Research

Funding: MEKUN, 402.984 EUR

Project Details:
The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is a top predator native to Germany’s freshwater habitats and thus occupies a special position within aquatic ecosystems. As an indicator species for habitat degradation and threats to biodiversity, it plays a vital role in nature conservation and species protection. Historically, the 20th century saw a massive decline in populations, caused by habitat loss, environmental pollution and direct persecution. Thanks to targeted species and habitat conservation measures, populations in Western Europe, including Germany, have been able to recover.
However, the recovery of populations has been accompanied by a resurgence of conflicts over resource use. Otters are opportunistic hunters and are often perceived as competitors for food by the pond farming and inland fishing industries. Added to this is a significant risk posed by road traffic, which is one of the leading causes of death for otters in Germany. Against this backdrop, there is an increased need for concrete management measures.
In a previous project, the use of camera traps and faecal analyses provided insights into the habitat use, diet and reproductive potential of the Eurasian otter in Schleswig-Holstein. This baseline data demonstrates the species’ growing importance and highlights areas of conflict in various sectors; however, it is insufficient to conclusively assess the potential for conflict with fish farming and endangered fish species, or the risks posed by road crossings, nor to develop solution strategies that comply with species conservation requirements.
A key shortcoming is the current lack of individual-level, high-resolution data on habitat use and behaviour. Previous telemetry approaches have predominantly been invasive or associated with animal welfare risks arising from capture and anaesthesia. New non-invasive methods for attaching transmitters (e.g. fur adhesives or Velcro-based systems) have been tested internationally, but not yet in Germany or in the context of conflict assessment. Recent studies highlight possibilities for tagging wild animals in their natural habitat without capturing them, thereby enabling us to learn more about their natural behaviour.
Against this background, the proposed project addresses precisely these existing gaps in knowledge: through the development of non-invasive telemetry methods, individual-level data on habitat use, conflict use (fish ponds) and road crossings are to be collected for the first time. In parallel, the effectiveness of acoustic deterrent measures in fish farming will be investigated. The project will thus make a direct contribution to the development of practical management strategies that take into account both species conservation requirements and the needs of the fish farming industry.

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: Fritz-Ahrberg-Stiftung, 100.000 EUR

Project Details:
For meat processing companies, preventing Listeria spp. from entering the food chain remains a major challenge. The species Listeria (L.) monocytogenes in particular has a high pathogenic potential and is considered the main cause of listeriosis. While immunocompetent individuals are less likely to become infected and often develop no or only mild gastrointestinal symptoms after exposure to the pathogen, vulnerable groups, including newborns, the elderly, and people with pre-existing conditions, often become seriously ill. The disease may initially be accompanied by flu-like symptoms and manifest itself in various organs as a result of septicemic progression. This primarily leads to pathogen colonization in the brain (neurolisteriosis) or in the placenta (neonatal listeriosis) with corresponding pathological manifestations such as purulent meningoencephalitis, abortions, or neonatal sepsis. Depending on the individual constitution of the affected patients, the virulence of the strain, and the dose of pathogen ingested, infection with L. monocytogenes can therefore be associated with a high mortality rate. The microbial properties of Listeria spp. cause considerable difficulties in cleaning and disinfection, particularly for meat processing companies. These pathogens are largely undemanding, Gram-positive rod-shaped bacteria that can survive even in nutrient-poor substrates. Although the optimal ambient temperature for bacterial growth is 30 °C, Listeria spp. can multiply at regular refrigeration temperatures due to their psychrotolerant properties. In connection with operational controls, they are therefore often isolated from drains, gullies, or puddles of water. Such niches are often not given sufficient attention in the cleaning and disinfection measures commonly used, with the result that Listeria spp. can repeatedly enter the food chain from these sources. In many cases, the lack of decontamination success can be attributed to existing biofilms, which partially or completely prevent the chemicals used from being effective. If Listeria enter the final product, their facultative anaerobic metabolism enables them to survive storage periods in vacuum or protective gas packaging. Furthermore, pathogen proliferation cannot be ruled out unless it is prevented by certain key parameters such as temperature, pH value, or aw value of the product. Against this background, meat products that are consumed raw, such as Thüringer Mett or raw sausage, should be classified as high-risk foods and avoided by vulnerable groups. In the past, there have been isolated cases of death in connection with foodborne listeriosis, which have attracted considerable media attention. Furthermore, confirmed contamination with L. monocytogenes is always accompanied by product recalls or public recall campaigns. The economic damage caused by unsaleable goods, possible business interruptions, and the loss of reputation of the companies involved can be considerable. Effective strategies for targeted internal monitoring and successful cleaning and disinfection are therefore crucial for all food businesses in order to prevent Listeria spp. from entering the food chain. For this reason, the planned project aims to establish various decontamination strategies based on UV-C irradiation and the use of bacteriocins with bacteriophage depolymerases using a biofilm model, and to verify their effectiveness using a newly developed quantitative (q)PCR assay adapted for the detection of Listeria spp. in biofilms. Compared to standard cultural methods for the detection of Listeria spp., qPCR offers a considerable time advantage and can detect existing pathogens without pre-enrichment of the material to be examined, including sample preparation, within approximately 2 hours. As part of the planned project, the results of the qPCR and the measured decontamination success will be verified using an accompanying standard culture analysis. The aim of the investigations is to develop practical alternatives to conventional decontamination and to create a reliable measuring instrument for monitoring decontamination success and operational hygiene regarding Listeria spp.

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.

Funding: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), 496.785 EUR

Project Details:
Paratuberculosis - Johne’s disease - is a worldwide occurring, progressive, fatal enteritis of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP). The primary host tissue harboring MAP is the distal ileum, which is also the main site of zinc absorption of the host. MAP is equipped with a canonical ZnuABC zinc uptake transporter, which is also found in other mycobacterial pathogens, and two additional unique zinc uptake transporters located on the MAP-specific large sequence polymorphisms LSP14 and LSP15. Moreover, LSP14 harbors a putative zincophore gene cluster - sid - not found in other closely related or pathogenic mycobacteria, suggesting the presence of an additional zinc support system in MAP. We previously showed that this cluster is regulated zinc dependently by the Zinc uptake regulator Zur and encodes an NRPS (Non Ribosomal Peptide Synthetase), which is thought to synthesize a zincophore. In preliminary experiments, we detected for the first time a MAP zincophore candidate using metal isotope-coded profiling (MICP). Given the essential role of zinc and zincophores in bacterial survival and establishment of infection, it is of great importance to elucidate and fully understand the function of these systems in MAP zinc homeostasis and pathogenicity. The project aims to further identify, confirm and characterize MAP zincophores, to link the sid cluster to zincophore production, to elucidate of the role of sid in MAP zinc homeostasis and intracellular survival, and to investigate zincophore translocation systems. Our expected findings will contribute to the understanding of zinc homeostasis in MAP and other mycobacteria.

Cooperation Partners:

Dr. Thomas Wichard

Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena

Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie

Lehrstuhl für Instrumentelle Analytik

Lessingstraße 8

07743 Jena

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: UBA, 156.832 EUR

Project Details:
Because they occupy the top of the food chain, apex predators such as birds of prey, otters, seals, and porpoises serve as useful indicators of pollutants in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments. When combined with data from selected prey species (e.g., fish), data from chemical monitoring of top predators can provide useful quantitative information on the persistence and bioaccumulation of chemical substances throughout the food web. A number of these chemical substances are classified as persistent, mobile, or bioaccumulative and toxic substances (PMT, PBT substances), very persistent, very bioaccumulative, and very mobile substances (vPvB/vPvM substances), as well as endocrine disruptors (EDs).
The "Beyond Life Apex" project will investigate the contamination of food chains by top predators in order to determine the presence of substances and their co-exposure in Germany, as well as the potential adverse health effects of selected contaminants. The project will provide new insights into the exposure of organisms at various trophic levels, the degree of biomagnification in terrestrial and aquatic food chains, priority substances for further regulatory assessments, the adverse effects of chemical pollutants on top predators, and the causes of these effects. This project is being carried out as a collaboration between the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW), the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in Berlin, and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH (UFZ) in Leipzig, and is funded by the Federal Environment Agency.

Cooperation Partners:

Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung (UFZ)

Leibniz-Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung (IZW)

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.