Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology
Current Position: Group Leader Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
» CV (PDF)
Medical University of Vienna
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology
Schwarzspanierstrasse 17
1090 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 (0)1 40160-37510
Fax: +43 (0)1 40160-37542
E-Mail: Michael.Jantsch@meduniwien.ac.at
ORCID: 0000-0003-1747-0853
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Main Research Interests
We study the mechanisms and consequences of post-transcriptional RNA modifications, with a special focus on those mediated by adenosine deaminases that act on RNA (ADARs). These enzymes deaminate adenosines to inosines in structured regions of RNAs. Inosines, in turn, are recognized as guanosines during translation, splicing, or folding. Consequently ADAR-mediated deaminations can alter the coding potential, splice pattern, or turnover of RNAs. More than a million deamination editing sites are known in the human transcriptome. Mice lacking ADAR1 die prematurely and mutations in human ADAR1 are associated with Aicardi Goutières syndrome a severe interferonopathy. ADAR1 deficiency in mice can be rescued by deletions of viral RNA sensors MDA5 or MAVS. It thus appears that another function of Inosines in endogenous RNAs is to distinguish self- from non-self RNAs.
A particular editing event in the Filamin A protein leads to a Q to R amino acid exchange in the encoded protein. Mice in which this amino acid exchange is inhibited show altered cytoskeletal dynamics, also affecting several signaling pathways.
Therefore, in our work we aim at understanding the regulation and consequences of filamin A editing. We also want to decipher the particular RNAs and sensing mechanisms that lead to elevated interferon signaling in the absence of ADARs.
Scientific Education & Career History
- since 2015 Full Professor for Cell- and Developmental Biology, Medical University of Vienna
- 2001-2015 Associate Professor, University of Vienna
- 2001 Habilitation in Genetics (assoc. Prof), University of Vienna
- 1993-2001 Assistant Prof. Dept. of Cell Biology and Genetics University of Vienna
- 1989-1993 Post Doc, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Baltimore, MD
- 1988 PhD in Biology, Univ Vienna
- 1987 Short term fellowship to the Medical University of Lübeck, Germany,
- 1982-1988 Studies of Biology, University of Vienna
Experience in Scientific Management and Organization & Student Supervision
Since 1993 Supervision and training of 15 Diploma (M.Sc.), 22 PhD students, and 3 Post Docs Awards and fellowships won by lab members: Incoming Postdoctoral fellowship: INDICAR EU cofund (2 x); DFG (German Research Society)(1x)
PhD fellowships: DOC - Austrian Academy of Sciences 1x; Best dissertation award (1x)
- 2005-2007 Member of the study section Biology
- 2005-2015 Department Head, Chromosome Biology, University of Vienna
- 2013 Vice chair of the Gordon Research Conference on RNA editing and modification
- 2015-date Full Professor and Head of Unit, Medical University of Vienna
- Since 2015 Head of Unit for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna
- Since 2017 Member of the curricular committee for medical studies
- 2015-2019 Speaker and Coordinater of the Special Research Program “Regulatory RNAs”
- 2014-2019 Member of the Doctoral Program “RNA Biology”
- 2014-date Editorial board, RNA-Biology
- 2015 Chair of the Gordon Research Conference on RNA editing and modification
- 2017 Session chair “RNA modification” at the annual RNA society meeting
Supervision of Doctoral (PhD) Thesis Students
(past five years – 22 since 1994)
- Aamira Tariq - PhD Student 2007-2012
“A screen for inhibitors and activators of RNA editing” - Silpi Banerjee - PhD Student 2011-2014
“Nuclear import of a double stranded RNA binding domain” - Mansoureh Tajaddod - PhD Student 2011-2015
“Impact of SINES on gene expression” - Cornelia Vesely - PhD Student 2009-2013
“Impact of ADAR proteins on microRNA abundance and sequence” - Maja Stulic - PhD Student 2012-2016
“Functional consequences of Filamin A pre-mRNA editing” - Utkarsh Kapoor - PhD Student 2015-ongoing
“The interplay of RNA editing and splicing” - Prajakta Bajad - PhD student 2015-ongoing
“RNAs triggering inflammation in ADAR deficiency”
Invited Conference Presentations
(5 recent selected)
- 2017- Invited speaker at the GRC on RNA editing, Ventura, CA, USA
- 2016 – “The epitranscriptome” EMBO conference, EMBL
- 2016 – Nucleic acids and immunity Brno, Czech republic
- 2015 - Speaker at the Dept. of Biochemistry, Cambridge UK
- 2013 - Plenary speaker at the GRC on RNA editing, Galveston, USA
Honors & Awards
- 1987 Austrian Ministry of Science Fellowship to Lübeck
- 1989-1992 Erwin Schrödinger Fellow of the Austrian Science Foundation FWF
- 1999 Novartis Prize for Biology, Novartis (Sandoz) Austria
Member of Reviewing Panels, Editorial Boards, Scientific Organizations
(5 selected)
- Regular reviewing for Science, Nature, Cell, Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol., EMBO J, Cell Rep., EMBO Rep., Nucl. Acids. Res., RNA, RNA Biol., Wellcome Trust, Swiss National Fund, European Research Council, DFG, Israeli Science Foundation
- Editorial Board member of RNA Biology
- ASCB member, RNA society member
- COST participant
Most Important Research Funding
(selection of past 5 years)
- 2017 – 2021, MOBILIS FWF/ANR - 220 k€
- 2016 – 2019, FWF SFB43 RNA-REG (MFJ coordination) 620 k€
- 2017 – 2020, FWF – participation in doctoral program RNA Biology (FWF) 110 k€
- 2014 – 2017, FWF Impact of editing on splicing 342 k€
- 2014 – 2017, FWF Impact of splicing on editing 320 k€
Key International Collaborators
(selection of 5 with joint publications since 2012)
