Research

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: 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: 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: EU, 1.709.375 EUR

Project Details:
Improved Vaccination Strategies for older Adults

Funding: Europäische Kommission, 252.788 EUR

Project Details:
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a monogenic motoneuron disease with a neuromuscular phenotype resulting in infant death in severe cases. Besides motoneurons in the central nervous system (CNS), there is growing evidence of an involvement of peripheral organs. SMA is caused by reduced Survival of Motoneuron (SMN) protein levels and SMN is ubiquitously expressed. Therefore, SMA patients show reduced SMN levels also in peripheral organs. A restoration of SMN levels in the CNS is a potent therapeutic strategy which led to the approval of two different compounds: Spinraza is an antisense oligonucleotide which increases SMN mRNA, Zolgensma is an adeno-associated virus increasing expression of SMN. However, both strategies focus on the restoration of CNS SMN levels without a sustainable effect on peripheral organs. In 2020, approval of a third drug, Risdiplam, a systemic SMN enhancer, is expected. Although patients greatly benefit from a treatment of the neuromuscular phenotype they face a precarious future: there is no comprehensive landscape of vulnerable organs and no approved treatment for the periphery. We will analyze intrinsic defects in peripheral organs (WP1), evaluate the organ specific molecular and cellular functions of the SMN protein in relevant organs (WP2), and translate these findings to SMA patient derived models, which we will treat with a systemic SMA drug currently under clinical evaluation (WP3). The SMA field involves stakeholders, which allow early stage researchers to personally interact with basic scientists, clinicians, pharmaceutical companies and patient organizations. For our training network, we will combine this vertical integration with a broad perspective on multiple organ systems in SMA. The training strategy assures career options and employability of early stage researchers beyond the SMA field. We will go beyond the motoneuron and identify organs, mechanisms and molecules that could be targets for the peripheral aspects of SMA.

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Dr. Peter Claus (Medizinische Hochschule Hannover)

Funding: Landesbetrieb für Küstenschutz, Nationalpark und Meeresschutz Schleswig-Holstein, Tönning, 39.689 EUR

Project Details:
The Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW) of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, is unique throughout Europe and the world in certain areas with its locally conducted research. Scientific research focuses on investigation of health (e.g. infectious diseases and zoonoses), behaviour, habitat utilisation (e.g. by telemetry and acoustic monitoring), population trends (e.g. by flight surveys) as well as anthropogenic impacts on marine mammals. The generation and maintenance of marine mammal databases on national and international level is an important focus of work, likewise the statistical evaluation with subsequent modelling in order to answer current research questions.
Investigations of dead and alive marine mammals are performed within the framework of research projects and monitoring programs and a direct contact is maintained with the stranding network and seal rangers. The quality of the marine mammal registration forms developed by the ITAW, supplied by the seal rangers with each animal, can be verified and refined on the basis of necropsies of these collected marine mammals. Every registration form of marine mammals found at the coasts of Schleswig-Holstein completed by the seal rangers will be digitalised and transferred into a database in the context of this project. These data will be pooled annually and analysed in order to assess trends of strandings for the three native marine mammal species as well as to evaluate potential causes. Furthermore, these data will be blended regularly with data of animals investigated at the ITAW. This facilitates a more comprehensive and more objective assessment of the native marine mammal population status. On that point, more complex scientific evaluations can be conducted than before and the gained results can be used directly by responsible authorities for the advancement of existing management plans.

Results:

Bericht: Totfundmonitoring von Kleinwalen und Kegelrobben

in Schleswig-Holstein im Jahr 2024

https://www.schleswig-holstein.de/DE/fachinhalte/A/artenschutz/Downloads/meeressaeugerfunde2024.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=2

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)

Funding: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, 354.500 EUR

Project Details:
Etwa 30% aller Epilepsie-Patienten gelten als pharmakoresistent, d.h. sie zeigen Anfälle trotz optimal eingesetzter Antiepileptika. Klinisch angewendete Alternativen zur systemischen Pharmakotherapie sind limitiert, z.B. die chirurgische Fokusresektion durch multifokale Epilepsien oder durch eine unklare Fokuslage. Die Entwicklung alternativer Behandlungsstrategien wie der intrazerebralen Pharmakotherapie mit einer zielgerichteten Modulation fokusferner Schlüsselregionen des epileptischen Netzwerks stellt daher eine bedeutsame Herausforderung in der Epilepsietherapie dar. Unter Umgehung der Blut-Hirn-Schranke können dabei lokal im Gehirn höhere Wirkstoffkonzentrationen erreicht werden und dabei systemische Nebenwirkungen minimiert werden. Ziel des Projekts ist die Weiterentwicklung der intrazerebralen Mikroinfusion rational ausgewählter Wirkstoffe mit unterschiedlichem Wirkmechanismus zur zielgerichteten Behandlung pharmakoresistenter Epilepsien.

Results:

MacKeigan D., Feja M., Gernert M. (2024) Chronic intermittent convection-enhanced delivery of vigabatrin to the bilateral subthalamic nucleus in an acute rat seizure model. Epilepsy Res. 199:107276.

[doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2023.107276]

 

MacKeigan D., Feja M., Meller S., Deking L., Javadova A., Veenhuis A., Felmy F., Gernert M. (2023) Long-lasting antiseizure effects of chronic intrasubthalamic convection-enhanced delivery of valproate. Neurobiol. Dis. 187:106321.

[doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106321]

 

Gernert M., MacKeigan D., Deking, L., Kaczmarek E., Feja M. (2023) Acute and chronic convection-enhanced muscimol delivery into the rat subthalamic nucleus induces antiseizure effects associated with high responder rates. Epilepsy Res. 190:107097.

[doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2023.107097]

 

Feja M., Meller S., Deking L.S., Kaczmarek E., During M.J., Silverman R.B., Gernert M. (2021) OV329, a novel highly potent γ-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase inactivator, induces pronounced anticonvulsant effects in the pentylenetetrazole seizure threshold test and in amygdala-kindled rats. Epilepsia 62:3091-3104.

[doi: 10.1111/epi.17090]

https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics12121134

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Dr. Richard B. Silverman (Dept. of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL; U.S.A.)

Matthew J. During (Ovid Therapeutics, New York, New

York, USA)

Funding: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, 248.300 EUR

Project Details:
Non-verbal acoustic cues of the human voice are suggested to be an ornament signaling mate quality and therefore have an important impact on sexual behavior and mate choice. Thus, acoustic cues contain information about the physical characteristic, the motivational state and the level of sex hormones of the sender. Studies in nonhuman mammals revealed similar vocal correlates suggesting that vocal correlates in nonhuman mammals reflect also important proximate mechanisms for sexual behavior and mate choice. Such vocal correlates should play an important role in non-seasonally breeding large-bodied species. Because males and females often live separated from each other and females have a low reproductive output, it is important to find a high-quality mating partner at the right time. However, data on vocal correlates on such species are limited, therefore this project will investigate, as a first essential step, whether vocal correlates as proximate mechanisms for sexual behavior and mate choice, in the Southern white rhinoceros. To date, data on vocal correlates related to the motivational state and the hormonal level of the sender are lacking in rhinoceros and data on physical characteristics are limited to only one call type. Thus, the whole project will consist of four studies. These studies will investigate whether in white rhinoceros vocal correlates related to (1) the physical characteristics of the sender, (2) the motivational state of the sender, (3) the level of sex hormones in the sender exists and whether (4) conspecifics can recognize the fertility of females or male quality based on their voices. Thereby, these vocal correlates might encode mate quality, the willingness to mate as well as the reproductive status of the sender and will play an important role in sexual behavior. Combining the results of the Southern white rhinoceros with findings in group living mammals or/and seasonal breeders will allow a deeper understanding how vocal mating behavior is shaped by social structure of and/or mating strategy. Thus, the project will help to clarify the biological function and principles of vocal correlates on sexual interactions and mating behavior in mammals.

Results:

e.g.,

 

Jenikejew, J.; Wauters, J.; Dehnhard, M.; & Scheumann, M. (2021). The female effect?how female receptivity influences faecal testosterone metabolite levels, socio-positive behaviour and vocalization in male Southern white rhinoceroses. Conservation Physiology, 9(1), coab026.

 

Jenikejew, J.; Wauters, J.; Dehnhard, M.; & Scheumann, M. (2021). Linking socio-sexual and vocal behaviour with faecal progesterone and oestrogen metabolite levels in Southern white rhinoceros females. Conservation physiology, 9(1), coab098.

 

Jenikejew, J.; Chaignon B.; Linn, S.; Scheumann, M. (2020): Proximity-Based Vocal Networks Reveal Social Relationships in the Southern White Rhinoceros. Scientific Reports 10(1): 15104. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-72052-0.

Cooperation Partners:

Sabrina Linn, Zoo Frankfurt

Dr. Jella Wauters, Leibniz Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung

Serengeti-Park Hodenhagen

Zoo Osnabrück

Allwetterzoo Münster

Zoo Augsburg

Zoo Dortmund

Zoo Schwerin

Zoo Erfurt

Zoom Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen

Knuthenborg Safaripark, Dänemark

Zoo Amneville, Frankreich

Planét Sauvage, Frankreich