Dr. rer. nat. Verena Höffken

 

Research associate
E-Mail: Verena.Hoeffken@ukmuenster.de
Research Gate

 

  • University training and degree

    2016 – 2019 M.Sc. in BioSciences, University of Münster, Germany
    2013 – 2016 B.Sc. in BioSciences, University of Münster, Germany

  • Advanced academic qualifications

    2019 – 2022 Ph.D. in Biology, University of Münster, Germany, Topic: “Impact of the WWC2 protein on germ cell differentiation and male fertility”

  • Postgraduate professional career

    2026 – Postdoctoral scientist, Centre of Medical Genetics, Institute of Reproductive Genetics (IRG), UKM, Germany
    2022 – 2026 Postdoctoral scientist, Medical Clinic D, Molecular Nephrology, UKM, Germany

  • Academic memberships and activities

    2019 Lecture award, 8th DVR Congress, Leipzig

  • Selected publications

    1. Höffken V.* and Console L.*, Nelde N., Pavenstädt H., Indiveri C.* and Weide T*. Putative cell-surface function of the APOL1 p.N264K variant. Life Science Alliance Mar 2026, 9 (5) e202503570; doi: 10.26508/lsa.202503570.

    2. Höffken V., Alvermann L., Niggemeier D., Beul K., Nedvetsky P., Ellinger B., Assenmacher D, Granado D, Pavenstädt H, Weide T. APOL1 plasma membrane pools resist rapid protein degradation. Sci Rep. 2026 Feb 16. doi: /10.1038/s41598-026-37647-z. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41698983.

    3. Höffken V., Braun D.A., Pavenstädt H., Weide T. A Cell Biologist's View on APOL1: What We Know and What We Still Need to Address. Cells. 2025 Jun 24;14(13):960. doi: /10.3390/cells14130960. PMID: 40643483.

    4. Groh A.G. * and Möller-Kerutt A. *, Gilhaus K., Höffken V., Nedvetsky P., Kleimann S., Behrens M., Ghosh S., Hansen U., Krahn M.P., Ebnet K., Pavenstädt H., Ludwig A., Weide T. PALS1 is a key regulator of the lateral distribution of tight junction proteins in renal epithelial cells. J Cell Sci. 2024 March; 137(5): jcs261303. doi: /10.1242/jcs.261303. PMID: 38265145.

    5. Grampp S., Krüger R., Lauer V., Uebel S., Knaup K.X., Naas J., Höffken V., Weide T., Schiffer M., Naas S., Schödel J. Hypoxia hits APOL1 in the kidney. Kid Int. 2023 Jul. 104 (1):53. doi:/10.1016/j.kint.2023.03.035. PMID: 37098381.

    6. Höffken V., Di Persio S., Laurentino S., Wyrwoll M.J., Terwort N., Hermann A., Röpke A., Oud M.S., Wistuba J., Kliesch S., Pavenstädt H.J., Tüttelmann F., Neuhaus N., Kremerskothen J. WWC2 expression in the testis: implications for spermatogenesis and male fertility. The FASEB Journal. 2023 May. 37:e22912. doi: /10.1096/fj.202200960R. PMID: 37086090.

    7. Brücher V.C., Egbring C., Plagemann T., Nedvetsky P.I., Höffken V., Pavenstädt H., Eter N., Kremerskothen J., Heiduschka P. Lack of WWC2 Protein Leads to Aberrant Angiogenesis in Postnatal Mice. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 May 18;22(10):5321. doi: /10.3390/ijms22105321. PMID: 34070186.

    8. Höffken V., Hermann A., Pavenstädt H.J., Kremerskothen J. WWC Proteins: Important Regulators of Hippo Signaling in Cancer. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Jan 15;13(2):306. doi: /10.3390/cancers13020306. PMID: 33467643.

    9. Hermann A., Wu G., Nedvetsky P.I., Brücher V.C., Egbring C., Bonse J., Höffken V., Wennmann D.O., Marks M., Krahn M.P., Schöler H., Heiduschka P., Pavenstädt H.J., Kremerskothen J. The Hippo pathway component Wwc2 is a key regulator of embryonic development and angiogenesis in mice. Cell Death Dis. 2021 Jan 22;12(1):117. doi: /10.1038/s41419-021-03409-0. PMID: 33483469.

    10. Pohl E., Höffken V., Schlatt S., Kliesch S., Gromoll J., Wistuba J. Ageing in men with normal spermatogenesis alters spermatogonial dynamics and nuclear morphology in Sertoli cells. Andrology. 2019 Nov;7(6):827-839. doi: /10.1111/andr.12665. Epub 2019 Jun 27. PMID: 31250567.

    * contributed equally