Edgar Otto, Ph.D.
Biography
As an Associate Research Scientist with over 10 years of experience in single-cell transcriptomics for kidney disease, I have processed more than 1000 human and animal kidney biospecimens for RNA sequencing and other analyses. I developed and implemented the single-cell RNAseq procedure for the Kidney Precision Medicine Project and processed numerous samples for single cell, single nucleus, ATAC and Multiome sequencing for many other projects. My work with the NEPTUNE Consortium involved analyzing 120 biopsies from various kidney diseases to identify cell clusters and disease-specific gene expression patterns. These efforts have been pivotal in exploring the transcriptomes of both diseased and healthy kidney tissues, aiding in the discovery of biomarkers and therapeutic targets. My expertise also extends to the genetic basis of kidney diseases, where I have identified and characterized over 30 novel genes. My findings have been published in top journals, including Nature, Nature Genetics, Cell, and NEJM.
- MS Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz
- MS Medicine, Mainz University Medical School
- Ph.D., Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz
Research
I have a strong interest in the optimization of dissociating kidney biopsy tissue into single cells and nuclei for scRNAseq and snRNAseq using 10X Genomics' droplet-based technology. This approach provides high-resolution insights into cellular heterogeneity and gene expression, advancing the understanding of complex kidney diseases and therapeutic discoveries. Additionally, my research focuses on identifying and characterizing novel mutated kidney disease genes associated with recessive ciliopathies, dominant cystic diseases, and glomerular diseases. I leverage next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics to analyze whole exome, genome, and transcriptome data from hundreds of patients.
