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ALEXANDER KLIMOVICH

PD Dr. habil., Principal Investigator

Zoological Institute

Christian-Albrechts University Kiel

Kiel, Germany

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October 3, 2024 - Kristineberg Centre
To close the field season, I visited the Kristineberg Centre - one of the oldest, yet one of the most modern and active marine stations in Europe. With its rich history and unique location, it offers fantastic facilities. Most importantly, it is home to many researchers from all over the world, with a wide range of interests and expertise, working together in constant exchange throughout the year. I had the chance to see some truly unique creatures - such as the bioluminescent sea pen Pennatula phosphorea (on the photo).
I can't wait to return to Kristineberg and (teaser!) offer a new course there. Stay tuned!
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Profile

I am a developmental biologist fascinated by the diversity of life forms. My research and teaching are both inspired by the immense beauty and complexity of animals. 

How did multicellular life emerge? How did animal complexity evolve? In the recent decade, I made several essential contributions to the Evo-Devo field.

With my colleagues, we discovered, for the first time, tumor formation in basal metazoans. We uncovered the critical role of the nuclear envelope structure in the non-senescence of the "immortal" Hydra. Recently, we traced the evolutionary origin and ancestral function of the nervous system. My current research (Research) is focused on the evolution of the nervous system complexity and the developmental role of lineage-restricted genes.

I am a passionate teacher and dedicate myself to training students, mentoring junior researchers, and communicating scientific discoveries to the public (Outreach). A broad spectrum of developmental and molecular cell biology courses is within my competence (Teaching). A field course "Developmental Biology of Marine Invertebrates" is the highlight of my teaching program. Working in the field (Fieldwork) is an excellent opportunity not only to communicate knowledge but to inflict curiosity, enthusiasm (Endorsements) and passion into my students to pursue fundamental research questions

PUBLICATIONS

Selected Articles and Preprints

Home: Publications
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NEURONAL CIRCUITS
OF HYDRA FEEDING BEHAVIOR DECIPHERED

November 22, 2023

Multiple neuronal populations control the eating behavior in Hydra and are responsive to microbial signals

Giez et al.

Current Biology

Using the most state-of-the-art tools (e.g., cell ablation, Ca-imaging, and high-resolution microscopy), we uncover a remarkably complex interplay between several neuronal types that form a circuit controlling the reading behavior of Hydra. Intriguingly, these neurons' activity is modulated by metabolites emanating from the symbiotic microbes.

November 16, 2023

THE REPERTOIRE OF ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES IN HYDRA IS REMARKABLY COMPLEX

Novel technologies uncover novel "anti"-microbial peptides in Hydra shaping the species-specific microbiome

Klimovich and Bosch

Philos Transact B

We leverage the available genomic and transcriptomic data for Hydra to distil the core principles of AMP genes' genomic architecture, expression and evolution. We demonstrate how complex spatially restricted cocktails of Hydra-specific AMPs may shape the composition and spatial structure of the Hydra microbiome. 

THE ROLE OF SPONTANEOUS CONTRACTIONS: INSIGHTS FROM FLUID DYNAMICS

July 03, 2023

Spontaneous body wall contractions stabilize the fluid microenvironment that shapes host-microbe associations

 

Nawroth, Giez et al.

eLife

Combining experiments on Hydra with mathematical modelling, we provide insights into the functional implications of spontaneous body contractions. We provide evidence that, through mixing effects, they shape the polyp's fluid environment and contribute to nutrient and waste product exchange.

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.

CONTACT

Zoological Institute
Christian-Albrechts University Kiel
Am Botanischen Garten 1-9
24118 Kiel
Germany

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+49 431 880 4178

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