Research

Funding: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (Rahmenprogramm "Forschung für nachhaltige Entwicklungen" (FONA3)), 271.742 EUR

Project Details:
The aim of this project is to increase our understanding of the trophic ecology of marine mammals, their function within the North Sea food web as well as their ecosystem services.

Marine mammals are especially useful indicators to assess the state of our seas as they reflect changes in marine ecosystems on a large temporal and spatial scale. Being predators of higher trophic levels marine mammals are of ecological, economic and cultural importance. This is an essential baseline to improve management decisions in regard to marine resources and conservation.

The North Sea is currently undergoing a rapid change caused by substantial changes in environmental drivers and human impacts, including climate change. In the southern North Sea, oligotrophication and lower fishing pressure potentially reverse trophic controls. In order to gain a better understanding of the impacts of ongoing changes in food webs and biodiversity, BioWeb aims to analyse long-term datasets of marine mammals, together with other taxonomic groups, such as zooplankton, benthos and fish to integrate these groups into spatially high-resolution food web models of the EcoPath family.

Until now marine mammals have not been represented sufficiently in most ecosystem models. In order to close these knowledge gaps, ITAW will process long-term data sets on abundance and seasonal distribution of key marine mammals (i.e., harbour seal, grey seal and harbour porpoise) in the southern North Sea for integration into the food web model. Additionally, the present preferred prey spectrum needs to be determined since a realistic estimate of biomass consumption, and any change therein, needs to be assessed. ITAW will use complimentary methods to assess the diet of marine mammals, such as conventional stomach content analysis, stable isotope analysis and DNA metabarcoding. This approach will provide conclusions on predator - prey dynamics, trophic interactions and competition with fisheries. Therefore, multiple strategies regarding marine resources management can be evaluated and conservation decision making can be evolved.

Developed scenarios of biodiversity change and its consequences for food webs and the use of biological resources will be communicated to local and regional actors in North Sea coastal communities, including local fisheries, aquaculture, economy, tourism, politics and administration. A case study at ITAW will focus on the transfer of the ecological, economic and cultural value of marine mammals to local stakeholders. Moreover, it will highlight the polarizing discussion about the seal - fisheries conflict.

Results:

Foraging ecology of harbour porpoises, harbour seals and grey seals and their role in the food web of the southern North Sea

https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:gbv:95-120630

Cooperation Partners:

Senckenberg am Meer (Koordinatorin BioWeb)

Thünen Institut für Seefischerei

Alfred Wegener Institut, Helmholtz Zentrum für Polar und Meeresforschung

Funding: Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung, 603.258 EUR

Project Details:
The "DigiPig" experimental field pursues the strategic goal of further developing opportunities for digitisation, knowledge transfer and transformation for broad agricultural practice. Focus is laid on animal-friendly and resource-conserving pig farming, which can be transferred to other farms. A specially developed data model - the farm management software "DigiSchwein" - is intended to support pig farmers in their daily work with the animals.

Cooperation Partners:

Landwirtschaftskammer Niedersachsen

Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg

OFFIS e.V.

Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut

Georg-August Universität Göttingen

Funding: Intervet Deutschland GmbH, 124.000 EUR

Project Details:
Tick-borne diseases are gaining importance in both human and veterinary medicine. In the course of climate change, a change in tick activity is to be expected and will be investigated in this project. In addition, tick exposure of dogs and cats will be investigated and the prevalence of various pathogens in the ticks collected will be determined.

Results:

Probst, J., Springer, A., Topp, A.-K., Bröker, M., Williams, H., Dautel, H., Kahl, O., Strube, C. (2023) Winter activity of questing ticks (Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus) in Germany − Evidence from quasi-natural tick plots, field studies and a tick submission study.  Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases 14, 102225

 

Probst, J., Springer, A., Strube, C. (2023) Year-round tick exposure of dogs and cats in Germany and Austria - results from a tick collection study. Parasites & Vectors 16, 70

Funding: DFG, 199.880 EUR

Project Details:
Proanthocyanidins are natural substances that have shorn to exhibit anthelmintic activity against various nematode species in vitro. However, it is unclear which molecular and cellular targets of the parasites are affected by proanthocyanidins. This question, as well as the effectiveness of the natural substances in parasitic infections, will be investigated in the current project.

Results:

François Ngnodandi Belga, F.N., Raulf, M.K., Spiegler, V., Liebau, E., Hensel, A. Strube, C., Ndjonka, D. (2024) In vivo anthelmintic activity of Combretum mucronatum Schumach & Thonn leaf extract against Haemonchus contortus in goats. Veterinary Parasitology 331, 110288

 

Belga, F.N., Waindok, P., Raulf, M.-K., Jato, J., Orman, E., Rehbein, S., Spiegler, V., Liebau, E., Hensel, A. Ndjonka, D., Strube, C. (2024) Phytochemical analysis and anthelmintic activity of Combretum mucronatum leaf extract against infective larvae of soil-transmitted helminths including ruminant gastrointestinal nematodes. Parasites & Vectors 17, 99

 

Jato, J., Waindok, P., Ngnodandi, F.N.B.F., Orman, E., Agyare, C., Bekoe E.O., Strube, C., Hensel, A., Liebau, E., Spiegler, V. (2023) Anthelmintic activities of extract and ellagitannins from Phyllanthus urinaria against Caenorhabditis elegans and zoonotic or animal parasitic nematodes. Planta Medica 89, 1215-1228

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Dr. Andreas Hensel, Universität Münster

Prof. Dr. Eva Liebau, Universität Münster

Prof. Dr. Christian Agyare, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana

Prof. Dr. Dieudonne Ndjonka, University of Ngaoundéré, Kamerun

Dr. Emilia Oppong Bekoe, University of Ghana, Ghana

Funding: EU, 1.709.375 EUR

Project Details:
Improved Vaccination Strategies for older Adults

Funding: Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung (BLE), 608.127 EUR

Project Details:
Im Sinne des One-Health Gedankens ist es notwendig die Salmonellenprävalenz in der Schweineproduktion zu senken. Mit ihrem zoonotischen Potenzial ist die Salmonelle für eine Vielzahl von gastroenteralen Erkrankungen des Menschen verantwortlich, wobei sie beim Tier nur subklinisch in Erscheinung tritt und aus diesem Grund oft unentdeckt bleibt. Das Ferkel stellt bislang die Haupteintragsquelle in den Maststall dar. Daher ist in den vorgelagerten Produktionsbereichen einiges an Bemühungen notwendig, um schon ein Salmonellen-unbelastetes Ferkel einzustallen zu können.
Ziel des Projektes ist es, mit einem Roggen-basierten Mischfutterkonzept eine Möglichkeit zur Verfügung zu haben, um das Salmonellenvorkommen in Sauenbeständen zu reduzieren. Es soll einfach, kosteneffizient, regional umsetzbar und tiergesundheitsfördernd sein. Mit der PollenPlus ® Technologie von KWS ist das Mutterkorn-Risiko des Roggens unter Kontrolle, sodass auch bei Verfütterung für die Sau keine gesundheitlichen Bedenken bestehen. Der Roggen enthält mehr als andere Getreidearten Inhaltsstoffe, die im Darm zu Buttersäure fermentiert werden. Dieses von den Darm-Mikroben synthetisiertes Produkt ist ein wesentliches Agens, welches eine Reduktion von Salmonellen im Schweinedarm erreichen kann. Dieses Konzept soll zur Salmonellenreduktion in der Ferkelproduktion führen - von der Jungsau bis hin zum verkaufsfähigen Läuferschwein.

Cooperation Partners:

KWS Lochow GmbH, Technische Universität Hamburg

Funding: Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft, 520.000 EUR

Project Details:
The overall objective of KontRed is to reduce the load of zoonotic pathogens (main-ly Salmonella and Campylobacter) in carcasses at the end of the production chain under hygienic aspects through optimization and control of existing processes as well as through implementing new technical procedures. Concrete Goals of the network are to optimize existing processes during slaughter and processing to reduce occurrence and transfer of zoonotic pathogens. For this purpose, the de-velopment, implementation and validation of biological, chemical, physical and technical control and intervention measures for the reduction of zoonotic patho-gens and the development of an evaluation model to test the efficiency of proce-dures and measures for the reduction of zoonotic pathogens in the slaughter and processing process for poultry and pork will be carried out.

FU Berlin coordinates the network, which involves 17 partners from science and industry. From the University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover two institutes are involved: the Institute for Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing (IBEI) and the Institute for Food Quality and Safety (LMQS).

LMQS is working on the development of new biological decontamination strategies. As part of the project, bacteriocins for the reduction of Salmonella and Campylo-bacter in poultry slaughter will be isolated, purified, characterized and tested for their efficacy and stability. Bacteriocins are peptides produced by many bacterial species that have an antibacterial effect on specific other bacterial species. Since the effect of most bacteriocins covers only a narrow host spectrum, they can be used to combat specific bacteria without affecting the entire microbiota.

Core task of the IBEI is to standardize the data collected in the individual subpro-jects and to manage them in a harmonized, specially created database as well as to analyse them descriptively. Furthermore, the institute is involved in the sample planning and data management of primary and secondary data from the individual work packages in consultation with the respective responsible persons. In the fur-ther course of the project, the statistical modelling for the individual sub-aspects will be planned and an overall risk assessment will be carried out in close collabora-tion with the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR).

Results:

Tholen J, Grosse-Kleimann J, Schulze Althoff G, Kreienbrock L, Upmann M. Type, areal extent and localization of carcass contaminations during industrial pig slaugh-ter. Meat Sci. 2024 Feb;208:109365. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109365.

 

Buder C, Meemken D, Fürstenberg R, Langforth S, Kirse A, Langkabel N. Drinking Pipes and Nipple Drinkers in Pig Abattoir Lairage Pens?A Source of Zoonotic Path-ogens as a Hazard to Meat Safety. Microorganisms 2023; 11(10):2554. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11102554

 

Fürstenberg R, Langkabel N, Grosse-Kleimann J, Kreienbrock L, Meemken D. Agar Contact Method as a Valuable Tool to Identify Slaughter Hygiene Deficiencies along the Slaughter Process by Longitudinally Sampling Pig Skin Surfaces. Microorganisms 2023; 11(10):2512. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11102512

 

Fürstenberg R, Meemken D, Langforth S, Grosse-Kleimann J, Kreienbrock L, Langkabel N. Comparison of the agar contact method and the wet-dry double swabbing method for determining the total viable bacterial count on pig carcass surfaces. Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety. 2023. doi: 10.1007/s00003-023-01473-6.

Cooperation Partners:

Institut für Lebensmittelsicherheit und -hygiene, Freie Universität Berlin

Institut für Tier- und Umwelthygiene, Freie Universität Berlin

Abteilung Biologische Sicherheit, Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, Berlin

Institut für Lebensmittelhygiene, Universität Leipzig

Institut für Energietechnik, Hermann-Rietschel-Institut, Technische Universität Ber-lin

Fachbereich Life Science Technologies, Technische Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe

Leibniz-Institut für Plasmaforschung und Technologie e. V., Greifswald

Abteilung Technologie und Wirtschaftlichkeit, DVGW - Technologiezentrum Was-ser, Karlsruhe

Frankenförder Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Berlin

PHW-Gruppe / Lohmann & Co. AG, Visbek

Rothkötter Unternehmensgruppe / Emsland-Frischgeflügel GmbH, Meppen

Tönnies Lebensmittel GmbH & Co. KG, Rheda-Wiedenbrück

Brand Qualitätsfleisch GmbH & Co. KG, Lohne

Phage Technology Center GmbH, Bönen

SKS Sondermaschinen- und Fördertechnikvertriebs-GmbH, Berlin

CLK GmbH Bildverarbeitung & Robotik, Altenberge

Funding: Bundesministeriums für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL), 259.373 EUR

Project Details:
The aim of this project is to ensure animal welfare when slaughtering large fish. To this end, the effectiveness of stunning these fish with the method of percussion
(knocking off) or non-penetrating and penetrating captive bolt evaluated under aspects of animal welfare. Procedure descriptions for the stunning of sturgeons and catfish are to be drawn up, which will make it possible to include these stunning procedures as permissible procedures for the stunning of fish in the Animal Welfare Slaughter Ordinance. Furthermore, training material is to be made available for plant managers and authorities.

Results:

https://elib.tiho-hannover.de/receive/tiho_mods_00008672

Cooperation Partners:

Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit), Institut für Tierschutz und Tierhaltung, DESIETRA GmbH, AquaKultur Abtshagen GmbH, Wermsdorfer Fisch GmbH, Möller & Reichenbach GmbH

Funding: DFG, 141.000 EUR

Project Details:
In this project, microbial changes in the pig intestine will be determined over the course of an Ascaris suum infection. In addition, samples will also be examined with regard to the metabolome. Furthermore, the question whether a single A. suum infection has the same effects as continuous exposure will be answered. Thus, the project aims at a comprehensive characterisation of the parasite-microbiome-host interactions in pig roundworm infections, the most significant helminthic parasitosis in pig farming.

Results:

Springer, A., Wagner, L., Koehler, S., Klinger, S., Breves, G., Brüggemann, D.A., Strube, C. (2022) Modulation of the porcine intestinal microbiota in the course of Ascaris suum infection. Parasite & Vectors 15, 433

Cooperation Partners:

Dr. D. Brüggemann, Max Rubner-Institut

Funding: DFG, 230.800 EUR

Project Details:
Das Projekt basiert auf zuvor durchgeführten Studien zur Rolle des Histamin H4 Rezeptors (H4R) im Vergleich zu anderen Histaminrezeptoren bei allergischen Entzündungen der Haut. Hier konnte gezeigt werden, dass Histamin, insbesondere über den H4R die Funktion von Zellen beeinflusst, die bei Entzündungen der Haut eine wichtige Rolle spielen, wie dendritischen Zellen, T-Zellen, Keratinozyten und Nervenzellen. Dabei zeigte sich, dass der H4R immunmodulatorische Funktionen hat, die Keratinozytenproliferation und -differenzierung beeinflusst, eine wesentliche Rolle in der Weiterleitung von Juckreiz spielt, und auf wichtigen Immunzellen von Patienten mit atopischer Dermatitis hochreguliert ist. Das Hauptziel dieses Projektes ist es, die Rolle von Histamin, insbesondere im Hinblick auf den H4R als neue therapeutische Zielstruktur, bei Hauterkrankungen zu untersuchen, die mit Entzündung, Juckreiz oder Keratinozytenproliferation einhergehen.

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Dr. Werfel, Prof. Dr. Gutzmer (Hautklinik Linden der Medzinischen Hochschule Hannover)