in Natural Scenes. Neuron 4;80(5):1206-17, 2013.
  7. T. Schubert*, M. Hoon*, T. Euler, PD Lukasiewicz and RO Wong: Developmental regulation and activity-dependent maintenance of GABAergic presynaptic inhibition onto rod bipolar cell axonal terminals. Neuron 2013 78(1):124-137, 2013.
  8. C. Puller§, E. Ivanova, T. Euler, S. Haverkamp and T. Schubert§: OFF bipolar cells express distinct types of dendritic glutamate receptors in the mouse retina. Neurosci 243:136-148, 2013.
  9. N. Tanimoto§, V. Sothilingam, T. Euler, P. Ruth, M.W. Seeliger and T.Schubert§: BK channels mediate pathway-specific modulation of visual signals in the in vivo mouse retina. J Neurosci 32:4861-6, 2012.
  10. T. Wei, T. Schubert*, F. Paquet-Durand*, N. Tanimoto, L. Chang, K. Koeppen, T. Ott, O. Griesbeck, M.W. Seeliger, T. Euler and B. Wissinger: Light driven calcium signals in mouse cone photoreceptors. J Neurosci 32: 6981-94, 2012.
  11. T. Schubert, R.M. Huckfeldt, E. Parker and R.O. Wong (2010): Assembly of the outer retina in the absence of GABA synthesis in horizontal cells. Neural Develop 5:15, 2010.
  12. R.M. Huckfeldt, T. Schubert*, J.L. Morgan*, L. Godinho, G. Di Cristo, Z.J. Huang and R.O. Wong: Transient neurites of retinal horizontal cells exhibit columnar tiling via homotypic interactions. Nat Neurosci 12(1):35-43, 2009.
  13. T. Schubert, D. Kerschensteiner, E.D. Eggers, T. Misgeld, M. Kerschensteiner, J. Lichtman, P.D. Lukasiewicz and R.O. Wong: Development of presynaptic inhibition onto retinal bipolar cell axon terminals is subclass-specific. J Neurophysiol 100(1):304-316, 2008.
  14. J.L. Morgan, T. Schubert and R.O. Wong (2008): Developmental patterning of glutamatergic synapses onto retinal ganglion cells. Neural Develop 3:8, 2008.
  15. J. Truempler, K. Dedek, T. Schubert, L. Pérez de Sevilla Mueller, M. Seeliger, P. Humphries, M. Biel and R. Weiler: Rod and cone contributions to horizontal cell light responses in the mouse retina. J Neurosci 28(27):6818-6825, 2008.
  16. K. Dedek, C. Pandarinath, N.W. Alam, K. Wellershaus, T. Schubert, K. Willecke, G.T. Prusky, R. Weiler and S. Nirenberg: Ganglion cell adaptability: does the coupling of horizontal cells play a role? PLoS ONE 5;3(3):e1714, 2008.
  17. S. Urschel, T. Hoeher, T. Schubert, C. Alev, G. Soehl, P. Woersdoerfer, K.-I.Yoshino, K. Yonezawa, R. Dermietzel, R. Weiler and K. Willecke: Protein kinase A mediated phosphorylation of connexin36 in mouse retina results in decreased gap junctional communication between AII amacrine cells. J Biol Chem 281(44):33163-33171, 2006.
  18. T. Schubert, R. Weiler and A. Feigenspan: Intracellular calcium is regulated by different pathways in horizontal cells of the mouse retina. J Neurophysiol 96(3):1278-92, 2006.
  19. J. Shelley, K. Dedek, T. Schubert, A. Feigenspan, K. Schultz, S. Hombach, K. Willecke and R. Weiler: Horizontal cell receptive fields are reduced in Connexin57-deficient mice. Eur J Neurosci 23:3176-3186, 2006.
  20. T. Schubert, S. Maxeiner, O. Krueger, K. Willecke and R. Weiler: Bistratified ganglion cell coupling is mediated by connexin45. J Comp Neur 490:29-39, 2005.
  21. T. Schubert, J. Degen, K. Willecke, S.G. Hormuzdi, H. Monyer and R. Weiler: Connexin36 mediates gap junctional coupling of alpha-ganglion cells in mouse retina. J Comp Neur 485:191-201, 2005.
  22. S. Hombach, U. Janssen-Bienhold, G. Soehl, T. Schubert, H. Buessow, T. Ott, R. Weiler and K. Willecke: Connexin57 (Cx57) deficient mice with lacZ reporter gene reveal functional expression exclusively in horizontal cells of mouse retina. Eur J Neurosci 19:2633-2640, 2004.
  23. T. Schubert and A. Akopian: Actin filaments regulate voltage-gated ion channels in salamander retinal ganglion cells. Neurosci 125:583-590, 2004.

Review articles and book chapters

  1. T. Schubert and B. Wissinger: Restoration of retinal synaptic function in sight for degenerative retinal disease, J Clin Invest, in press, 2015.
  2. T. Euler, S. Haverkamp, T. Schubert, T. Baden. Retinal bipolar cells – Elementary building blocks of vision. Nat Rev Neurosci 15(8):507-19, 2014.
  3. T. Schubert and T. Euler: Retinal processing: Global players like it local. Curr Biol 20(11):R486-488, 2010.

* authors contribute equally, § corresponding author