Molecular components of the hair cell synaptic vesicle cycle [Elektronische Ressource] / presented by Nikolaus Obholzer

DISSERTATION submitted to the Combined Faculties for the Natural Sciences and for Mathematics of the Ruperto-Carola University of Heidelberg, Germany for the degree of Doctor in Natural Sciences presented by Master of Molecular and Cell Biology Nikolaus Obholzer born in Mannheim, Germany rdOral Examination: November 23 , 2007 INAUGURAL-DISSERTATION Zur Erlangung der Doktorwürde der Naturwissenschaftlich-Mathematischen Gesamtfakultät der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg vorgelegt von Master of Molecular and Cell Biology Nikolaus Obholzer aus Mannheim, Deutschland Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 23. November 2007 Molecular Components of the Hair Cell Synaptic Vesicle Cycle Referees: Prof. Dr. Stephan Frings Assoc. Prof. Dr. Teresa Nicolson Acknowledgements The research for this thesis was conducted at the Vollum Institute in Portland, Oregon, USA under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Teresa Nicolson. My special thanks to my supervisor for all the support, constructive discussions and continuous encouragement - and for the money! Most of all thank you for giving me the opportunity to prepare this thesis. My gratitude goes to Prof. Dr. Frings for taking the trouble to be my thesis advisor and chair of my thesis comittee, even though we had never met.