Theo Wallimann

Theo Wallimann ( born October 13, 1946 in Alpnach, Canton of Obwalden ) is a Swiss biologist. He was from 1994 to mid-2008 titular professor and research group leader at the Institute of Cell Biology at the ETH Zurich. In 1995, he was head and 1996 Deputy Head of the Institute.

Biography

Theo Wallimann studied biology at the ETH Zurich, where he graduated at the Institute of Cell Biology in 1975 with Hans M. Eppenberger his dissertation on the " creatine kinase isoenzymes and myofibril structure " with distinction and ETH Medal.

With the help of a foreign scholarship from the Swiss National Science Foundation and the support of the Muscular Dystrophy Association USA ( MDA), he worked as a postdoctoral fellow and research associate at Andrew G. Szent- Györgyi, at the Biology Department of Brandeis University in Boston, USA, on the theme " myosin linked calcium regulation of muscle contraction. "

In 1981 he returned with his family to Switzerland. He first worked as a research assistant and then as a senior lecturer at the Institute of Cell Biology at ETH Zurich, where he habilitated in 1984 and taught as a lecturer. In 1994, Theo Wallimann was appointed Professor at the ETH Zurich, where he worked at the Institute of Cell Biology and his research group and taught in the Department of Biology at ETH Zurich. Central research themes were cellular bioenergetics, the atomic structure and molecular physiology of creatine kinases and the AMP -activated protein kinase, which play an important role in energy homeostasis and the regulation of energy metabolism in health and various diseases. Wallimann, took on 31 May 2008 back from his post and became emeritus.

Scientific main interests of Theo Wallimann are:

• The elucidation of the atomic structure, function and subzelläre compartmentalization and molecular physiology of creatine kinase (CK ) and creatine transporter ( creatine transporter CRT)
• The biological relevance of the intracellular micro - compartmentation and metabolite channeling through multi- enzyme complexes
• The cell - supportive and neuroprotective effect of creatine supplementation for health ( performance improvement, learning and memory ) and for various neuro-muscular and neureo - degenerative diseases ( cell protection ).
• The elucidation of the molecular structure and function of AMP -stimulated protein kinase (AMPK ), a kinase as a regulator of cellular energy metabolism and the regulation of nutrient- dependent cell signaling processes for health and in diseases such as type 2 adult-onset diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome and cancer plays a major role.

Theo Wallimann is a member of USGEB, FEBS, American Association for Cell Biology and Biophysical Society (USA).

In 2005, Wallimann received the Alfred Vogt Prize.