The laboratory’s work has concentrated on various aspects of calcium signaling in electrically excitable as well as non-excitable cells. Its mainstay is the elucidation of calcium signaling and Calcium-Release-Activated-Calcium channels (CRAC) in immune responses. This line of work has been expanded to microglia, the immune cells of the brain, which play an important role in neurodegenerative diseases. Another focus investigates the regulation of inositol-signaling pathways. We have also started to correlate calcium signaling and cell proliferation, which may lead to identify a central role of this ion in apoptotic cell death and tumorigenesis. Recently, we have initiated a project concerning the physiological function of four novel ion channels of the Transient-Receptor Potential (TRP)-family involved in calcium homeostasis, specifically TRPM2, TRPM4, TRPM5 and TRPM7.