Yearbook 01


Michael Leitz
Home Institution Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg Host Institution Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston Mentor: Martin Beinborn, M.D. E-Mail m.leitz@web.de
Research Topic see Abstract
Personal Reactions to the U.S. Experience I must confess to have arrived with some prejudices Europeans inevitably have in mind when thinking of the U.S. After a while, however, as you begin to understand how things work over here, it is possible to get a realistic (although admittedly highly subjective) view. I dislike generalizations very much, and the Boston area is definitely not representative of America. However, in a nutshell, I think the main drawback of this country is exaggeration of just about everything. But the incredible international diversity of the place, its rich historical and cultural background, the uncomplicated friendliness of most people, and, of course, the possibility of working under really good conditions in the lab and hospital are all factors that contribute to an outstanding experience. Living here is extraordinarily rewarding for my personal as well as professional development and I wish to thank all the people who contribute with their efforts and time to make this stay possible for us students.
Greatest Difficulties Encountered Even when you get adapted to it, the prices in the Boston area are high, to say the least. This will inevitably restrict some of your activities.
Most humorous incident I enjoyed the surgeons' humor quite a bit… If you're not into that kind of thing, try "Surf the Net while you work out!" - hopeless…
Helpful Hints for Future Students 1) If you're doing serious research in Germany, try to finish your project before leaving for the States. 2) Housing isn't that much of a problem in Boston… but organize a cheap place to stay in advance for the first week or so, while you're searching. I arrived after the semester had started, which implied two things: there was no fierce competition for rooms, but also fewer places were offered. Good web sites include http://euroclub.mit.edu or http://www.bostonappartments.com. There is a Tufts University listing as well. 3) Citizens and Fleet both offer a free checking account (you will need one); transfer money by withdrawing it from an ATM, e.g. with an MLP-credit card (1,5 € per transaction) and put the cash money in your account. 4) Check out Vereinte Krankenversicherung for a special deal on health insurance for medical students abroad. 5) Contact former BMEP students!
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Abstract on Research Topic:
The Glucagon-Like-Peptide1 (GLP1) - receptor as a drug target in diabetes type II

Institution at which research was done:
New England Medical Center, Molecular Pharmacology Research Institute, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA

Purpose:
Investigation of activation mechanisms of the GLP-1 receptor, a class II G-protein-coupled receptor

Materials and Methods:
Molecular Biology Cell culture, Confocal and Fluorescence microscopy, Biochemical assays

Overview:
I only started my research term four weeks before we were required to hand in the information for this yearbook, so I'm having a bit of a hard time to file a report at this early stage. I arrived in Boston at the beginning of December, as I wanted to finish my research work back home before leaving for the U.S. Around that time of the year, it's generally not a good idea to get started in a new lab (many people are on holiday), so we agreed that I take one of my electives before actually hitting the bench.
Studies in the Beinborn lab, among other things, focus on the receptors for glucagon-like peptides (GLP), which are important physiological regulators of blood glucose levels, satiety, and resorption of nutrients through the intestinal mucosa. Specific projects that are currently pursued in the Beinborn lab include
1) to identify amino acids, both in the GLP-1 receptor and in its peptide ligands, that are triggers of second messenger signaling;
2) to investigate compatibility of GLP-1 receptor stimulation with the 'extended ternary model', a molecular theory of receptor activation that has been formulated based on class A receptor function, and
3) to explore the mechanisms underlying tonic activity of the GLP-1 receptor when this protein is expressed in the context of highly differentiated pancreatic beta cells.
These studies, centered around different aspects of GLP-1 receptor function, may accelerate the discovery of novel non-peptide agonists that can mimic the function of endogenous hormone. Such compounds, given their potential to facilitate glucose-induced, as opposed to unregulated insulin secretion, hold considerable promise as a future pharmacotherapy of type II diabetes. In cooperation with Kai Masur, a postdoc in the Beinborn lab, I am currently investigating structure-function relationships of the glucagon-like peptide (GLP) receptor as a potential drug target for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Using molecular techniques, we explore the determinants of wild type and mutant receptor expression, high affinity recognition of specific ligands, as well as ligand-induced second messenger signaling. Work on pancreatic beta cell lines is also underway.

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