Biophysical Society Bulletin | July/August 2023

Biophysicist in Profile

Arne Gennerich Areas of Research Biomolecular motors and the molecular basis of human diseases associated with motor dysfunction

Institution Albert Einstein College of Medicine

At-a-Glance

Arne Gennerich, now a professor of biochemistry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, took an unconventional path to his research career, dropping out of school at age 16 to pursue vocational training in electronics before discovering a passion for biophysics.

Arne Gennerich

Arne Gennerich grew up in the small village of Bremke in Ger many. “There my afternoons were spent exploring the local forest or engaging in hands-on activities like repairing bicy cles, radios, and TVs,” he shares. “One of the highlights was our village’s quarterly pickup times for bulky waste, where residents placed items outside their houses to be collected the following day. My friends and I eagerly scoured through the discarded treasures, often finding dysfunctional bicycles and TVs that I could repair. These experiences not only honed my practical skills but also fostered a problem-solving mind set. Through dismantling and fixing these objects, I developed the ability to troubleshoot and mend electronic devices. This early exposure to problem solving laid a foundation for my future endeavors.” Driven by his fascination with electronic circuits, he made the decision at age 16 to leave school and pursue vocational training in electronics. “I was fortunate to secure a position at the renowned Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen, Germany, where Nobel Laureate Stefan Hell con ducts his groundbreaking work. Over the course of four years, I engaged in practical work at the institute’s electronics work shop while simultaneously receiving theoretical training at the local technical vocational school,” Gennerich explains. “While I thoroughly enjoyed the vocational training and the valuable knowledge I gained, I felt a desire to achieve more in my life. This realization prompted me to return to school for one year to obtain a technical college entrance certificate, which would enable me to pursue higher education. Subsequently, I en rolled in the telecommunications engineering program at the University of Applied Sciences in Wolfenbüttel, Germany—a specialized technical university offering Bachelor of Science degrees tailored to industry roles.” During that time, he reconnected with a familiar face from his hometown, Heiner Wedemeyer . Wedemeyer was pursuing an MD-PhD degree and suggested that Gennerich work on his diploma thesis in the lab of Detlev Schild at the Medical School of the University of Göttingen. He connected with Schild quickly, and the two planned a project that would leverage his skills in electrical and software engineering. “While I was working on my thesis, Detlev introduced the idea of studying physics to me. He emphasized that while one can acquire

knowledge of biology from textbooks, studying physics at a university provides the foundation to derive complex equa tions and truly comprehend how the world functions. Inspired by his perspective, I made the decision to enroll at the Uni versity of Göttingen to pursue an MS degree in physics. At the age of 25, I embarked on this new academic journey, starting from the first semester and surrounded by students who were five years younger than me,” he says. Following the completion of his master’s degree, Gennerich continued his academic journey, pursuing a PhD in physics in Schild’s lab. “I transformed the fluorescence correlation spec troscope (FCS) I built for my master’s degree into a confocal laser-scanning microscope combined with FCS capabilities. This advanced microscope allowed me to capture images of cultured neurons and conduct FCS measurements in different regions of a neuron. This phase of my scientific work signifi cantly enhanced my skills in optical engineering and software programming. I utilized C++ programming under real-time Li nux to control galvanometer scanners, access photon-count ing hardware (which I also constructed), and perform calcu lations and visualization of acquired fluorescence images in real time,” he recalls. “During this period, my research took a particular focus on the microtubule-based motor proteins, kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein. Using the microscope I built, I observed the fascinating directional transport of auto-flu orescent mitochondria within neurons’ axons and dendrites, which sparked my interest in cytoskeletal motor proteins. I delved into the pioneering research of scientists like Joe Howard , Steve Block , Ron Vale , Nabutaka Hirokawa , and others. Their groundbreaking papers shed light on the kinesin walking mechanism through compelling single-molecule studies, uti lizing advanced home-built microscopes such as optical twee zers and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopes.” He developed an interest in single-molecule biophysics and, eager to explore the area further, decided to pursue a post doctoral position in the United States. From November 2003 to October 2008, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow in Vale’s lab at the University of California, San Francisco. “My primary focus in Ron’s lab was on yeast cytoplasmic dynein,” Genner ich shares. “I conducted force measurements on dynein using optical tweezers and also maintained and improved the lab’s

July/August 2023

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