Joachim Herz, MD

Professor
Endowed Title: Thomas O. and Cinda Hicks Family Distinguished Chair in Alzheimer's Disease Research
Molecular Genetics, Neuroscience, Neurology and Neurotherapeutics
Graduate Program: Integrative Biology

Contact Information

UT Southwestern Medical Center
5323 Harry Hines Boulevard
Dallas, Texas 75390

Office Phone: 214-648-2141
Office Fax: 214-648-8804

joachim.herz@utsouthwestern.edu

Biography

Joachim Herz graduated from Medical School at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, in 1983. He continued training as a resident in surgery in Germany and England until he joined the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in 1985. There, he received training in Molecular Biology and conducted research work that included the identification and cloning of a novel member of the LDL receptor gene family, the LDL receptor-related protein (LRP). In 1989 Dr. Herz joined the Department of Molecular Genetics where in 1998 he attained his current position of Professor. He is the holder of the Thomas O. Hicks Family Distinguished Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease Research.

Dr. Herz’s current research focuses on the role of the members of the LDL receptor gene family as signaling receptors in the brain and in the vascular wall. Recent work from his laboratory have defined roles for the LDL receptor gene family in the formation of the mammalian brain, where it regulates the migration and positioning of neurons during embryonic development, and control of vascular wall integrity, where the LRP functions in conjunction with the PDGF receptor.

Education

Graduate SchoolUniversity of Heidelberg - Germany (1983)

Research Interests

Brain Development and Alzheimer's Disease
Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis
Physiological functions of the LDL receptor gene family

Publications

Featured
ApoE receptor 2 controls neuronal survival in the adult brain

Uwe Beffert, Farnas Nematollah-Farsian, Irene Masiulis, Robert Hammer, Sung Ok Yoon, Klaus M. Giehl, and Joachim Herz , Current Biology , 2006; (16):2446-2452

Featured
Reelin Modulates NMDA Receptor Activity in Cortical Neurons.

Ying Chen, Uwe Beffert, Mert Ertunc, Tie-Shan Tang, Ege T. Kavalali, Ilya Bezprozvanny, Joachim Herz , J. Neuroscience , 2005; (25):8209-8216

Featured
Modulation of Synaptic Plasticity and Memory by Reelin Involves Differential Splicing of the Lipoprotein Receptor Apoer2.

Uwe Beffert, Edwin J. Weeber, Andre Durudas, Shenfeng Qiu, Irene Masiulis, J. David Sweatt, Wei-Ping Li, Giselind Adelmann, Michael Frotscher, Robert E. Hammer, and Joachim Herz , Neuron , 2005; (47):567-579

Featured
Reelin and ApoE receptors cooperate to enhance hippocampal synaptic plasticity and learning.

Edwin J. Weeber, Uwe Beffert, Chris Jones, Jill M. Christian, Eckart Forster, J. David Sweatt, and Joachim Herz , J Biol Chem. , 2002; (277):39944-39952

Featured
Direct binding of Reelin to VLDL receptor and ApoE receptor 2 induces tyrosine phosphorylation of the adaptor protein Disabled-1 and modulates the tau phosphorylation

Thomas Hiesberger, Marion Trommsdorff, Brian W. Howell, Andre Goffinet, Marc , Neuron , 1999; (24):481-489

LRP1 Controls cPLA2 Phosphorylation, ABCA1 Expression and Cellular Cholesterol Export.

Li Zhou, Hong Y. Choi, Wi-Ping Li, Fang Xu, Joachim Herz , PLoS ONE , 2009; (4):e6853

Differential functions of the Apoer2 intracellular domain in selenium uptake and cell signaling.

Irene Masiulis, Timothy A. Quill, Raymond F. Burk, and Joachim Herz , Biol. Chem. , 2009; (390):67-73

Mutations in VLDLR as a Cause for Autosomal Recessive Cerebellar Ataxia with Mental Retardation (Dysequilibrium Syndrome)

Kym M Boycott, Carsten Bonnemann, Joachim Herz, Stephanie Neuert, Chandree Beaulieu, James N Scott, Anuradha Venkatasubramanian, Jillian S Parboosingh , J. Child Neurol. , 2009; (24):1310-5

LRP1 Regulates the Architecture of the Vascular Wall by Controlling PDGFRβ-Dependent Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Activation..

Li Zhou, Yoshiharu Takayama, Philippe Boucher, Michelle D. Tallquist, Joachim Herz , PLoS ONE , 2009; (4):e6922

ApoE receptors in the nervous system.

Joachim Herz , Current Opinion in Lipidology , 2009; (20):190-6

Honors/Awards

Heinrich-Wieland Prized

International Lipid Research Award (2007)

Thomas O. and Cinda Hicks Family Distinguished Chair

(2002)

Wolfgang Paul Award

Humboldt Foundation of Germany (2001)

Lucille P. Markey Scholar

(1991)

Syntex Scholar

(1991)