Günter Lepperdinger was raised in Salzburg, Austria. He attended basic Genetics and Biology Courses at the University of Salzburg, graduated in Chemistry at the Univsersity of Vienna in 1991 and holds a doctoral degree in Biochemistry. He is molecular biologist and embryologist by training, and is an Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Salzburg and and an Adjunct Professor of Developmental Biology at the University of Innsbruck. He started his research career at the former Institute of Molecular Biology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, worked at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry in Martinsried, at the National Institute for Child Health and Development, NIH Bethesda Maryland, and currently holds a position as a Principle Investigator and Section Head at the Institute for Biomedical Aging Research of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Innsbruck, Austria. His research interests are stem cell biology in the context of the human aging and regeneration, and biochemistry of hyaluronan metabolism in development and pathology. He is a recipient of the Christian-Doppler-Award, the Best of Biotechnology Award, and the Werner-Welzig-Award. He is an APART fellow of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Burgen Scholar of the Academia Europeae and Elected Life-Time Member of the International Society for Hyaluronan Sciences. He served as an Associate Editor for ‚Experimental Gerontology’ - Elsevier, and is the Section Editor for Regenerative Medicine and Technology of ‚Gerontology’ - Karger, as well as Editorial Board Member of several international scientific journals. He is a Co-founder and Vice President of the Austrian Scientists and Scholars in North America - ASCINA.
Short CV
Education & Postgraduate Training
2004 appointed professorship (Developmental Biology, Univ. Innsbruck)
2000 appointed professorship (Biochemistry, Univ. Salzburg)
1994 Dr. rer. nat. (Univ. Vienna)
1991 Mag. rer. nat. Chemistry (Univ. Vienna)
Academic Positions
2012 - University Innsbruck, Stem Cell Aging Research at the Research Institute for Biomedical Aging Research
2004-2012 tenure (section head; Austrian Academy of Sciences)
2002- Austrian Academy of Sciences, Innsbruck Austria Biomedical Aging Research
2001-02 senior staff scientist, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
1998-99 Max Planck-Institute of Biochemistry- Martinsried, Department of Protein Chemistry
1991-94 Research fellow and lector at the University of Salzburg
Affiliations
Scientific societies: Intern. Soc. Dev. Biol., FASEB, AAAS, Intern. Soc. Hyaluronan Sciences - ISHAS, Intern. Soc. Stem Cell Research – ISSCR, ÖGGG
Founder and Vice-President of Austrian Scientists and Scholar in North America-ASCINA
Associate Editor, Experimental Gerontology, Elsevier
Section Editor, Gerontology, Karger
Editorial Board Member: Biogerontology, Springer, Stem Cell Discovery, World Journal of Stem Cells, Open Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, Bentham, Open Longevity Science, Bentham
Grants, Fellowships and Awards
EU-FP7: MOPACT (2012-17) VASCUbone (2009-2014) Marie Curie Reintegration HYALSTEMAGE (2011-2013) KORANet – Stemreg (2010/11); Herzefeldersche Familienstiftung (2012-2014); Tyrolean Future Fund (2009-2012) Smart Implants, Laura Bassi center of Excellence –DIALIFE (2009-13 (16)); Austrian Science Foundation (FWF) (2010-2013) The role of mesenchymal stem cells in the therapy of osteoarthritis; Austrian Science Foundation (FWF) (2008-2010): „Proliferation, Differentiation and Cell Death during Cellular Aging – Stem Cell Aging“;Jubilee Fund of the Austrian National Bank (2007-2010): Improving bone healing by means of tissue engineered implants derived from human mesenchymal stem cells ; Austrian Research Agency FFG: (2007-9) “ Tendon Healing”; Austrian Science Foundation (FWF) (2004-2007): „Proliferation, Differentiation and Cell Death during Cellular Aging – Extracellular Matrix Aging: Jubilee Fund of the Austrian National Bank (2003-2005): Characterization of the early phase of atherosclerosis development”; Austrian Science Foundation (FWF)(13001BIO) (1998-2001): The role of hyaluronic acid during development of Xenopus laevis; Jubilee Fund of the Austrian National Bank (1997-1999): Generation of Hyal2-deficient mice
Werner Welzig Award of the Austrian Academy of Sciences 2005
Invited Life Member of the International Society for Hyaluronan Sciences (ISHAS)
Burgen Scholar 2003: Academia Europaea
Christian-Doppler-Award 2002: Salzburg
APART fellow: Austrian Academy of Sciences (2002)
Best of Biotechnology Award, Salzburg/Vienna 2001
FEBS fellowship (1993)
Fellowship of the Boehringer-Ingelheim Science Foundation (1994)
Diploma thesis award of the University of Vienna (1991)
Research Topics
Stem Cell Aging - Stem cells play an important role during development and their dysfunction is associated with a variety of diseases. Also the application of stem cells in medical therapeutics is a promising and emerging field. It is furthermore appreciated that organ repair and regeneration processes rely on the regulated activity of tissue-borne stem cells. As they may become increasingly compromised with advancing age, major issues in this context are to firstly investigate the distinct changes that occur in stem cells with advancing age, and more than that whether these changes are causative for age-related deviations such as the accumulation of fat deposits in bone, impaired fracture healing, or de-regulated hematopoiesis. Lastly this is to fully answer the burning questions:
Are we as old as our stem cells?
To analytically approach this question, we study primary mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) from bone of differently aged, yet systemically healthy human individuals.
Research Interests
Aging has dramatic and far-reaching effects on most organ functions, as it negatively impacts on strength, healing, bone density, and many more. As it is well perceived that stem cells are the single most important starting point for regenerative processes, the fitness of this specialized cell type is considered pivot, not only in the developing and growing organism, but seemingly decisive later during adult life. Stemness and multipotentiality of MSC undergo age-associated variations. In this respect, the basic properties of MSC have been acknowledged also for putative clinical applications, both as an emerging field on its own, as well as part of the so-called regenerative medicine.
My research group addresses two fundamental questions in stem cell biogerontology:
(1) What age-associated mechanisms impinge on MSC stemness and integrity
(2) which typical cellular interactions in the aging stem cell’s niche impact on their basic stem cell properties.
Hence our experimental research is focusing on those cell-intrinsic and extrinsic specifications, which occur in vivo and decisively influence MSC functionality either resulting in the decline in regenerative potential, or as a direct consequence, promoting age-associated diseases. In order to gain the broadest possible insight into dynamic changes, in most projects, genomic analytical tools and approaches have been applied in the recent years. In particular in a recently initiated project we now attempted to determine the translational efficiency of MSC we could successfully employ a combination of biochemical fractionation of differentially polysome-loaded mRNA and micro-array analytics thus giving insight on relative protein synthesis of the cell. We are confident that with this enomic approach we can efficiently bridge the gap to proteomics.
Working along these lines, a novel concept of stem cell fitness is currently being specified by identifying autocrine factors and MSC-intrinsic molecular networks, which entail and account for robust proliferative capacity or stemness, together with enhanced systemic MSC endurance life.
Selected Publications: (last 5 years)
1. Reitinger, St., Wissenswasser, J., Kapferer, W., Heer, R., Lepperdinger, G. Electric cell-substrate impedance sensing for rapid and selective monitoring of the multipotential differentiation capacity in human mesenchymal stem cells. Biosensors and Bioelectronics 34, 63-9 (2012) (IF2010 5.361)
2. Klepsch, S., Jamnig, A., Trimmel, D., Schimke, M., Kapferer, W., Brunauer, R., Singh,S., Reitinger, S., Lepperdinger, G. Isolation of mesenchymal stem cells from human bone and long-term cultivation under physiologic oxygen condistions. Methods in Molecular Biology, 976:99-109 (2013) doi: 10.1007/978-1-62703-317-6_8
3. Iliás, A., Liliom, K., Greiderer-Kleinlercher, B., Reitinger, St., Lepperdinger, G. Unbinding of hyaluronan accelerates the enzymatic acitivity of bee hyaluronidase. J. Biol. Chem. 286, 35699-707 (2011) (IF2010: 5.328)
4. Herndler-Brandstetter, D., Landgraf, K., Jenewein, B., Tzankov, A., Brunauer, R., Parson, W., Kloss, F., Gassner, R., Lepperdinger, G., Grubeck-Loebenstein, B. Human bone marrow hosts polyfunctional memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells with close contact to IL-15-producing cells J. Immunol. accepted (IF2009 5.646)
5. Stemberger, S., Stefanova, N., Jamnig, A., Lepperdinger, G., Reindl, M., Wenning, G.K. Mesenchymal stem cells in a transgenic animal model of multiple system atrophy: immunomodulation and neuroprotection PLOS ONE accepted (IF2009 4.351)
6. Laschober, G.*, Brunauer, R.*, Jamnig, A., Singh, S., Hafen, U., Fehrer, C., Kloss, F., Gaßner, R., Lepperdinger, G. Age-specific changes regarding osteogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells are paralleled by upregulation of VCAM1/CD106 expression as a response to an inflammatory environment. Rejuv. Res. 14, 119-31 (2011)(IF2009 4.138)
7. Odörfer, K.I., Egerbacher, M., Unger, N.J., Weber,. K., Jamnig, A., Lepperdinger , G., Kleiter, M., Sandgren, E.P., Erben, R.G. Hematopoietic bone marrow cells participate in endothelial, but not epithelial or mesenchymal cell renewal in adult rats, .J Cell. Mol. Med. in press PMID: 21091631 (2010) (IF2009 5.228)
8. Laschober, G.*, Ruli, D.*, Hofer, E., Carmona-Gutierrez, D., Ring, J., Hutter, E., Mück, C., Ruckenstuhl, C., Micutkova, L., Brunauer, R., Jamnig, A., Trimmel, D., Herndler-Brandstetter, D., Sampson, N., Breitenbach, M., Fröhlich, K. U., Grubeck-Loebenstein, B, Berger, P., Wieser, M., Grillari-Voglauer, R., Thallinger, G., Grillari, J., Trajanoski, Z., Madeo, F., Lepperdinger, G., Jansen-Dürr, P. Identification of evolutionarily conserved genetic regulators of cellular aging. Aging Cell 9, 1084-97 (2010)(IF2009 7.554)
9. Hackl, M.*, Brunner, S.*, Fortschegger, K., Schreiner, C., Micutkova, L., Mück, C., Laschober, G.T., Lepperdinger, G., Sampson, N., Berger, P., Herndler-Brandstätter, D., Wieser, M., Kühnel, H., Strasser, A., Rinnerthaler, M., Breitenbach, M., Mildner, M., Eckhart, L., Tschachler, E., Trost, A., Bauer, J.W., Papak, C., Trajanoski, Z., Scheideler. M., Grillari-Voglauer, R., Grubeck-Loebenstein, B., Jansen-Dürr, P., Grillari, J. miR-17, miR-19b, miR-20a and miR-106a are down-regulated in human aging. Aging Cell 9, 291-6 (2010) (IF2009 7.554)
10. Reitinger, St., Müllegger, J., Greiderer, B., Nielsen, J.E., Lepperdinger, G. Designed human serum hyaluronidase 1 variant, HYAL1DL exhibits activity up to pH 5.9. J. Biol. Chem. 284, 19173-7 (2009) (IF2009: 5.328)
11. Laschober, G., Brunauer, R., Jamnig, A., Fehrer, C., Greiderer, B., Lepperdinger, G. Leptin receptor/CD295 is upregulated on primary human mesenchymal stem cells of advancing age and distinctly marks the subpopulation of dying cells. Experimental Gerontology 44, 57-62 (2009) (IF2009: 3.342)
12. Kloss, F.R., Gassner, R., Preiner, J., Ebner, A., Larsson, K., Hächl, O., Tuli, T., Rasse, M., Moser, D., Laimer, K., Nickel, E.A., Laschober, G., Brunauer, R., Schreck, M., Klima, G., Hinterdorfer, P., Steinmüller-Nethl, D., Lepperdinger, G. The role of oxygen termination of nanocrystalline diamond on immobilisation of BMP-2 and subsequent bone regeneration Biomaterials 29, 2433-42 (2008) (IF2008: 7.365)
13. Fehrer, C*., Brunauer, R.*, Laschober, G., Unterluggauer, H., Reitinger, S., Kloss, F., Gülly, C., Gaßner, R., Lepperdinger, G. Reduced oxygen tension attenuates differentiation capacity of human mesenchymal stem cells and prolongs their life span. Aging Cell 6, 745-57 (2007) (IF2008: 7.791)
14. Reitinger, St., Laschober, G., Fehrer, C., Greiderer, B., Lepperdinger, G. Mouse Spermatocyte Hyaluronidase-Like Proteins, PH-20, Hyal5 but not HyalP1 are Degrading Hyaluronan at Physiological Conditions. Biochem. J. 401, 79-85 (2007) (IF2007: 4.009)
Review Articles
1. Lepperdinger G. Developmental programs are kept alive during adulthood by stem cells: The aging aspect. Experimental Gerontology, accepted (IF2010: 3.804)
2. Lepperdinger, G. Inflammation and mesenchymal stem cell aging. Curr. Opin. Immunol. invited review (2011) (IF2009: 10.881)
3. Lepperdinger, G. Open-ended question: is immortality exclusively inherent to the germ line? Gerontology 55, 114-7 (2008) (IF2008: 1.669)
4. Lepperdinger, G., Regina Brunauer, Angelika Jamnig, Gerhard T. Laschober Kassem, M. Controversial Isuue:Is it safe to employ in vitro propagated, aged mesenchymal stem cells in cell-based therapies? Experimental Gerontology 43, 1018-1023 (2008) (IF2008: 3.382)
5. Lepperdinger, G., Brunauer, R., Gassner, R., Jamnig, A., Kloss, F., Laschober, G.T. Changes of the Functional Capacity of Mesenchymal Stem Cells due to Aging or Age-Associated Disease: Implications for Clinical Applications and Donor Recruitment Transfusion Medicine and Hemotherapy, special issue "Recovery and Clinical Use of Mesenchymal Stem Cells according to Good Manufacturing Practice". 35, 299-305 (2008) (IF2007: 1.659)
6. Lepperdinger, G., Berger, P., Breitenbach, M., Fröhlich, K-U., Grillari, J., Grubeck-Loebenstein, B., Madeo, F., Minois, N., Zwerschke, W., Jansen-Dürr, P. The use of genetically engineered model systems for research on human aging. Frontiers in Bioscience 13: 7022-31 (2008) (IF2008: 3.308)
7. Fehrer, C., Lepperdinger, G. Mesenchymal Stem Cell Aging. Experimental Gerontology 40: 926-930 (2006) (IF2006: 2.930)
Editorials, Perspectives
1. Wagner, W., Bork, S., Lepperdinger, G., Joussen, S., Ma, N., Strunk, D., Koch, C. How to Track Cellular Aging of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells? Aging 2, 224-30. (2010)
2. Fuellen, G., Adjaye, J., de Grey, A., Lepperdinger, G., de Magalhaes, J.P., Sühnel, J., Wipat, A. Bioinformatics in Ageing Research – a Workshop Report Rejuv. Res. in press (IF2009 4.138)
3. Lepperdinger, G. Aging Stem Cells and Regenerative Biomedicine: Concepts, Opportunities and Technological Advances Guest Editors Editorial for Special Issue: “Stem Cell Aging and Regenerative Medicine” Experimental Gerontology 43 (11): 967 (2008) (IF2007: 2.879)
Book Chapters
1. Brunauer, R., Reitinger, St., Lepperdinger, G. Agelesseness of Mesenchymal Stem Cells. In “Cell Aging”, Nova Science Publishers. accepted
2. Lepperdinger, G. Aging of human bone-derived mesenchymal stem cells in their niche. In “Standardization of Mesenchymal Progenitor Cells” edited by Paolo DiNardo, River Publishers. Submitted
3. Lepperdinger, G., Singh, S., Kloss, F. Reponses of MSC to varying oxygen availability in vitro and in vivo. (book chapter) in: “Stem Cell Engineering, Principles & Applications” (ed. Artmann, G.M.Hescheler, J. & Minger St.) Springer, Berlin ISBN-10: 364211864X (2010)
4. Lepperdinger, G., Laschober, G., Brunauer, R., Greiderer, B., Reitinger, St., Fehrer, C. Are stem cells growing (you) old – why (not) hesitating to apply them in the clinics. Book chapter “Impact in Ageing: a common challenge for Europe and Asia”, edited by G. Jones, S. Linhart, K. Hirokawa, G. Sinigoj, LIT Publ Int. (2007)
5. Lepperdinger, G. Altern Stammzellen? Jungbrunnen oder bloßesWunschdenken (Do stem cells age? Fountain of Youth or Wishful Thinking. Biologie in unserer Zeit. Invited article. Biologie in unserer Zeit 37(3)184 pp - DOI:10.1002/biuz.200610336 (2007)