We are pleased to invite to a public lecture by Prof. Dr. Julia Schulze-Hentrich, Department of Genetics/Epigenetics (Saarland University)

Sex differences in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the context of Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects men more frequently than women. This sex difference suggests that biological factors may influence disease onset and progression in this multifactorial condition, which develops through complex interactions among genetic predisposition, aging, and environmental exposures. Within this gene-environment interplay, the epigenome is increasingly recognized as a key integrator—translating environmental signals into gene regulatory changes in a sexdependent manner.

Although sex, genetics, and environmental exposures can each independently shape the risk of sporadic PD, their combined effects on the epigene=c landscape of the disease remain largely unclear. In collaboration with the DIGPD study group, we investigated sex-specific patterns of genome-wide DNA methylation, SNP genotypes, and pesticide exposure among agricultural workers. Our analyses revealed stronger associations between blood DNA methylation and PD in females compared to males.

To advance beyond these observational results and uncover the mechanisms driving these differences, we are using transgenic rodent models to study sex-dependent brain
transcriptomic and epigenomic changes at both pre-symptoma=c and symptomatic disease stages. In this presentation, I will summarize our findings to date and discuss upcoming work aimed at clarifying how glial cell biology contributes to sex differences in both healthy and diseased states.

Information for public DLS Lecture
Thursday, 7th May 2026
16:00–18:00
Location: room B1/B2 (Levi-Montalcini) at CBBM, ground floor, Campus Lübeck 

Online-attendance via Webex available

Information for DLS Seminar
Friday, 8th May 2026
09:00–14:00 (presence)
Location: IMGWF Lecture Hall (Hörsaal) Königstr. 42, 23552 Lübeck