Erlangen University Hospital Department of Medicine 4 Nephrology and Hypertension | Germany
A leading figure in nephrology research, this scholar has built a distinguished career advancing the molecular understanding of proteinuria, glomerular diseases. Trained in molecular biology, internal medicine, and nephrology across top institutions, his academic journey spans medical education, residency, postdoctoral research in proteinuria, and progressive academic appointments culminating in a full professorship and departmental leadership. His research interests include podocyte biology, TGF-β and BMP signaling, nephrin turnover, slit diaphragm dynamics, zebrafish-based high-throughput screening, and mechanisms underlying diabetic and inflammatory kidney disease. He pioneered assays to study proteinuria in zebrafish, contributed to defining pathways of podocyte apoptosis, and advanced translational strategies linking basic science to clinical interventions in transplant nephrology. His work has been recognized with major honors such as the Heisenberg Professorship, New Investigator Awards, Franz Volhard Award, and multiple grants from leading scientific foundations. With extensive experience in clinical nephrology, scientific leadership roles, and multidisciplinary collaborations, he continues to drive innovation in kidney disease research and therapeutic development.
Featured Publications
Bolanos‐Palmieri, P., Schenk, H., Bähre, H., Schroder, P., Staggs, L., Haller, H., & Schiffer, M. (2025). Kynurenine pathway dysregulation impairs podocyte morphology and bioenergetics in vitro and leads to glomerular dysfunction. The FASEB Journal.
Boi, R., Lassén, E., Johansson, A., Liu, P., Chaudhari, A., Tati, R., Müller-Deile, J., Schiffer, M., Ebefors, K., & Nyström, J. (2025). Cytoskeleton-associated protein 4 affects podocyte cytoskeleton dynamics in diabetic kidney disease. JCI Insight.
Bihlmaier, K., Willam, C., Herbst, L., Hackstein, H., Schiffer, M., Ströbel, A. M., Achenbach, S., Grampp, S., Bujok, K., Büstgens, F., et al. (2025). Rapid clinical effects of convalescent plasma therapy in severe COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Intensive Care Medicine.
Fueermann, F., Heller, K., Pavel, M., Herbst, L., Grützmann, R., & Schiffer, M. (2024). Pancreas transplantation as rescue therapy in a patient with type 1 diabetes and concurrent subcutaneous insulin resist.
Kraus, A., Skoczynski, K., Brötsch, M., Burzlaff, N., Leipziger, J., Schiffer, M., Büttner-Herold, M., & Buchholz, B. (2024). P2Y2R and cyst growth in polycystic kidney disease. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.