Research

Funding: EU Commission, 724.000 EUR

Project Details:
Work programme 2023-2024 of the EU Reference Laboratory for Classical Swine Fever

Cooperation Partners:

Dr. Christoph Staubach (FLI Riems)

Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur (MWK), 30.000 EUR

Project Details:
The first step in the albuminous degeneration of cells leading to cancer, is the loss of polarity of a cell. Without polar orientation, cells start to grow into any direction and start forming a tumor. Scientists all over the world are trying to identify the genes that are responsible for this process. Up to now without success, as the genetics behind is unknown and hardly decipherable in complex human cells.
We want to use the simplest animal model organism, the placozoan Trichoplax in order to identify the responsible genes. Those placozoans do not have any organs or symmetry; they only have a clear polarity of top and bottom. The signaler for polarity is gravity. We can switch it off naturally in space (sounding rockets) or simulately in the lab (via clinostat experiments) in order to study the effects on gene expression patterns. With placozoans as a subject of examination and gene studies in zero gravity we are now able to break new grounds with regards to interdisciplinary and experimental cancer research.
We have formed an international project entity of cancer scientists, space researchers, geneticists and evolutionary biologists in order to be able to launch this new research approach.

Cooperation Partners:

1) Deutsches Luft- und Raumfahrtzentrum (DLR) Köln

2) LaTrobe University, Medical School, Melbourne, Australia

3) Yale University, Yale Genomics Center, New Haven, USA

4) Prof. Robert DeSalle; Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, AMNH, New York)

Funding: Stadt Wilhelmshaven, 10.667 EUR

Project Details:
The nature reserve and European bird sanctuary "Voslapper Groden Süd" (NSG WE 246) is an important breeding area for ground-nesting birds. According to the Lower Nature Conservation Authority of the City of Wilhelmshaven, wild boar Sus scrofa are found there in large numbers. The breeding success of the ground-nesting birds was "zero" in spring 2018.

The wild boar population figures were therefore recorded in the fall of 2018 and the city of Wilhelmshaven was given expert advice on wild boar management. Following a court ruling in October 2019, no order to eliminate the wild boar could be issued until the nature reserve was completely fenced in and the population was subsequently reassessed. As a result, the population figures were recorded in the fall of 2019 for monitoring purposes.

After completion of the south fence, the UNB WHV commissioned the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation to carry out two further surveys on the wildlife population in the WE 246 nature reserve on 16/08/2022 and 10/10/2023.

Results:

The task of the current assignment was to carry out a new population survey and provide expert advice on the management of the wild boar population and an evaluation of the measures taken to date in the Voslapper Groden Süd VSG. To this end, the presence, age class composition, density and spatial-temporal distribution of wild boar were determined. In addition, hunting facilities, the fences enclosing the area and other factors relevant to management were considered. The presence and densities of other mammal species were also recorded.

Funding: GkF-Promotionsstipendium, EVSSAR Grant, 4.000 EUR

Project Details:
Die erworbene Unfruchtbarkeit aufgrund von nicht-obstruktiver Azoospermie stellt die Hauptursache für die chronische asymptomatische Orchitis (CAO) dar, eine sehr häufige Diagnose beim infertilen Rüden, aber auch beim Menschen. CAO assoziiert sind hochgradige histologische Veränderungen, wie ein Arrest der Spermatogenese sowie eine signifikante Infiltration mit Immunzellen. Die auslösende Noxe ist in der Regel unbekannt, eine Vorstellung des Patienten erfolgt meist spät und Therapiemöglichkeiten bestehen bislang nicht. Neben der Identifizierung der Immunzellen und Charakterisierung der exprimierten Entzündungsmarker konnten mittlerweile in der AG auch die Existenz resilienter Stammzellen in Hoden von an CAO leidenden azoospermen Rüden nachgewiesen werden. Es erscheint naheliegend, dass im Zusammenhang mit der CAO auch die Sertolizellfunktion gestört ist - oder möglicherweise die Störung der Funktion kausal zu sehen ist. Sertolizellen spielen eine wichtige Rolle für das Hodenmikromilieu und somit die funktionierende Spermatogenese. Um die Entwicklung, Anzahl und Funktion der Sertoli-Zellen zu untersuchen, wird die Expression verschiedener Marker in gesunden und von CAO betroffenen Hoden ausgewertet. Grundsätzlich soll mithilfe dieses Projekts ein weiterer Störungspunkt im CAO betroffenen Hoden aufzeigt und definiert werden, um zukünftige therapeutische Ansätze in den Sertoli-Zellen für die Wiederaufnahme der Spermatogenese zu ermöglichen.

Results:

https://elib.tiho-hannover.de/receive/tiho_mods_00009673

https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/3/1108

Project Details:
Die Durchführung diagnostischer Leitungsanästhesien gehört zu den erforderlichen tierärztlichen Ersttagskompetenzen. Üblicherweise erfolgt der praktische Unterricht bislang im Rahmen der klinischen Schwerpunktausbildung an Kadavergliedmaßen und erreicht somit nicht alle Studierenden. Die Zielsetzung dieser Arbeit besteht zum einen in der Entwicklung zweier Simulatoren mit integrierter Erfolgskontrolle, die dem praktischen Üben von diagnostischen Leitungsanästhesien am Pferdefuß dienen. Zum anderen ist das Ziel der Arbeit die Evaluation dieser Simulato-ren hinsichtlich ihrer Eignung als Lehrmittel, verglichen mit dem derzeit üblicherweise genutzten Kadaverfüßen eines Pferdes. Des Weiteren soll ermittelt werden, wie sich die Nutzung der unterschiedlichen Übungsobjekte auf die Selbstwirksamkeit der Studierenden auswirkt.

Results:

Chodzinski, A., Wissing, S., Tipold, A., Geburek, F.

Evaluation of equine perineural anesthesia simulators with integrated success control for veterinary education.

Front. Vet. Sci. - Veterinary Humanities and Social Sciences.Vol. 11 -2024 Online publiziert am 9.1.2025, doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1403794

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1403794/full

Project Details:
Introduction: Taking full thickness small intestinal biopsies may be indicated during colic surgery. However, descriptions of the available techniques are minimal. Therefore, the objective of the study was to compare different biopsy techniques in the equine small intestine. Methods: In this randomized ex vivo study, four different biopsy techniques were evaluated in the aboral jejunum and the ileum of nine horses within one hour after euthanasia. One segment was used as control segment (A), and the applied techniques included an 8 mm biopsy-punch (B), a transverse wedge resection (C), a longitudinal wedge resection with transverse closure (D) and a longitudinal sample using a uterus biopsy forceps (E). All defects were closed using a single-layer continuous Lembert pattern. Duration of the procedure, outer intestinal diameter, degree of contamination and bursting pressure were determined. A semiquantitative score was used to evaluate the quality of the obtained sample for histopathological assessment.

Results:

Verhaar, N., Hammer, E., Hewicker-Trautwein, M., Geburek, F. Ex vivo comparison of full-thickness biopsy techniques in the equine small intestine. Vet Surg. Erstmals online publiziert am 15. Okt. 2024. DOI: 10.1111/vsu.14178

 

Hammer, E., Geburek, F., Reineking, W., Hewicker-Trautwein, M., Verhaar, N. Ex vivo comparison of four different full thickness biopsy techniques in the equine small intestine. In: Proceedings of the 14th International Equine Colic Research Symposium, 10-12 July 2024, Surgeons Quarter, Edinburgh, UK, Equine. Vet. Educ., Supplement 13, July 2024, p. 75

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/vsu.14178

Funding: Nationalparkverwaltung "Nieders. Wattenmeer", 19.182 EUR

Project Details:
The Institute of Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW) of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation has been conducting research in the field of marine mammals for various federal and state authorities for many years. In addition to basic and applied research, a core focus of our work is the assessment of marine mammal populations in German waters and beyond. This includes, for instance, the visual monitoring of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) since 2002 as well as image-based counts of grey seals in the Wadden Sea of Lower Saxony since 2012.Furthermore, ITAW regularly conducts model-based analyses of temporal-spatial habitat selection and habitat use of marine mammals.
In this project, the Wadden Sea National Park Authority of Lower Saxony provides data and ITAW conducts a temporal-spatial analysis of the population development and habitat use of grey and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in the Wadden Sea of Lower Saxony, with a special focus on the following research questions:
o What factors influence the habitat selection (i.e. choice of resting places) of harbour and grey seals in the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park during the pupping season and during the moulting season?
o Has the fine-scale, spatial distribution of seal haul-out sites in general and pupping areas in particular in the Wadden Sea of Lower Saxony changed over time, e.g. over the last 10 years and in comparison to the greater Wadden Sea area? What role does the management zonation into resting, intermediate and recovery zones play and can possible changes in the distribution pattern be attributed to anthropogenic disturbances?
o What is the demography and population structure, in particular the temporal development of the proportion of pups over the last 10 years?
The results from this projects will directly be transferred to the management authority and may lead to proposals for improved species protection for harbour and grey seals in the Wadden Sea National Park.

Project Details:
As part of the SeroFaSt - Mhyo project, a serological on-farm rapid test for the detection of
Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infections in pigs. This test is intended to
differentiate between vaccinated and infected animals directly on the farm,
without the need for time-consuming and cost-intensive laboratory tests. The rapid identification of
infected animals should enable immediate, targeted treatment and thus lead to greater animal welfare and
and better consumer protection.

Funding: Niedersächsischer Landesbetrieb für Wasserwirtschaft, Küsten- und Naturschutz, 10.000 EUR

Project Details:
Many of the pollutants present in water have the potential to accumulate in aquatic organisms (bioaccumulation). So-called biota investigations have therefore become an integral part of the European Water Framework Directive (EC-WFD) and have established themselves as an important instrument in water monitoring. Against this background, the NLWKN has been carrying out extensive investigations in biota for more than 10 years, among other things within the framework of a special measuring program unique in Germany, in order to detect potential water pollution by bioaccumulating substances at an early stage. Currently, more than 1000 individual substances, including, among others, pesticides, PFAS, plasticizers, flame retardants, PAHs, organotins, dioxins and elements.
It is also known that many pollutants (e.g. PFAS) accumulate in organisms primarily through the ingestion of contaminated food (biomagnification) and that the highest measured values can accordingly be expected at the end of the food chain or at the top of the food pyramid. This is also reflected, for example, by the existing biota environmental quality standards for mercury, dicofol, hexachlorobutadiene and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), as these were derived for the protected good "secondary poisoning of top predators (wildlife)".
The aim of the project applied for here is the one-time extension of the biota monitoring to organisms with an aquatic connection and as high a trophic level as possible (ideally piscivores, such as otter, comoran, osprey, pike/pike-perch, seal, harbor porpoise).
Due to the migration behavior of some of the mentioned species, it will be possible to obtain an overview of the general pressure situation across all water bodies.
situation. For comparison, a herbivore species (probably nutria) will be investigated. The previous or identical, far beyond the legal requirements of the WFD, data will be used.
The analysis methods for fish, which go far beyond the legal requirements of the WFD, will be used in order to enable a direct comparison of the load levels. The selection of target organisms and tissue types (e.g. muscle, liver or blood) will depend on sample availability.

Results:

Bericht: Schadstoffscreening in ausgewählten Gewebeproben aquatischer Spitzenprädatoren aus Niedersachsen Belastung und Vergleich der Ergebnisse mit bisherigen Biota-Untersuchungen in Fischen

https://www.nlwkn.niedersachsen.de/download/217222/NLWKN_2025_Bericht_Schadstoffscreening_in_ausgewaehlten_Gewebeproben_aquatischer_Spitzenpraedatoren_aus_Niedersachsen.pdf.pdf

Cooperation Partners:

GALAB Laboratories GmbH

Otter-Zentrum Hankensbüttel

Funding: Universität Aarhus, 6.119 EUR

Project Details:
On behalf of the University of Aarhus (Denmark), data from observer-based aerial survey flights to determine the abundance and distribution of small cetaceans in the southern Danish North Sea will be analyzed. The main target species is the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). The aerial surveys are conducted following line-transect survey methodology and data will be collected according to the so-called SCANS protocol. The data are expected to come from at least three surveys in May, June and October 2023. ITAW has been commissioned to perform quality assurance and analysis of the collected data. Densities and abundances of harbour porpoises will be estimated for each survey and the inaccuracies (95% confidence intervals and coefficient of variation (CV)) associated with the estimation will be determined. The processed data and results will be submitted to the client.

Results:

engl.: For the surveys of the study area in the southern North Sea, densities and abundances of harbour porpoises were estimated and the inaccuracies (95% confidence intervals and coefficient of variation (CV)) associated with the estimation were determined. The processed data and results were submitted to the client.