Professor Michael Schrader
Professor of Cell Biology & Cytopathology
M.Schrader@exeter.ac.uk
5850
Geoffrey Pope 224
Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter , Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
Overview
I am a molecular cell biologist interested in the biogenesis and dynamics of cellular compartments (organelles) in mammalian cells. My research focuses on the molecular machinery and signalling pathways, which mediate and regulate the formation, dynamics, abundance and cooperation of peroxisomes. Our goal is to understand the relation of organelle dynamics to organelle functionality and its impact on developmental and physiological processes. My teaching includes molecular cell biology and biomedical aspects. I am a member of the Cell Biology research group.
Qualifications
1996 PhD Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, Germany
1991 Diploma in Biology, University of Bielefeld, Germany
Career
2017-present Professor of Cell Biology & Cytopathology, Biosciences, University of Exeter, UK
2012-2017 Associate Professor of Cell Biology, Biosciences, University of Exeter, UK
2007-2011 Head of research group at the Centre for Cell Biology & Dept. of Biology, University of Aveiro, Portugal
2002 Habilitation, Venia Legendi in Cell Biology, University of Marburg, Germany
2001-2006 Hochschulassistent (=Assistant Professor), Privatdozent (PD) and Group leader at the Dept. of Cell Biology and Cell Pathology, University of Marburg, Germany
1999-2000 Postdoctoral Research Fellow with H. F. Kern, University of Marburg, Germany
1997-1998 Postdoctoral Research Fellow with T. A. Schroer, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
1992-1996 PhD in Cell Biology (Laboratory of H. D. Fahimi), University of Heidelberg, Germany
1986-1991 Diploma in Biology, University of Bielefeld, Germany
Links
Research group links
Research
Research interests
During my research career my interests have been focused on the molecular mechanisms associated with organelle dynamics and biogenesis in mammalian cells and their relation to inter-organellar communication and cell physiology.
Our model organelle, among others, is the peroxisome. Peroxisomes contribute to several disease-relevant metabolic pathways in mammals (e.g., hydrogen peroxide metabolism, generation and scavenging of reactive oxygen species, break-down of fatty acids by beta-oxidation, and synthesis of ether phospholipids, which are important constituents of myelin sheaths) and have been associated with developmental processes, oxidative stress, ageing and neurodegeneration. In mammalian cells peroxisomes can easily be visualized by peroxisome-targeted fluorescent fusion proteins. Peroxisomes can be enriched and isolated from soft tissues and cells, and are biochemically accessible. Their high plasticity, the pharmacological (environmental) stimulation of their proliferation, and the defined morphological alterations during proliferation make them ideal model organelles with an interesting biology (for overview see Islinger, M., Grille, S., Fahimi, H. D., and M. Schrader: The peroxisome - an update on mysteries. Histochem Cell Biol. 137, 547–574, 2012).
The investigation of peroxisome morphology and dynamics has become an exciting new field in cell biology and biomedical sciences because of its relation to organelle functionality and its impact on developmental and physiological processes.
Research projects
Current research addresses the following fundamental biological questions by combining cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, microscopy, bioinformatics, modelling and cell physiology:
1. How do peroxisomes form, multiply and distribute, and how does this contribute to cell physiology and disease?
Unraveling the peroxisomal growth and division machinery: We have identified the first components of the peroxisomal division machinery in mammalian cells and presented evidence that peroxisomal growth and division is a multistep process involving peroxisome membrane deformation, elongation, constriction and final division. The functional characterization, interplay and regulation of the molecular components represent a major challenge. New disorders based on defects in the molecular machinery have been discovered.
2. How is the proliferation of peroxisomes regulated?
Regulation of peroxisome dynamics and abundance: There is particular interest in understanding how peroxisome dynamics and proliferation are regulated and how these processes might contribute to pathological conditions.
3. How do peroxisomes and other subcellular organelles co-operate to maintain cellular functions?
The peroxisome-mitochondria connection: We provided first evidence that peroxisomes and mitochondria share components of their division machinery indicating that both organelles exhibit a much closer interrelationship than previously appreciated. Thus, peroxisomal alterations in metabolism, biogenesis, dynamics and proliferation can potentially influence mitochondrial functions, and vice versa. This is of cell biological and clinical importance.
The peroxisome-ER connection: We discovered the first molecular mechanism for establishing peroxisome-ER (endoplasmic reticulum) interactions in mammalian cells and reported a new function for the acyl-CoA binding proteins ACBD5 and ACBD4 in peroxisome-ER tethering. Peroxisome-ER associations impact on a diverse number of physiological processes, including lipid metabolism, phospholipid exchange, metabolite transport, peroxisome biogenesis, positioning and movement.
4. Furthermore, we are interested in the biogenesis of zymogen granules. These are sorting and secretion organelles of acinar cells in the exocrine pancreas, which contain our digestive enzymes. Their malfunction can result in pancreatitis.
Grants/Funding (last 5 years)
Participation in EU-funded Marie Curie Initial Training Network PERICO 2018-2022, “Peroxisome Interaction and Communication” www.itn-perico.eu
Participation in EU-funded Marie Curie Initial Training Network PERFUME 2013-2016, “Peroxisomes: Key to Cell Performance and Health”
DFG, J. Manchot Foundation, FCT, CRUP-DAAD, CRUP-Treaty of Windsor, BBSRC
Research networks
Member of the Dynamic Cellular Systems & Appiled Technologies Research Theme (Biosciences)
Member of the Exeter Brain Network
Research grants
- 2022 BBSRC Project Grant
Biological Sciences - 2021 BBSRC
BBSRC Partnership Award - 2019 BBSRC Project Grant
Biological Sciences - 2018 BBSRC Project Grant
Biological Sciences - 2018 EU Marie Curie Training Grant
PERICO - 2017 BBSRC ALERT 17
Equipment Grant - 2016 BBSRC
Biological Sciences - 2015 Wellcome Trust
ISSF2 - 2012 BBSRC
Biological Sciences - 2012 EU Marie Curie Training Grant
PERFUME - 2012 Wellcome Trust
ISSF
Links
- Cellular & Chemical Biology research group
- Schrader Lab website
- Zellweger UK
- Spalding Gentlemen's Society
Publications
Books
Journal articles
Chapters
Conferences
External Engagement and Impact
Committee/panel activities
Member of the Steering Committee, Dynamic Cellular Systems & Appiled Technologies Research Theme (2023- ongoing)
Academic Lead, Cell Biology, Biosciences, University of Exeter (- 2021)
Member of the MRC/ Wellcome Trust Funder Advisory Network (FAN) (2020-ongoing)
Member of the MRC/Wellcome Trust Strategy Group (2017-2019)
H2020 Marie Curie ITN PERICO –member of the Management Consortium (- 2022)
Member of the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships Peer Review College & Panel Review College (2018-ongoing)
FP7 Marie Curie ITN PERFUME –member of the Management Consortium (- 2016)
Member of the Research & Impact Committee, Biosciences, University of Exeter
Member of the GM Safety Committee, Biosciences, University of Exeter
FP7 COST Action BM1203 “EU-ROS”– substitute member Management Committee (- 2019)
Vice-Director/Coordinator, Centre for Cell Biology, Aveiro, Portugal (2008-11)
Editorial responsibilities
Reviewer for Current Biology, EMBO Journal, Journal of Cell Biology, Journal of Cell Science, Molecular Biology of the Cell, Traffic, New England Journal of Medicine, PNAS, Nature Communications ......
Editor–in-Chief Greater Europe, Histochemistry and Cell Biology (2016 - ) Springer Nature
Guest Associate Editor for Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, Organisation & Hosting of a Frontiers Research Topic on “Molecular mechanisms and physiological significance of organelle interactions and cooperation” Lausanne: Frontiers Media. ISBN 978-2-88945-104-3. DOI 10.3389/978-2-88945-104-3 (E-Book) (COVER ART) (2014-2016)
Editor for a book on “Peroxisomes - Methods and Protocols”, Methods in Molecular Biology, Humana Press. Springer Science + Business Media. ISBN 978-1-4939-6935-7. DOI 10.1007/978-1-4939-6937-1 (COVER ART) (2015-2016).
Co-editor for a book on "Proteomics of peroxisomes", Subcellular Biochemistry Series, Springer Science + Business Media (2017-2018)
Guest Associate Editor for Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, Organisation & Hosting of a Frontiers Research Topic on “Molecular mechanisms and physiological significance of organelle interactions and cooperation”, Volume II (2021-2022)
Editor for a book on “Peroxisomes - Methods and Protocols”, 2nd edition, Methods in Molecular Biology, Humana Press. Springer Nature (2021-2022)
Invited lectures
2008-2024 Given invited seminars at 6 UK Universities and 43 Universities outside the UK
Selected
2024 9th Open European Peroxisome Meeting, Sant Feliu De Guixols, Girona, Spain (upcoming)
2023 International Conference on Peroxisome Biogenesis and Function, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
2023 The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, Canada
2023 Institute of Biomedicine - iBiMED & Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, Portugal
2023 Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, University of Lisbon, Portugal
2022 8th Open European Peroxisome Meeting, Aveiro, Portugal
2022 EMBO workshop "New challenges in protein translocation across membranes", Sant Feliu de Guixols, Spain
2022 16th International Congress of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, Prague, Czech Republic
2021 Dept. of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington DC, USA
2021 Inst. for Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Germany
2020 PERICO Mid-term Review Meeting, Irish College Leuven, BE
2019 Zellweger UK Family Meeting & Conference, Okehampton, UK
2019 PERICO Kick-off event, Groningen, NL
2019 'Cellular dynamics: organelle-cytoskeleton interface’ Meeting, Lisbon, Portugal
2018 Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, Spalding, UK
2018 6th Open European Peroxisome Meeting, Groningen, The Netherlands
2018 2nd EMBO Workshop on Membrane Contact Sites, Arosa, Switzerland (invited speaker)
2018 SSIEM Annual Symposium, Athens, Greece (Plenary Lecture)
2018 Mini symposium “New Horizons in Peroxisome Biology”, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
2018 Hong Kong (School visits, open evening)
2018 Zellweger UK Family Meeting & Conference, Okehampton, UK
2017 Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2017 Zellweger UK Family Meeting, London, UK
2016 Annual Meeting of the ASCB, San Francisco, USA (Minisymposium on Organelle Contact Sites and Biogenesis)
2016 5th Open European Peroxisome Meeting, Vienna, Austria
2016 Institute Pasteur, Paris, France
2016 Zellweger UK Family Meeting, Birmingham, UK
2016 PERFUME Conference, Hamburg, Germany
2016 EU ROS symposium, Lisbon, Portugal
2016 Annual symposium of the APS (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Stoffwechselstörungen in der Pädiatrie), Fulda, Germany (Plenary Lecture)
2016 Minerva-Gentner Peroxisystem symposium, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel (Plenary Lecture)
2016 Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, Spalding, UK
2015 Inst. for Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Germany
2015 Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2014 Organisation of the EU FP7 Marie Curie ITN PERFUME Workshop “Peroxisomes in Health and Disease”, Exeter, UK
2014 Joint International Symposium SFB 593 & GRK 1216 “Mechanisms of cellular compartmentalization”, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany (Plenary Lecture)
2014 SSIEM Annual Symposium, Innsbruck, Austria (Plenary Lecture)
2014 University of Groningen, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), Groningen, The Netherlands
2014 Medical University of Vienna, Centre for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Vienna, Austria
2013 PERFUME Marie Curie ITN, Kick-off-conference, Groningen, The Netherlands (Plenary Lecture)
2013 GABBA Annual Symposium "Science Heartbeat", Porto, Portugal (Plenary Lecture)
2013 Glaxo Smith Kline, Stevenage, UK
2013 Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, UK
2012 10th National NCL Conference, Hamburg, Germany
2012 GABBA course Cell Division, IBMC, Porto, Portugal, “Organelle partitioning during cell division”
2011 EMBO Meeting, Vienna, Austria
2011 CIIMAR/IPATIMUP, University of Porto, Portugal
2010 SFB 593 "Mechanisms of cellular compartmentalization", University of Marburg, Germany
2009 SINAL – 3rd National Meeting on Signal Transduction, Aveiro, Portugal
2009 EMBO Meeting, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Recent advances in peroxisome biology
2009 Dept. of Cell Biology, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
2009 Department of Zoology & Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal
2009 Inst. for Biochemistry (Cellular Biochemistry), University of Tübingen, Germany
2008 SSIEM Annual Symposium, Lisbon, Portugal (Plenary Lecture)
2008 50th Anniversary Symposium of the Society for Histochemistry, Interlaken, Switzerland (co-chair and co-organizer of a session on peroxisomes in honour of Prof. H. D. Fahimi on the occasion of his 75th anniversary)
2008 Dept. of Medical Sciences (Neuropharmacology), University of Castilla-La-Mancha, Albacete, Spain
2007 102nd Annual Meeting of the German Society for Anatomy, Giessen, Germany
2006 46th Annual Meeting of the ASCB, San Diego, USA (co-chair and co-organizer of a Minisymposium on Organelle Inheritance and Maintenance)
Media Coverage
First Person Interview, Tina A. Schrader and Ruth Carmichael, 11 July 2022, J Cell Sci (2022) 135 (13): jcs260359, https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.260359 First person – Tina Angelika Schrader and Ruth Carmichael | Journal of Cell Science | The Company of Biologists
Research Highlight “A new pathway for peroxisome division”, 13 July 2022, J Cell Sci (2022) 135 (13): e135_e1303, https://journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/135/13/e135_e1303/275978/A-new-pathway-for-peroxisome-division
Press Release “New research gives insights into how organelles divide in cells”, Research News, University of Exeter, 09 June 2022, http://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/news/articles/newresearchgivesinsightsi.html
Press Release “New discovery on regulation of organelle contact”, Research News, University of Exeter, 13 January 2022, https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/news/articles/newdiscoveryonregulationo.html
Press Release “New research gives insights into how a group of novel organelle-based disorders affects cells”, Research News, University of Exeter, 09 April 2020, https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/news/articles/newresearchgivesinsightsi.html
Press Release “Exeter researchers discover a novel chemistry to protect our crops from fungal disease”, Research News, University of Exeter, 30 March 2020, http://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_784511_en.html
Press Release “Big data” for life sciences – A human protein co-regulation map reveals new insights into protein functions”, Research News, University of Exeter, 05 November 2019, https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/newsandevents/news/title_763295_en.html
Schrader, M., H. R. Waterham, K. Hughes, N. Anderson-Hunt: Zellweger UK – a glimmer of hope. SciTech Europa Quarterly 33, 178-179, 2019. https://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=75bad82e-f626-47cf-ad97-b0d698b68c11
Schrader, M: Peroxisomes – cellular team players. SciTech Europa Quarterly 32, 194-195, 2019. http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=af668ef0-4b51-4ffd-90f0-f2f3d522bebe
Press Release “RSB and UBMA HE Bioscience Technician of the Year announced”, News, Royal Society for Biology, May 20, 2019, https://www.rsb.org.uk/news/14-news/2150-rsb-and-ubma-he-bioscience-technician-of-the-year-announced
Press Release “Exeter research technician wins award”, Staff News, University of Exeter, 09 May 2019, http://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/staff/title_715606_en.html
Press Release “Future European science leaders to work on cutting-edge peroxisome research”, Research News, University of Exeter, 04 October 2018, http://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_685534_en.html
Schrader, M: Peroxisomes take centre stage. SciTech Europa Quarterly 28, 144-145, 2018. http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=79ea7db3-29e5-46d8-b329-91045b3ff3b4
Schrader, M., H. R. Waterham, K. Hughes, C. Burton, N. Anderson-Hunt: Battling Zellweger Spectrum Disorders. SciTech Europa Quarterly 28, 142-143, 2018. http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=79ea7db3-29e5-46d8-b329-91045b3ff3b4
Schrader, M: Peroxisomes on the rise. Scientia 148, 2018. https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA148
Press Release “Pulling power reveals new insights into membrane dynamics in human cells“, Research News, University of Exeter, 25 January 2018, http://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/newsandevents/news/title_635625_en.html
N. Hunt, Zellweger UK Charity (23.11.2017, BIO3086 Patient-centred session) http://www.zellweger.org.uk/index.php/news-2/lr-151655/
https://www.facebook.com/zellwegeruk/posts/1130082373792943
Costello, J., D. McNeall, M. Islinger, and M. Schrader: Cloudy with a chance of biology. Laboratory News (Features) Dec 6, 2017, https://www.labnews.co.uk/uncategorized/cloudy-chance-biology-06-12-2017/
Press Release “Weather forecasting technology used to predict where proteins anchor within human cells“, Featured News, University of Exeter, 30 March 2017, http://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_576535_en.html
Press Release “Breakthrough by Exeter cell biologists - We all need contacts – how organelles hug in cells“, Featured News, University of Exeter, 20 January 2017, http://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/featurednews/title_565173_en.html
Press Release “How to organise a cell: novel insight from a fungus“, Research News, Biosciences, University of Exeter, 2 June 2016, http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_515132_en.html
“Granule formation in pancreatic acinar cell”, Atlas of Science, 10 December 2015, http://atlasofscience.org/proteoglycans-support-granule/
Press Release “Scientists discover an additional function for the peroxisome protein Pex11p”, Research News, Biosciences, University of Exeter, 14 May 2015, http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/news/featurednews/title_451624_en.html
Press Release “Prestigious European training network comes to Biosciences”, Research News, Biosciences, University of Exeter, 1 December 2014, http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/news/featurednews/title_424671_en.html
Press Release “New model gives scientists insight into cells’ fat-metabolisers”, Research News, Biosciences, University of Exeter, 29 October 2014, http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_419085_en.html
“Understanding new disorders with defects in organelle dynamics” I. Castro, J. Costello, T. A. Schrader, A. Sadeghi, L. Godinho, M. Schrader. Medical and Health Showcase, June 27, 2014, Exeter, UK (Best Poster Award). http://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/events/healthshowcase/
Press Release “Future European Science Leaders to Work on Cutting-edge Peroxisome Research”, Research News, Biosciences, University of Exeter, 9 April 2013, http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_278980_en.html
Press Release “Study of the machinery of cells reveals clues to neurological disorder”, Research News, University of Exeter, 16 May 2013, http://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/featurednews/title_290807_en.html
Press Release “Kissing organelles – new dynamic behaviour of peroxisomes. research@ua 2011, Research Highlights, University of Aveiro, Portugal
College textbook “CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY”, 6e, by Gerald Karp (photographic material) (2010)
Newspaper article "Matrix and membrane hold the key to disease of the pancreas", Oberhessische Presse, Marburg, 2004
Video "Free Radicals", Spektrum Verlag, 1996 (photographic material)
Workshops/Conferences organised
upcoming: 9th Open European Peroxisome Meeting 2024
2017 - ongoing Zellweger UK Charity, Patient-centred session, Exeter, UK
2016 Cell Biology Theme Event, Exeter, UK
2014 EU FP7 Marie Curie ITN PERFUME Workshop “Peroxisomes in Health and Disease”, Exeter, UK
2008 Session on peroxisomes in honour of Prof. H. D. Fahimi on the occasion of his 75th anniversary at the 50th Anniversary Symposium of the Society for Histochemistry, Interlaken, Switzerland
2006 Minisymposium on “Organelle Inheritance and Maintenance” at the 46th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), San Diego, CA, USA
Teaching
- BIO3086/BIOM548 Cell Biology of Disease (Module Coordinator)
- BIO2088 Advanced Cell Biology
- BIO1313 Academic Tutorials yr1
- BIO2071 Academic Tutorials yr2
- BIOM540 Biotechnology and Enterprise MSc
- BIOM509 Professional Skills MSc
- BIOM560 Professional Skills MSc
- BIO3063 Biosciences Dissertations (L3)
- BIO3064 Biosciences Independent Research project (L3)
- BIO3096 final year projects & oral presentations
- EH4 Expanding Horizons BSc (Hons) Medical Sciences, UoE Medical School
- Erasmus Programme
- Marie Curie Initial Training Network PERFUME
- Marie Curie Initial Training Network PERICO
Modules
2023/24
Supervision / Group
Postdoctoral researchers
- Ruth Carmichael
Postgraduate researchers
- Chenxing Jiang
- Tang Xinyu
Research Technicians
- Tina Schrader Senior Research Technician
Alumni
- Afsoon S. Azadi (PhD student)
- Alexa Bishop (MbyRes)
- Ines Castro (PhD student)
- Maki Kamoshita (PostDoc)
- Suzan Kors (PhD student)
- Rechal Kumar (PhD student)
- Josiah Passmore (PhD student)
- Beatriz Soares Carneiro Da Silva (PhD student)
- Harley Worthy