Research

Project Details:
Das Projekt untersucht die Pathogenese der Rifttalfieberenzephalitis im Mausmodell. Rifttalfieber ist eine virale Zoonose, die in seltenen, aber schweren, teils fatalen Fällen zu einer Enzephalitis in Humanpatienten führt. Wichtige Details zu deren Pathogenese, insbesondere der Infektionsweg, die intrazerebrale Virusausbreitung und die Rolle der (intrazerebralen) Immunantwort sind bisher nicht vollständig geklärt. Das Projekt erforscht den Verlauf der Rifttalfieberenzephalitis nach intranasaler Infektion bei verschiedenen immundefizienten Knockoutmäusen im Vergleich mit immunkompetenten Wildtypmäusen, um die genaue Rolle verschiedener Immunzellen in der Pathogenese zu charakterisieren.

Results:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36293352/ (2022 Oct 18)

Funding: Gesellschaft der Freunde der Tierärztlichen Hochschule Hannover e.V. (GdF), 15.600 EUR

Project Details:
Growing evidence indicates that exercise has the potential to reduce components of Parkinson's disease (PD)-related pathology. PD progression starts early before onset of the cardinal motor signs and subtle motor and non-motor dysfunctions are evident even in the early prodromal stage before clinical disease diagnosis (Berg et al. 2021 Nat Rev Neurol). We therefore examine whether and to which degree exercise affects disease pathology and progression in young mice that overexpress human wildtype alpha-synuclein under the Thy-1 promotor (Thy1-aSyn mice) and replicate PD hallmarks by developing, among others, robust fine motor deficits at two months of age (Chesselet, Richter et al. 2012 Neurotherapeutics). We hypothesize that early intervention by exercise has a disease-modifying effect during prodromal phase in Thy1-aSyn mice and can be applied as a non-pharmacological preventive strategy for early-stage PD (Schäffer et al. 2020 Neurology). Next, we will administer a substance to the animal model, which shows increased levels under exercise and neuroprotective properties in other neurodegenerative diseases.

Cooperation Partners:

Prof Dr. Daniela Berg (Neurologie, Christian-Albrechts Universität Kiel), Prof. Dr. Christiane Wrann (Harvard Medical School)

Funding: LJB e.V. Landesjägerschaft Bremen, 10.919 EUR

Project Details:
The wildlife data (WTE) for the Hanseatic City of Bremen is collected by the Landesjägerschaft Bremen e.V. (LJB) in cooperation with the Landesjägerschaft Niedersachsen e.V. (LJN). Employees of the LJN and the TiHo maintain the WTE Lower Saxony database, which is also made available by the LJN to the LJB for the WTE-HB data. The LJB provides the TiHo with data from the WTE-HB for analysis and publication within this research project.
In addition to descriptive statistics on population development, multivariate statistical analyses are used to determine the influencing factors. These factors are then used to make forecasts for the future. The exact statistical methods to be used can only be decided on the basis of the data available.

Funding: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, 236.600 EUR

Project Details:
exploratory research project

Funding: EU, 1.234.225 EUR

Project Details:
Bewertung von rational konzipierten Influenza-Impfstoffen

Funding: EU Kommission (imi), 337.500 EUR

Project Details:
The objective of WP3 is to combine the broad expertise of consortium partners in drug discovery in order to identify small molecule candidate drugs to fight coronaviruses.
To effectively deliver drug candidates, WP3 is interacting closely with WP1 and WP2 to identify and select potential starting points for further development based on clearly defined progression criteria. A screening cascade for (phenotypic) hit ID has been implemented and executed. In addition, a coordinated AI-platform and analysis of targets for their druggability is being finalized to facilitate the selection of potential starting points for chemistry. The medicinal chemistry efforts have not yet been initiated as the review and selection of potential starting points from the first wave of hit identification is still ongoing.
In addition to the Hit selection criteria to move forward into Hit to Lead (H2L), WP3 contributors have already prepared for the next steps by defining the initial progression criteria for hits, leads and optimized lead compounds. In addition, a screening cascade for H2L and lead optimization (LO) is proposed, including the flow for the ADMET-PK related assays. The aim is to work towards the predefined target product profiles (TPPs) which have also been discussed within WP3 and are close to finalisation.

Project Details:
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Funding: Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes

Project Details:
We investigate the pathophysiological pathways underlying post-COVID-19 syndrome with the goal to develop biomarkers and rational therapeutic intervention.

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Dr. Gülsah Gabriel (TiHo, HPI Hamburg), Prof. Dr. Günter Höglinger (Neurology, MHH), Prof. Dr. Ulrich Kalinke (TWINCORE Hannover)

Funding: Deutscher Akadademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD-PROCOPE), 9.108 EUR

Project Details:
Nonverbal vocal communication in humans contains information about the emotional state of the sender which can be used by the receiver. Comparing the acoustic structure and the context of production of these vocalizations across mammalian species revealed cross-taxa similarities suggesting a pre-human origin in encoding emotional information acoustically (e.g., Davila Ross et al., 2009, Newman, 1985, Zimmermann et al., 2013). In contrast to human laughter and cries, our knowledge on other nonverbal sounds such as the Sigh is limited. Therefore, the current study investigated whether vocalizations comparable to the human sigh can be found in nonhuman mammals and whether these vocalizations can be related to emotional states of the sender as well as to the quality of social interaction.
In the order Perissodactyla, horses and rhinoceros are known to produce noisy vocalizations at a high call rate (e.g. Policht et al., 2008, Yeon et al., 2011). The Snort is one of this noisy vocalizations, characterized as an explosive more or less pulsed breathing sound produced by nostril vibrations while expulsing the air. The function of this call type is not yet clear. First, it was proposed that this call type might have a hygienic function rather than a communicative function (e.g., Yeon et al., 2011, Linn et al., 2018). Second, it was proposed that the Snort might be an indicator of positive emotions or at least a relaxed state in horses. In the rhinoceros infant Snorts occurred also during affiliative interactions supporting to function as an indicator of the positive emotional state (Linn et al., 2018). This suggests that either the Snort has a communicative function to signal socially acceptance to group members or express an internal relaxed state of the sender which might affect group members via an emotional contagion mechanism.
To clarify the function of Snorts and to investigate to which extent there are cross-taxa similarities at least in the order Perissodactyla, we aim to compare Snort production between horses and rhinoceros.

Cooperation Partners:

Idu Azogu-Sepe, Serengeti Park Hodenhagen

Prof. Alban Lemasson, Rennes 1 University, France

Prof. Martine Hausberger, Rennes 1 University, France

Dr. Mathilde Stomp, Rennes 1 University, France

Planét Sauvage, Frankreich

Funding: Pharmaceutical sector, 230.000 EUR

Project Details:
therapy development for neurodegenerative diseases