About me
I am a developmental biologist fascinated by the evolution of animal complexity.
What evolutionary transitions at the dawn of multicellular life made the rise of Animals possible?
In the recent years, the evolution of stem cells and life-spans was my main focus.
With my colleagues, we uncovered the ancient evolutionary origin of tumor formation in metazoans.
We also revealed a pivotal role of the nuclear envelope in the non-senescence of the "immortal" Hydra.
My current research is focused on tracing the origin and function of the nervous system.
We are particularly interested in the emergence of pacemaker neurons in early branching metazoans.
Very recently, I discovered a remarkable abundance and functional importance of
taxonomically-restricted genes in the nervous system of Hydra.
I am a passionate teacher and dedicate myself to training students in developmental biology and molecular cell biology.
A field course "Developmental Biology of Marine Invertebrates" is the highlight of my teaching program.
PUBLICATIONS
Selected Articles and Preprints
March 19, 2020
CAUSATIVE ROLE OF THE MICROBIOME IN TUMOR DEVELOPMENT
Dynamic interactions within the host-associated microbiota cause tumor formation in the basal metazoan Hydra
Rathje et al.
PLOS Pathogens
We demonstrate that tumor development in the basal metazoan Hydra is caused by a dynamic interplay between an environmental spirochete, the host-associated resident microbiota. Our study uncovers an evolutionary conserved role of the resident microbiome in guarding host’s tissue homeostasis.
TRANSGENESIS IN HYDRA:
DETAILED PROTOCOL
June 03, 2019
Transgenesis in Hydra to characterize gene function and
visualize cell behavior
Klimovich et al.
Nature Protocols
We describe a procedure for establishment
of stable transgenic Hydra lines by embryo microinjection. The method allows method allows constitutive or inducible gain- and loss-of-function approaches, as well as in vivo tracing of individual cells and thereby dissecting the ancestral circuitry controlling animal development.
PROTOTYPICAL PACEMAKER NEURONS INTERACT WITH MICROBIOTA
July 09, 2020
Prototypical pacemaker neurons interact with the resident microbiota
Klimovich et al.
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA
Using a combination of single-cell transcriptomics, immunochemistry, and functional experiments, we
identified and functionally characterized pacemaker cells in the basal metazoan Hydra. We conclude that prototypical pacemaker neurons are immunocompetent cells
capable of interacting with the microbiome.
ROLE OF THE LAMIN PROTEIN
IN NON-SENESCENCE
OF HYDRA
May 10, 2018
Non-senescent Hydra tolerates
severe disturbances
in the nuclear lamina
Klimovich et al.
Aging (Albany NY)
We demonstrate that proliferation of stem cells in Hydra is robust against the disturbance of Lamin expression and nuclear envelope structure. This extraordinary robustness may underlie the indefinite self-renewal capacity of stem cells and the non-senescence of Hydra.
NOVEL INSIGHTS INTO THE ANCESTRAL ROLE OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
July 10, 2018
Rethinking the role
of the nervous system: Lessons from the Hydra holobiont
Klimovich and Bosch
BioEssays
We present accumulating evidence for the interaction of the nervous system with the symbiotic microbes. Our findings provide
novel insights into the original role of the nervous system, and suggest that it
emerged to orchestrate multiple functions including host‐microbiome interactions.
THE MICROBIOME MODULATES BEHAVIOUR OF HYDRA
November 21, 2017
Spontaneous body contractions are modulated by the microbiome
of Hydra
Murillo-Rincon et al.
Scientific Reports
We show that spontaneous body contractions in Hydra are modulated by symbiotic bacteria. Germ-free animals display strongly reduced and less regular contraction frequencies. Our findings point to an evolutionary ancient origin of interactions between the microbiome and the
nerve system in Metazoa.
CNIDARIANS ARE STRATEGIC EXPERIMENTAL SYSTEMS FOR NEUROSCIENCE
December 30, 2016
Back to the basics:
Cnidarians start to fire
Bosch et al.
Trends Neuroscience
The nervous systems of cnidarians have great potential to reveal fundamental principles of neural circuits. Here, we review current knowledge on the nervous systems of cnidarian species and propose that researchers should study members of this phylum as strategic experimental systems with great basic and translational relevance for neuroscience.
FIRST EVIDENCE FOR
TUMORS IN
PRE-BILATERIAN ANIMALS
June 24, 2014
Naturally occurring tumours in
the basal metazoan Hydra
Domazet-Lošo, Klimovich et al.
Nature Communications
Here we provide the first evidence
for naturally occurring tumours in
two species of Hydra. Our study shows that spontaneous tumours have deep evolutionary roots and that early branching animals
may be informative in revealing
the fundamental mechanisms
of tumorigenesis.
IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENT ON DEVELOPMENT: INSIGHTS FROM BASAL METAZOANS
September 10, 2014
How do environmental factors influence life cycles and development? An experimental framework for early‐diverging metazoans
Bosch et al.
BioEssays
Here, we identify major questions at the interface between animal evolution and development and outline a road map for research aimed at identifying the mechanisms that link environmental factors to developmental mechanisms in early diverging metazoans.
COURSES
I am a passionate teacher.
I enjoy interacting with students in diverse formats - from lectures and seminars to practical courses and field excursions.
I instruct bachelor and master students in a range of courses on cell and developmental biology.
In recent years, I developed the program of an advanced practical course on ecological developmental biology of marine invertebrates.
RESUME
Professional Accomplishments
Jul 2019 -
RESEARCH ASSOCIATE (ASSISTENT)
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Zoological Institute,
Christian-Albrechts University Kiel
Currently, I hold a Research Associate position and focus my research on two aspects: origin and ancestral function of the nervous system, and evolutionary role of taxonomically-restricted genes (see Projects)
Sep 2018 - Jun 2019
INTERIM PROFESSOR (W3)
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Zoological Institute,
Christian-Albrechts University Kiel
For two consecutive semesters, I deputised for Prof. Thomas Bosch as a head of the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and combined my research on evolution of the nervous system with teaching, mentoring students, and administrative responsibilities.
Jul 2014 - Aug 2018
RESEARCH ASSOCIATE (ASSISTENT)
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Zoological Institute,
Christian-Albrechts University Kiel
As a research associate, I continued my research on evolution of stem cells using the freshwater polyps Hydra as model system and dedicated myself to teaching devise courses on cell and developmental biology (see Courses).
Apr 2011 - Jun 2014
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology in Zoological Institute,
Christian-Albrechts University Kiel
For two years, I have been supported by the Alexander von Humboldt fellowship (Germany) and worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Kiel University. My research was mainly focused on tracing the evolutionary origin of cancer.
Jul 2007 - Apr 2011
RESEARCHER, PHD CANDIDATE
Department of histology and cell biology
Saint-Petersburg State University
I received my PhD from Saint-Petersburg State University (Russia). I worked on my PhD project "Development of immunochemical reagents for detection of the Helicobacter pylori CagA-antigen and anti-CagA antibodies" at the Department of Hybridoma Technology in Russian Research Center for Radiology (St.-Petersburg, Russia). My supervisors were Prof. Marina P. Samoylovich and Prof. Alexander N. Suvorov.
SUPPORT
My research is supported by the following funding agencies. I greatly appreciate this support.
CONTACT
Zoological Institute
Christian-Albrechts University Kiel
Am Botanischen Garten 1-9
24118 Kiel
Germany
+49 431 880 4178