Alexander Kanitz

Contact Information ETH Zurich      Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences      Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences / Pharmacogenomics Unit      Wolfgang Pauli-Strasse 10      8093 Zurich      Switzerland      Google Maps link Email: alexander.kanitz@pharma.ethz.ch Education 12-2011: Molecular Life Sciences, Ph.D., ETH Zurich, Switzerland 03-2007: Medical Biochemistry, M.Sc., University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands 07-2004: Molecular Biotechnology, B.Sc., Technical University of Munich, Germany Expertise Profound knowledge of gene regulatory systems and networks with a particular focus on post-transcriptional gene regulation; strong background in biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology; familiarity with bioinformatics and biotechnology concepts and methods Research Experience 11-2007 – 12-2011 Pharmacogenomics Unit, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Switzerland Supervision: Prof. Dr. André Gerber, Prof. Dr. Michael Detmar Project title: “Tools and strategies for the unraveling of post-transcriptional gene regulatory networks” 12-2006 – 02-2007 Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands Supervision: Prof. Dr. Stanley Brul, Dr. Hans van der Spek Project title: “Status, complications and future prospects of highly active antiretroviral therapy” 02-2006 – 07-2006 Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore Supervision: Prof. Dr. Vinay Tergaonkar Project title: “Characterization of a putative IKK2 in Danio Rerio” 10-2004 – 09-2005 Department of Hepatology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands Supervision: Prof. Dr. Jurgen Seppen Project titles: ”Lentiviral gene transfer of chemically inducible hepatocyte growth factor receptor” and “Liver re-targeting of lentiviral particles” 03-2004 – 07-2004 Institute of Biological Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Germany Supervision: Prof. Dr. Arne Skerra, Dr. habil. Ingo Korndörfer Project title: ”Production and characterization of the enzymatically active domain of the endolysine Ply500 isolated from Listeria monocytogenes bacteriophage A 500” 08-2003 – 10-2003 & 07-2004 – 08-2004 Traineeships Research and Development at Micromet, Inc., Munich, Germany Current position I am a grad student in the Gerber Lab at the ETH Zurich, working on post-transcriptional gene regulation, and was recruited through the Molecular Life Sciences program of the Life Science Zurich Graduate School. Tentative title of the project: "Systematic Analysis of the Crosstalk between Regulatory RNA-Binding Proteins and the MicroRNA Machinery". I am an initiator of the RNA Club Zurich and the (currently defunct) Zurich-based "Web Utilities and Software Seminar". Furthermore I maintain the web presence of the Gerber Lab (currently moving to the UK). Previous labs 2006 - Tergaonkar Lab, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Biopolis, Singapore: "Characterization of a Putative IKK2 in Danio rerio" / Supervisor: Prof. Vinay Tergaonkar 2004-2005 - Seppen Lab, AMC Liver Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands: "Lentiviral Gene Transfer of Chemically Inducible Hepatocyte Growth Factor Receptor and Liver Re-Targeting of Lentiviral Particles" / Supervisors: Dr. Jurgen Seppen, Prof. Ronald P.J. Oude-Elferink 2004 - Skerra Lab, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Germany: "Production and characterization of the enzymatically active domain of the endolysine Ply500 isolated from Listeria monocytogenes-bacteriophage A 500" / Supervisors: Dr. Ingo P. Korndörfer, Prof. Arne Skerra Education since 2007: PhD student, Life Science Zurich Graduate School, ETH Zurich 2004-2007: MSc Medical Biochemistry, University of Amsterdam 2001-2004: BSc Molecular Biotechnology, Technical University of Munich Publications Kanitz A and Gerber AP. Circuitry of mRNA regulation. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Systems Biology and Medicine 2009 Sep 30. doi: 10.1002/wsbm.55 Galgano A, Forrer M, Jaskiewicz L, Kanitz A, Zavolan M, and Gerber AP. Comparative analysis of mRNA targets for human PUF-family proteins suggests extensive interaction with the miRNA regulatory system. PLoS One. 2008 Sep 8;3(9):e3164. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0003164 | Korndörfer IP, Kanitz A, Danzer J, Zimmer M, Loessner MJ, and Skerra A. Structural analysis of the L-alanoyl-D-glutamate endopeptidase domain of Listeria bacteriophage endolysin Ply500 reveals a new member of the LAS peptidase family. Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr. 2008 Jun;64(Pt 6):644-50. DOI:10.1107/S0907444908007890 | Markusic DM, Kanitz A, Oude-Elferink RP, and Seppen J. Preferential gene transfer of lentiviral vectors to liver-derived cells, using a hepatitis B peptide displayed on GP64. Hum Gene Ther. 2007 Jul;18(7):673-9. DOI:10.1089/hum.2007.027 | Useful links Gerber Lab on OWW Gerber Lab @ Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Switzerland Life Science Zurich Graduate School Tergaonkar Lab @ Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Biopolis, Singapore Skerra Lab @ Institute of Biological Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, Germany (German only) <html> <iframe width="260" height="130" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://www.29travels.com/getmap.php?j=AEATBECACHCZDEDKESFRGRHUIDINITKHLUMCMYNLPHSGSMTHUSVA&c=cc3af0ea&w=260&h=130"></iframe><br /><div style="width:650px;padding-left:3px;text-align:left;font-size:10px"><small>Countries I have visited.</a></small></div> <br/> <a href="http://www4.clustrmaps.com/user/c84798ac"><img src="http://www4.clustrmaps.com/stats/maps-no_clusters/openwetware.org-wiki-Alexander_Kanitz-thumb.jpg" alt="Locations of visitors to this page" /> </a> </html>