Peter Claus Heinrich

Prof. em. Dr. rer. nat. Peter Claus Heinrich

Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
ZBMZ
Albert-Ludwig University, Freiburg
Stefan-Meier-Strasse 17
D-79104 Freiburg i. Br., Germany
phone priv. +49-7661-988-905
E-mail: Peter-Claus.Heinrich@rwth-aachen.de

CV

Academic Training

1962	B.Sc., Chemistry, University of Frankfurt a.M.
1964	M.Sc., Chemistry, University of Marburg
1966	Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, University of Marburg (Prof. K. Dimroth)
1974	Habilitation – Venia legendi (qualification as a university lecturer), University of Freiburg

Positions

1965-1966	Research Associate, Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Marburg
1967-1968	Research Associate, Department of Biochemistry (Prof. J.S. Fruton), Yale University, USA
1969	Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biochemistry (Prof. Helmut Holzer), University of Freiburg
1970-1974	Scientific Collaborator, Hoffmann La-Roche, Basel, Switzerland
1974	Visiting Assistent Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Indiana University Bloomington, USA
1975-1979	Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, University of Freiburg
1980-1987	Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, University of Freiburg
1985	Visiting Professor, Department of Pharmacology (Prof. G. Ringold), Stanford University, USA
1988-2007	Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Director of the Department of Biochemistry, Technical University (RWTH) of Aachen
1990-2000	Member of the convent of the Technical University (RWTH) of Aachen
1991-1998	Habilitation committee member of the Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen
1994-1999	Chairman of the DFG-Research Unit (Forschergruppe) “Molecular Mechanisms of Inflammation: Cytokines, Signal Transduction and Transport”
1994-2002	Member of the research committee of the Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen
1999-2005	Chairman of the Collaborative Research Center (DFG-Sonderforschungsbereich 542) “Molecular Mechanisms of Cytokine-Mediated Inflammatory Processes: Signal Transduction and Pathophysiological Consequences”
2005-2007	Co-Chairmen with Prof. Dr. med. J. Floege of the Collaborative Research Center (DFG-Sonderforschungsbereich 542) “Molecular Mechanisms of Cytokine-Mediated Inflammatory Processes: Signal Transduction and Pathophysiological Consequences”
1999-2013	Chairman of the “Center of Inflammation Research” (ZeFo)
2002-2008	Board Member of the Forum “Life Sciences Aachen”
Since 2005	Author and Editor of the 8th (2007), 9th (2014) and 10th edition (2022) of the textbook “Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry”, Springer publishing company
Sept. 2007	Professor emeritus
2008-2022	Prof. em., Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Freiburg
2012	Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Beckman Research Institute and its graduate school of Biological Sciences (Irell & Manella) at the City of Hope/ Pasadena (USA)
2014	Visiting Professor, Faculty of Science, Department of Biochemistry, Mahidol University in Bangkok (Thailand)
2019	80th birthday
2022	Meeting of the former group leaders and their co-workers from the Heinrich lab – Organizers – Group picture A – Group picture B

Academic Teachers

Hans-Joachim Teuber, Theodor Wieland	University of Frankfurt a.M.
Karl Dimroth, Hans Meerwein	University of Marburg
Joseph S. Fruton	Yale University, New Haven
Helmut Holzer	University of Freiburg
Mosé Da Prada, Alfred Pletscher	Hoffmann La Roche, Basel
Robert E. Olson	Hoffmann La Roche, Basel
Gordon Ringold	Stanford University

Editorial Board Member

1994-2001	Biochemical Journal
1995-1998	Journal of Inflammation
2003-2007	Journal of Biological Chemistry
1995-2008	Journal of Interferon and Cytokine Research

Memberships

American Association of Immunologists (AAI)
German Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (GBM)
German Society for Immunology (DGfI)
Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft Freiburg

Referee/Reviewer

Organizations	Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Wissenschaftsrat, Stiftung Volkswagen, Boehringer-Ingelheim Fund, Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Cancer Research UK, Human Frontier and Wellcome Trust Science Program, Wellcome Trust, Institut Pasteur
Journals	Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Biochem. J., Cancer Research, EMBO Journal, Eur. J. Biochem., Exp. Cell Res., FEBS Lett., Hepatology, J. Biol. Chem., J. Cell Sci., J. Immunol., J. Invest. Dermatol., Science
Site visits	at 29 collaborative research centers (SFBs)

Mentoring & Teaching

Mentoring

38 Master-theses (Diplomarbeiten)
35 MD-theses
59 PhD-theses
8 Habilitations

Habilitations

Department of Biochemistry at the Technical University of Aachen (RTWH)

Stefan Rose-John	Studien zur Struktur und Funktion von menschlichem Interleukin-6 und seinem Rezeptor	1992
Friedemann Horn	Ein neuer Mechanismus intrazellulärer Signaltransduktion für Interleukin-6 und verwandter Zytokine (Friedrich-Wilhelm Award for outstanding habilitations)	1995
Lutz Graeve	Studien zur Biosynthese und Internalisierung des Interleukin-6-Rezeptors (Friedrich-Wilhelm Award for outstanding habilitations)	1995
Iris Behrmann	Der Zytokinrezeptor gp130: Ligandenbindung und Mechanismus der Rezeptoraktivierung	2000
Gerhard Müller-Newen	Signaltransduktion von Zytokinen der Interleukin-6-Familie	2000
Fred Schaper	Mechanismen zur Termination der Interleukin-6-Signaltransduktion (Friedrich-Wilhelm Award for outstanding habilitations) (Friedrich-Wilhelm Award for outstanding habilitations)	2002
Serge Haan	Aktivierung und Regulation der JAK/STAT-Signaltransduktion	2005
Heike Hermanns	Molekulare Mechanismen der Oncostatin M und Interleukin-31 vermittelten Signaltransduktion	2008

Awards

Gödecke Forschungspreis Freiburg	Tilo Andus	1983
Doktoranden-Fortbildungspreis Hoechst	Tanja Stoyan	1990
Springorum medal for outstanding graduates who passed diploma main / master examination	Tanja Stoyan Elke Dittrich Ulrike Sommer Simone Radtke Claudia Stross Bernd Giese Julia Keller	1990 1992 1999 1999 1999 2001 2004
Friedrich Wilhelm Award for outstanding achievements in dissertations and postdoctoral theses	Dietlind Zohlnhöfer Oliver Weiergräber	1996 1999
Promotionspreis der Fakultät, Aachen	Ursula Wegenka Elke Dittrich Heike Dahmen Simone Radtke Ingo Kurth Bernd Giese	1994 1996 2001 2002 2003 2005
Karl-Lohmann Award of the GBM (German Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) for important novel scientific findings	Jochen Schmitz	2001
New York Akademy of Sience, elected as active member	Peter C. Heinrich	1993

Borchers Badge for doctoral examination with distinction

Heidi Schooltink	1992	Jürgen Sasse	1997	Serge Haan	2000
Eva Krause	1993	Peter H.R. Kurschat	1997	Heike Hermanns	2000
Tanja Stoyan	1993	Petra May	1998	Heike Dahmen	2001
Alex Krüttgen	1994	Petros Gatsios	1999	Jochen Schmitz	2001
Sascha Flohé	1994	Stefan Pflanz	1999	Andreas Timmermann	2001
Jürgen Müllberg	1994	Stefan Thiel	1999	Cornelia Henke-Gendo	2002
Ursula Wegenka	1994	Oliver Weiergräber	1999	Simone Radtke	2002
Claudia Gerhartz	1996	Elke Burgermeister	2000	Manuela Weißenbach	2002
Elke Dittrich	1996	Jan Buschmann	2000	Ingo Kurth	2003
Dietlind Zohlnhöfer	1996	Claude Haan	2000	Florian Feld	2004
Ursula Horsten	1997

Teaching Activities – Biochemistry / Molecular Biology

Publications

Web of Science Core Collection metrics

430	29,067	77	642	459
Publications	Sum of Times Cited	H-Index	Sum of Times Cited by Patents	Citing Patents

Publications

Peer-reviewed research papers

Review articles

Book chapters/ proceedings

Extra muros collaborative research

Monographs

Public relations

Relevant Articles
http://www.biomedexperts.com/Profile.bme/549575/Peter_C_Heinrich

Organization of International Conferences

Acute phase response and inflammatory mediators — Cytokine signaling

Interleukin-6 und die Akut-Phase-Antwort — Cytokine signaling

C 1	International Falk Workshop “Acute phase response and inflammatory mediators” Part VII of the Liver Week Basel 1986 Organizers: Bianchi – Heinrich – Keppler – Landmann – Reutter Basel (Switzerland), October 13, 1986

C 2	Interleukin-6 und die Akut-Phase-Antwort Allergie-Immunologie Kongress Aachen, September 12-16, 1990

C 3	87^th Conference of the German Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (GBM) “α2-Macroglobulin and Related Plasma Proteins“ Organizers: Heinrich – Horn – Krause – Lütticken – Van Leuven Aachen, October 24-27, 1990

C 4	Symposium on „Molecular Biology and Biological Functions of Growth Factors“ Organizer and chairman: Heinrich München, May 6-8, 1992

C 5	Symposium on “Cytokine and growth factor signaling” Eur J Clin Chem Clin Biochem 1995, 33, A109 A113 Organizer: Heinrich Leipzig, April 25, 1995

C 6	1^st International Symposium on “Cytokines, signaling and the Jak/STAT pathway“ Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Institute of Biochemistry Aachen, October 4-5, 1996

C 7	International Falk Workshop “Signaling in the liver” Part IV of the Liver Week Freiburg 1997 Organizers: Häussinger – Heinrich Freiburg, October 6, 1997

C 8	2^nd International Symposium on “Cytokine signaling“ Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Institute of Biochemistry Aachen, March 23-25, 2000

C 9	Falk Symposium No 125 “Cytokines and liver injury and repair“ Progress in Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Part III) Organizers: Gressner – Heinrich – Matern Hannover, September 30 – October 1, 2001

C10	3^rd International Symposium on “Cytokine signaling“ Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Institute of Biochemistry Aachen, October 3-5, 2002

C11	Symposium on “Infection, Inflammation and Oncology” – A BioRiver Initiative Organizers: Heinrich (Aachen), Krieg (Cologne), Haas (Düsseldorf), Knolle (Bonn) Cologne, July 4-5, 2003

C12	4^th International Symposium on “Cytokine signaling“ Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Institute of Biochemistry Aachen, March 19-20, 2004

C13	5^th International Symposium on “Cytokine signaling“ Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Institute of Biochemistry Aachen, March 29-31, 2007

Lectures at conferences and seminars by invitation 1969-2018

Oral and poster presentations 1996-2007

Textbook Editor and Author / Co-Author

2022	“Biochemie und Pathobiochemie” 10^th edition 2022 P.C. Heinrich, M. Müller, L. Graeve, H.G. Koch (editors) Springer Nature Berlin Heidelberg 1396 Pages, 1000 Illustrations 400 videos of animated figures, 12 audio videos ISBN-978-3-662-60265-9 ISBN-978-3-662-60266-9 (e-book) https://www.springer.com/de/book/9783662602652

2021	Animated figures from the 9^th edition of the textbook „Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry“ for lecturers teaching Biochemistry/Molecular Biology: high quality power point animated figures (by P. C.Heinrich, P. Freyer, R. Sieger) from the 9^th and 10^th editions of the textbook “Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry” are available on the page of Springer Nature Lecturer Material: ISBN 978-3-662-60266-9 Die Animationen sind auf der Seite Springer Nature Lecturer Material unter Angabe der ISBN 978-3-662-60266-9 verfügbar.

2014	“Biochemie und Pathobiochemie” 9^th edition 2014 P.C. Heinrich, M. Müller, L. Graeve (editors) Springer Medizin Verlag, Heidelberg ISBN 978-3-642-17971-6, 1073 pages ISBN-978-3-642-17972-3 (e-book)

2007	“Biochemie und Pathobiochemie” 8^th edition 2007 G. Löffler, P.E. Petrides, P.C. Heinrich (editors) Springer Medizin Verlag, Heidelberg ISBN 978-3-540-32680-9, 1263 pages

Text Book Chapters of editions 7, 8, 9 and 10

Assistants

Research

Research Topics in a Nutshell

In a nutshell:

We identified the hepatocyte stimulating factor HSF as IL-6,
Discovered the transcription factor STAT3,
Elucidated the major steps of IL-6 signal transduction (Science, 1994) and
Worked out the molecular mechanisms involved in the termination of IL-6 signaling.

The cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) is involved in health and disease (Figure 1). In many diseases, IL‑6 is overproduced and needs to be controlled either by inhibition of its unbalanced production or by blocking its action on the surface receptors of target cells. Therefore, it is important to understand the molecular mechanism underlying interleukin-6 signal transduction in detail. Also, the successful design of IL-6 antagonists is of great interest.

IL-6 is a cytokine with many biological activities (Figure 2).

IL-6 forms a hexameric signalling receptor complex composed of two alpha-receptors (IL‑6R), two gp130 signal transducers and two IL-6 ligands (Figure 3).

The IL-6 signal transduction occurs via the JAK/ STAT pathway, i.e. tyrosine kinases of the Janus family activate signal transducers and activators of transcription. In the case of IL-6 signalling, STAT3 is the transcription factor of prime importance (Figure 4).

In order not to overstimulate a target cell, cytokine initiated signalling needs to be turned off. In the case of IL-6, this is achieved by many mechanisms as shown in figure 5. The most important negative regulatory mechanisms are exerted by the tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 and by the induction – via the JAK/ STAT pathway – of feedback inhibitors, the so called suppressors of cytokine signalling (SOCS), in the case of IL-6 mainly by SOCS3.

Figure 6 summarizes schematically various projects of the group leaders (I. Behrmann, S. Haan, H.M. Hermanns, G. Müller-Newen, F. Schaper) of the Heinrich group at the Institute of Biochemistry in Aachen during the last six years’ period from 2002 until 2007.

Important Achievements / Milestones

1987-2010 (PDF)

Research in depth: IL-6 type cytokine signaling through the gp130-Jak-STAT pathway

Part 1: Molecular mechanism of signaling (PDF)

Part 2: Regulation of signaling (PDF)

Lab members

Group leaders and their diploma-, MD- and PhD-students (in progress)

Visiting professors and Post-Doc (PDF)

Foreign scientists (PDF)

Back to the working groups

1975-1987		Department of Biochemistry, University of Freiburg Repetitorium for 4^th semester medical students and discussion of multiple choice questions for written and oral exams Introductory lectures to practical courses
1988-2007		Technical University (RWTH) Aachen Biochemistry / Molecular Biology for medical students (3^rd and 4^th semester) Introduction to Clinical Medicine with gastroenterologists, nephrologists, oncologists and patients (seminar)
2003-2007		Department of Biology, Molecular Biology and Gene Technology, Technical University (RWTH) Aachen Lectures on principles of hormone and Interleukin-6 type cytokine signal transduction
2005-2007		“Modellstudiengang Medizin Aachen” (MMA), Technical University (RWTH) Aachen Cell Biology II Subject area (“Themenblock”) Gastroenterology / Liver OSPE (Objective Structured Practical Examination)
2004-2007		Technical University (RWTH) Aachen, Medical Faculty New Master course Biomedical Engineering for students of mechanical and electric engineering Lectures on basics of Biochemistry combined with a practical course
2008-2018		University of Freiburg, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Lectures and seminars on Biochemistry and Molecular Biology for medical students (4^th semester)
2012		Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Beckman Research Institute and the Irell & Manella graduate school of Biological Sciences at the City of Hope/ Pasadena Lectures on lipids in an Advanced Biochemistry Course for graduate students

2014		Visiting Professor at the Mahidol University in Bangkok (Thailand) Faculty of Science, Department of Biochemistry Lectures on Concepts of Molecular Biosciences for graduate students Seminar “How to do Science, how to write and publish in Life Sciences”