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Dr Gerrit Hilgen

Associate Professor

Department: Applied Sciences

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Background: Gerrit Hilgen started his first academic position in the department of Applied Sciences in 2020. He is interested in neuronal signal processing, functional and structural imaging, as well as scientific computing with a focus on the mature and neonatal retina in health and disease and human retinal organoids. His research is internationally recognised as evidenced by frequent invitations for talks and many peer-reviewed publications in high prestige journals. Gerrit has successfully spearheaded interdisciplinary research projects and led a scientific consultancy in an industrial collaboration.

Gerrit is involved in projects such as transplanting photoreceptor precursors at early and severe stages of retinal degeneration to restore vision, shedding light on hypersensitivity to evening light in bipolar disorder patients, and deciphering novel synapse formation mechanisms and ocular channelopathies. Gerrit’s ambition is to build a world-leading laboratory that bridges between neuroscience, cellular imaging, multi-omics/multimodal, and computational approaches. He integrates such technologies to create a cellular imaging framework for characterising cell types in complex tissues like organoids and 3D cell tissues. Currently, he holds the departmental theme lead for Neuroscience and co-founded interest groups to foster collaborations in organoid and microscopy sciences in the department of Applied Sciences.

Gerrit was awarded a HEA Fellowship in 2021 and is responsible for the development and implementation of learning and teaching content for the BSc Biology and Biomedical programmes. He serves as an external examiner for MSc and PhD dissertations, as well as a personal tutor and lecturer on a wide range of Biology/Biomedical modules ranging from neuroscience and neuroanatomy to applied neuroinformatics and advanced microscopy. Since May 2020, he has been the module leader for the L6 module "AP0615 Neuroscience in Practice," which gives students a fundamental understanding of practical methods used in Neuroscience and Neurology. Since September 2022, he is also the module leader for the year-long L6 module " AP0606 Biomedical and Biological Sciences Research Projects", the UG final year project module for BSc Biology and Biomedical students.

Gerrit Hilgen

  • Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
  • Connexin45 colocalization patterns in the plexiform layers of the developing mouse retina, Hilgen, G. 1 Aug 2023, In: Journal of Anatomy
  • A novel approach to the functional classification of retinal ganglion cells, Hilgen, G., Kartsaki, E., Kartysh, V., Cessac, B., Sernagor, E. Mar 2022, In: Open Biology
  • Transplanted pluripotent stem cell-derived photoreceptor precursors elicit conventional and unusual light responses in mice with advanced retinal degeneration, Zerti, D., Hilgen, G., Dorgau, B., Collin, J., Ader, M., Armstrong, L., Sernagor, E., Lako, M. 1 Jul 2021, In: Stem Cells
  • Incorporating microglia‐like cells in human induced pluripotent stem cell‐derived retinal organoids, Chichagova, V., Georgiou, M., Carter, M., Dorgau, B., Hilgen, G., Collin, J., Queen, R., Chung, G., Ajeian, J., Moya-Molina, M., Kustermann, S., Pognan, F., Hewitt, P., Schmitt, M., Sernagor, E., Armstrong, L., Lako, M. Feb 2023, In: Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
  • Receptive field estimation in large visual neuron assemblies using a super-resolution approach, Pamplona, D., Hilgen, G., Hennig, M., Cessac, B., Sernagor, E., Kornprobst, P. 1 May 2022, In: Journal of Neurophysiology
  • Human Retinal Organoids Provide a Suitable Tool for Toxicological Investigations: a Comprehensive Validation Using Drugs and Compounds Affecting the Retina, Dorgau, B., Georgiou, M., Chaudhary, A., Moya-Molina, M., Collin, J., Queen, R., Hilgen, G., Davey, T., Hewitt, P., Schmitt, M., Kustermann, S., Pognan, F., Steel, D., Sernagor, E., Armstrong, L., Lako, M. 17 Mar 2022, In: Stem cells translational medicine
  • Room temperature shipment does not affect the biological activity of pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal organoids, Georgiou, M., Chichagova, V., Hilgen, G., Dorgau, B., Sernagor, E., Armstrong, L., Lako, M. 1 Jun 2020, In: PLoS One

  • Molly Rowland Channelomics of the aging eye Start Date: 01/10/2023
  • Emily Flood A feast for the eyes? Investigating the influence of folate on retinal health Start Date: 01/10/2023

  • Neurosciences PhD June 07 2012
  • Full Member Royal Society of Biology 2022
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy FHEA 2021
  • Full Member Anatomical Society 2018
  • Full Member Physiological Society 2016


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