Dr. rer.-nat. Maria Notara

Department of Ophthalmology
Cornea Lab, Experimental Ophthalmology
University of Cologne
Kerpenerstr. 62
50937 Cologne, Germany
Tel. +49-(221)-478 32785
Email: maria.notara@uk-koeln.de

Visitor’s address: Building 13 (LFI), 4th Floor

Projects:

Project leader

Scientific career

2015- Affiliated scientist at the Post-Doc level in Project 1 “Induction of transplant tolerance by antihem- and antilymphangiogenic therapies” in the DFG Research Unit FOR 2240 “Angiogenesis, Lymphangiogenesis and Cellular Immunity in Inflammatory Diseases of the Eye” at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne

2016- Scientist in the Horizons 2020 research consortium ARREST BLINDNESS, funded by the European Union, an associated project of the DFG Research Unit FOR 2240 “Angiogenesis, Lymphangiogenesis and Cellular Immunity in Inflammatory Diseases of the Eye” at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne

2018- Principal Invesitgator of N2 “The role of ABCB5-expressing limbal epithelial stem cells in corneal lymphangiogenic privilege and pterygium pathogenesis” of the DFG Research Unit FOR 2240 “Angiogenesis, Lymphangiogenesis and Cellular Immunity in Inflammatory Diseases of the Eye” at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne

2018- CAP group leader, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne

Selected publications

  1. Volatier T, Schumacher B, Meshko B, Hadrian K, Cursiefen C, Notara M. Short-Term UVB Irradiation Leads to Persistent DNA Damage in Limbal Epithelial Stem Cells, Partially Reversed by DNA Repairing Enzymes. [2023, Accepted] Biology
  2. Domdey M, Kluth MA, Maßlo C, Ganss C, Frank MH, Frank NY, Coroneo MT, Cursiefen C, Notara M. Consecutive dosing of UVB irradiation induces loss of ABCB5 expression and activation of EMT and fibrosis proteins in limbal epithelial cells similar to pterygium epithelium. Stem Cell Res. 2022 Oct;64:102936.
  3. Volatier T, Schumacher B, Cursiefen C, Notara M. UV Protection in the Cornea: Failure and Rescue. Biology (Basel). 2022 Feb 10;11(2):278. doi: 10.3390/biology11020278.
  4. Notara M, Lentzsch A, Clahsen T, Behboudifard S, Braun G, Cursiefen C, Bevacizumab Induces Upregulation of Keratin 3 and VEGFA in Human Limbal Epithelial Cells in Vitro, J Clin Med. 2019 Nov 9;8(11):1925. doi: 10.3390/jcm8111925.
  5. Notara M, Behboudifard S, Kluth MA, Maßlo C, Ganss C, Frank MH, Schumacher B, Cursiefen, UV light-blocking contact lenses protect against short-term UVB-induced limbal stem cell niche damage and inflammation, Sci Rep. 2018 Aug 22;8(1):12564
  6. Notara M, Refaian N, Braun G, Steven P, Bock F, Cursiefen C, Short-term UVA irradiation leads to dysfunction of limbal niche cells and an antilymphangiogenic and anti-inflammatory micromilieu, Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2016 Mar 1;57(3):928-39
  7. Notara M, Refaian N, Braun G, Steven P, Bock F, Cursiefen C, Short-term UVB-irradiation leads to putative limbal stem cell damage and niche cell-mediated upregulation of macrophage recruiting cytokines, Stem Cell Res. 2015 Nov;15(3):643-54
  8. Notara M, Hernandez D, Mason C and Daniels JT, Characterisation and Functionality of Corneal Epithelial Linages derived by Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells, Regenerative Medicine. 2012 7(2):167-78
  9. Notara M, Shortt AJ, Harris AR and Daniels JT, The impact of age in the structure and phenotype of the Human Limbal Stem Cell Niche, AGE. (Dordr). 2013 Apr;35(2):289-300.
  10. Notara M, Schrader S and Daniels JT, The porcine limbal epithelial stem cell niche as a new model for the study of transplanted tissue engineered human limbal epithelial cells, Tissue Engineering, Part A. 2011 (5-6):741-50