Research

Funding: Nds. Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur über Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 1.496.374 EUR

Project Details:
ZERN is a research network of the University of Göttingen, the University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover and the German Institute of Food Technologies in Quakenbrück, which aims to support the transformation of the agricultural and food system in Lower Saxony, which is under increasing pressure to adapt. Aspects such as animal welfare and sustainability must be given greater consideration in agricultural production in the future. The findings from the research network should enable the sustainable production, processing and marketing of food.

Cooperation Partners:

Georg-August-Universität Göttingen

Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik (DIL)

Project Details:
Mouse lemurs are the smallest primates on earth. They are endemic to Madagascar, where they are increasingly endangered by anthropogenically caused habitat degradation. Mouse lemurs are unique primate models for evolutionary, aging and genomic research. They exhibit extraordinary species diversity with limited vs. broad ranges in the Malagasy tropical forests. They have a long longevity related to body size (up to 15 years in the laboratory, about 9 years in the field) which is, however, much shorter than for common anthropoid primate models. Furthermore, some, but not all, aging individuals develop an AD-like pathology as found in Alzheimer patients or show human-like aging-related diseases such as cancer or ocular pathologies (e.g. cataracts). Likewise mouse lemurs are one of the primate models, for which the full genome is published. In 1985, Elke Zimmermann founded the colony of gray mouse lemurs of the Institute of Zoology (IfZ), by two founder pairs coming from the University of Tübingen (Jörg Ganzhorn). Founder pairs stem from the Rotterdam Zoo and were tracked back to their origin in south-eastern Madagascar (Mandena). To increase the genetic diversity of the colony, the offspring of these founders (originally based at the University of Stuttgart-Hohenheim, moving later on to the University of Constance, the German Primate Centre and finally completely to the Institute of Zoology at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover) were cross-bred with mouse lemurs coming from the Rotterdam Zoo, the Netherlands, in 1993 and the Parc Zoologique de Vincennes, France, in 1996. The colony is a self-sustaining breeding colony for which the life history of each individual mouse lemur is documented from birth to death in a mouse lemur database. Tissues from these individually known mouse lemurs are collected for veterinary purposes, or after the natural death of an animal. This colony of mouse lemurs is registered in the European and International Studbook of the Cheirogaleidae. Animals are used for non-invasive integrative and comparative research in the field of behaviour, physiology, reproduction, sensory biology, communication, cognition, genetics/genomics, aging, conservation biology and veterinary medicine. Furthermore, they are used for comparative research projects that are conducted together with several academic institutions studying the effect of different factors (e.g. general maintenance conditions, different photoperiod regimes, enrichment, group composition, genetic lineages) on the physiology, behaviour, communication, cognition, reproduction, longevity and health status of the colonies.

Results:

e.g.

The Tabula Microcebus Consortium*; Ezran, C.; Liu, S.; Chang, S.; Ming, J.; Botvinnik, O.; Penland, L.; Tarashansky, A.; de Morree, A.; Travaglini, K.J.; Zhao, J.; Wang, G.; Hasegawa, K.; Sin, H.; Sit, R.; Okamoto, J.; Sinha, R.; Zhang, Y.; Karanewsky, C.J.; Pendleton, J.L.; Morri, M.; Perret, M.; Aujard, F.; Stryer, L.; Artandi, S.; Fuller, M.; Weissman, I.L.; Rando, T.A.; Ferrell Jr., J.E.; Wang, B.; De Vlaminck, I.; Yang, C.; Casey, K.M.; Albertelli, M.A.; Pisco, A.O.; Karkanias, J.; Neff, N.; Wu, A.R.; Quake, S.R.; Krasnow, M.A. (2025): Tabula Microcebus: A molecular cell atlas of mouse lemur, an emerging model primate. Nature, 644:173-184. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09113-9. (* U.R. member of the Microcebus Consortium)

 

Ezran, C.; Liu, S.; Chang, S.; Ming, J.; Guethlein, L.A.; Wang, M.F.Z.; Dehghannasiri, R.; Olivieri, J.; Frank, H.K.; Tarashansky, A.; Koh, W.; Jing, Q.; Botvinnik, O.; Antony, J.; The Tabula Microcebus Consortium*; Oliveira Pisco, A.; Karkanias, J.; Yang, C.; Ferrell Jr., J.E.; Boyd, S.D.; Parham, P.; Long, J.Z.; Wang, B.; Salzman, J.; De Vlaminck, I.; Wu, A.; Quake, S.R.; Krasnow, M.A. (2025): Mouse lemur cell atlas informs primate genes, physiology, and disease. Mouse lemur cell atlas informs primate genes, physiology and disease. Nature, 644: 185-196. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09114-8. (* U.R. member of the Microcebus Consortium)

 

Wittkowski, J.*; Klein, A.*; Kollikowski, A.*; Scheumann, M.*; Schmidtke, D.*; Zimmermann, E.?*; Radespiel, U.* (2024): The mouse lemurs. In: The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and Other Research Animals, 9th Edition. (H. Golledge, C. Richardson, eds.). John Wiley & Sons Ltd. (*: contributed equally to this chapter), pp. 662-682. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119555278.ch36.

 

Bleyer, M.; Radespiel, U.; Klein, A.; Kollikowski, A.; Ströbel, P.; Mätz-Rensing, K.; Gruber-Dujardin, E. (2024): Spontaneous soft tissue tumours in aged mouse lemurs. Journal of Comparative Pathology, 215, 47-54.

 

Fritz, R.; Zimmermann, E.; Meier, M.; Mestre-Francés, N.; Radespiel, U.; Schmidtke, D. (2020): Neurobiological substrates of animal personality and cognition in a nonhuman primate (Microcebus murinus). Brain and Behavior, e01752. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.1752.

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Pees, Klinik für Heimtiere

Zoo Zürich, Schweiz; Zoo Frankfurt, Zoo Landau,

Zoo Vincennes, Frankreich; Zoo Pilsen, CZ

Prof. J.-M. Verdier, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris, Frankreich

Funding: Förderverein Bioökonomieforschung (FBF e.V.), 44.000 EUR

Project Details:
With the ongoing development of antibiotic‑free preservation methods for boar semen, the question arises whether these are also effective against leptospires. It should be noted that, to date, the efficacy of conventional antibiotics against leptospires in preserved semen has not been demonstrated in the available literature. The reason for this is that leptospires require special and prolonged cultivation methods.
Using the newly established assay, the growth of leptospires in long‑term preserved boar semen will be investigated. In particular, the influence of gentamicin and storage temperature will be assessed. Ultimately, the efficacy and necessity of antibiotics against leptospires will be evaluated.

Cooperation Partners:

IVD Gesellschaft für Innovative Veterinärdiagnostik mbH

Funding: Fritz-Ahrberg Stiftung, 25.000 EUR

Project Details:
The production of gluten-free sausages poses major challenges with respect to texture, flavor, and nutritional value when compared to their gluten-containing counterparts. In conventional formulations, gluten acts as a key binding agent, providing structure, elasticity, and overall product integrity. In gluten-free products, however, alternative binding systems are required. Commonly used starch-based fillers (e.g., corn starch or rice flour) often result in a sticky or brittle texture, altered flavor profiles, and suboptimal protein digestibility. Consequently, gluten-free sausages frequently exhibit poor mouthfeel, reduced juiciness, and lower protein bioavailability, negatively affecting both consumer acceptance and nutritional quality.
In recent years, the demand for gluten-free foods has increased dramatically. This growth is driven not only by individuals with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, but also by a broader consumer segment that perceives gluten-free diets as a healthier alternative and therefore prefers such products. This rising demand has prompted food manufacturers to develop innovative gluten-free alternatives to traditional gluten-containing products such as bread, pasta, and processed meat products. However, reproducing the sensory and nutritional properties of gluten-containing foods?particularly sausages?remains a significant challenge. In this context, microbial enzymes can be employed as processing aids or food additives to more closely replicate the functional properties of gluten.
Microbial enzymes, particularly those derived from Bacillus spp., offer substantial advantages over fungal- and plant-based alternatives and are therefore highly suitable for industrial applications. They can be produced rapidly and at large scale via fermentation, ensuring cost efficiency and a stable supply. Moreover, these enzymes are generally highly thermostable, allowing them to remain functional during high-temperature processing steps such as those involved in sausage production. Owing to their cost-effectiveness, stability, and Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status, enzymes derived from Bacillus spp. represent a scalable and sustainable solution for food processing applications.
In this project, thermostable proteases and α-amylases from Bacillus spp. will be applied to address the challenges in gluten-free sausage production. Proteases will be used to hydrolyze meat proteins and to break down complex structures (e.g., collagen) into smaller, more digestible peptides and amino acids. This enzymatic process is expected to enhance texture by increasing tenderness, improve flavor through the release of taste-active amino acids, and increase nutritional value by improving protein bioavailability. Simultaneously, α-amylases will degrade excess starch from starch-based binding agents into simpler sugars, thereby improving the consistency of the sausage matrix and reducing stickiness and brittleness. In addition, the use of these enzymes represents a sustainable approach, as they are biodegradable and environmentally friendly.

Funding: Brigitte und Wolfram Gedek-Stiftung, 25.000 EUR

Project Details:
The research project aims to characterised moulds on various mould-ripened and non-mould-ripened plant-based cheese alternatives immediately after purchase. The plant-based cheese alternatives should then be stored under household conditions. They should be stored in direct contact with mould-ripened cheese on the one hand, but also without direct contact on the other. Here, too, the moulds that have grown are then characterised. In addition, the plant-based cheese alternatives are tested for mycotoxins using ELISA before and after storage.

Funding: DFG, 535.000 EUR

Project Details:
When dry preservation of gametes and/or genetic material were possible without loss of fertilizing potential, this can be implemented for securing genetic resources and would transform biobank facilities and the breeding industry. This would facilitate low-cost room temperature storage easing off-the-shelf availability and transport. Moreover, dry preservation methods for biologics can be implemented in underdeveloped countries, remote locations, and non-laboratory settings. Without taking protective measures, biomolecules in mammalian cells are subject to (irreversible) conformational changes during drying and specimens are prone to chemical degradation during storage, impairing their functions. Numerous attempts have been pursued to preserve cell viability and functionality in the dried state, mostly inspired by nature?s way to survive drying in a state of suspended animation referred to as anhydrobiosis. However, only limited successes have been reported in keeping ordinary mammalian cells viable after drying and subsequent rehydration. Attempts focused on the introduction of specific disaccharides (i.e., trehalose, sucrose), stress proteins, and membrane modification strategies, which play a role in acquiring desiccation tolerance in nature. However, the complex orchestrated cellular adaptation mechanisms of anhydrobiotic organisms are not likely to be mimicked in cells that are not naturally resistant to dehydration. Dried mammalian cells may retain their structure and specific functional properties. For example, dried sperm and somatic cells can be injected into (enucleated) oocytes for the production of offspring. However, under ambient conditions, biomolecules in dried cells are susceptible to rapid degradation during storage. Major factors impairing storage stability of biomolecular structures in a dried cellular environment are the presence of reactive molecules, environmental conditions, and inherent susceptibility for damage (e.g., degree of lipid saturation and chromatin condensation). We propose a different approach for long-term room temperature preservation of genetic resources; not focusing on recovering fully functional cells but by generating ?artificial? cell-like nuclei-containing structures. We plan to do this by (1) making ?ghost cells? from sperm to remove damaging reactive molecules normally present in the cells, while keeping organelles and cytoskeletal elements inside, and (2) by making demembranated sperm encapsulated in giant liposomes. In both cases, damaging reactive molecules in cells are removed, while protective molecules can be easily introduced.

Project Details:
The aim of this project is the development and adaptation of AI-based methods for automated annotation and functional interpretation of single-cell sequencing data in mammals. The focus is on adapting transformer-based models to multi-species datasets from livestock and model organisms. By integrating single-cell transcriptomic data, robust models for cell type annotation, state classification, and regulatory effect prediction will be established. The developed approaches will be applied to tissues with growth-related processes to identify functional cell populations and regulatory patterns using AI. The objective is to provide scalable tools for comparative functional genomics at single-cell resolution in mammals.

Project Details:
The aim of this follow-up project is to investigate the contribution of structural genomic variation to the genetic architecture of growth in the pig model. The focus is on the identification and characterization of structural variants using long-read sequencing and their regulatory effects in non-coding genomic regions. Analyses of animals with divergent growth phenotypes will be used to detect growth-associated structural variants and selection signatures. These variants will be evaluated with respect to their location in regulatory sequences, putative enhancers, and chromatin domains, and linked to gene expression data from growth plate tissue. The objective is to identify functionally relevant non-coding variation affecting growth-regulatory processes.

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Tim Kacprowski, Leiter Abteilung Data Science in Biomedicine, Peter L. Reichertz Institut für Medizinische Informatik der TU Braunschweig und der Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover

Funding: Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung (Bundesprogramm ökologischer Landbau), 231.160 EUR

Project Details:
The overarching objective of the project is to improve the health of suckling and weaned piglets under organic farming conditions in free-farrowing systems and piglet rearing systems through optimized housing and feeding strategies, and to identify approaches for reducing piglet mortality. In addition to adapted housing and nutrition, an improved, farm-specific health and hygiene management system is intended to contribute substantially to stable herd health in organic production systems. Furthermore, the project aims to close existing knowledge gaps and generate new scientific insights for organic sow husbandry and piglet production through the investigation and evaluation of multiple research questions.

Cooperation Partners:

Landwirtschaftskammer Nordrhein-Westfalen

Georg-August Universität Göttingen

Universität Kassel

Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz, 7.500 EUR

Project Details:
The objectives of the project include determining the level of genetic diversity, the genetically effective population sizes, and the extent of gene flow, as well as the association between microsatellites and SNPs.

Cooperation Partners:

Kooperation zwischen der Georg-August-Universität Göttingen (GAUG, Abteilung Wildtierwissenschaften), der Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (JLU, Arbeitskreis Wildbiologie, AG Reiner) und der Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover (ITAW, Institut für Terrestrische und Aquatische Wildtierforschung) sowie dem Landesjagdverband Niedersachsen (LJN)