Research

Funding: Fritz-Ahrberg-Stiftung, 100.000 EUR

Project Details:
The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, a zoonosis that can be transmitted to humans by infected cats or through the consumption of contaminated foodstuffs or inadequately heated meat from infected intermediate hosts. Primary infections during the early stages of pregnancy are of particular concern due to the absence of maternal immunity, which allows the pathogen to cause severe foetal damage and abortions. There is currently no comprehensive and systematic monitoring of the pathogen in the food chain in Germany. Moreover, the accessibility of the pertinent testing methodologies is constrained. The project therefore aims to develop a rapid, field-proven detection method based on the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique and to corroborate its validity for pertinent food matrices. Thereafter, the method will be employed to appraise the impact of diverse manufacturing techniques employed on sample products on the pathogen load, and to extrapolate recommendations for industrial manufacturing processes.

Funding: Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of the Netherlands, 174.600 EUR

Project Details:
Pinnipeds are frequently infected with respiratory nematodes commonly referred to as lungworms. Distinctively, lungworms are particularly prevalent pathogens of young harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in Northern Europe. In the Netherlands, young harbour seals frequently strand on human accessible areas and display severe clinical symptoms associated with lungworm infection; as a result, they are often admitted to the nearest rehabilitation centre for treatment. Currently, the number of lungworm patients admitted for rehabilitation is limited for conservation purposes, however, there is a lack of clear criteria regarding the selection of those lungworm patients that should receive care. Critically, there remains an absence of clinical parameters that directly indicate the disease progression; thus veterinarians lack the clinical tools to determine the severity of the infection, and consequently, the likelihood of survival. Furthermore, there is currently insufficient data regarding the fate of rehabilitated lungworm patients post release. Therefore, to prevent potentially unnecessary admissions of lungworm patients, further insights regarding the severity of infection and post-release survival rates are required.

This research project will employ a multiple strategy approach with the overarching aim to develop a triage system for seal rehabilitation centres to assess prognosis for seals either directly at the point of stranding or upon admission. Through comprehensive investigations, this project will provide unprecedented insights into the pathology of lungworm-infected harbour seals, identify clinical parameters associated with survival to and after release, as well as assess the behaviour and survival of seals post release from rehabilitation using telemetry devices. Ultimately, if applicable, this project will result in the development of a prognostic tool to guide the selection of lungworm-infected harbour seals most suitable for rehabilitation. This project, led by the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW) in collaboration with three major Dutch seal rehabilitation centres (Aseal Stellendam, Sealcentre Pieterburen and Ecomare), as well as Utrecht University and Wageningen Marine Research, is funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of the Netherlands.

Project Details:
The peptide hormone Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) has been identified as a major metabolic regulator to orchestrate various adaptations during periods of dysbolic states. It has gained interest over the past years regarding the metabolic challenges of early lactation in cattle. The study aims to identify stimulators/inhibitors of FGF21 using a primary hepatocyte-cellculture, by mimicking only specific stressors occurring during the mentioned period of early lactation and therefore facilitates determination of the underlying mechanisms. T

Funding: BMEL, 318.427 EUR

Project Details:
The project is carried out on DIL e.V., Quakenbrück.
The aim of this project is to develop and evaluate a concept for the extraction and processing of proteins from brewer's yeast in the highest possible native and functional form on a pilot scale. The proteins and other valuable substances of the yeast are mostly located within the cells and are therefore not easily accessible for conventional extraction or precipitation. Therefore, cell disruption is necessary, in order to increase access to the proteins. Residues from the brewing process also adhere to the yeast. These include gluten and bitter substances from the hops. Therefore, in the first step the aim is to develop a process for removing the bitter substances and gluten as far as technically possible (AP 1). The yeast cells are then physically disrupted so that the proteins dissolved in the cell plasma can escape. For this purpose, two mechanical methods are used in this research project: (1) electroporation using pulsed electric fields (PEF, WP 3), and (2) ultra-high-pressure homogenization (UHPH, WP 2). After the cell disruption, the cell wall components are separated from the protein-rich suspension/solution using the principle of separation by density or centrifugal forces in a plate separator. The proteins obtained will then be processed and stabilized and examined for their sensory, techno-functional and nutritional properties (WP 4), as well as their suitability to produce selected exemplary food products (WP 5). Once the process has been established for brewer's yeast, it will be validated with yeasts from other sources (WP 6). Finally, a life cycle assessment (LCA, WP 7) will be carried out using the data obtained during the proejct to compare the environmental impact of the proteins obtained to protein of soy and milk. During the LCA, the entire process will be included, i.e. the energy requirements of the new technologies will also be taken into account and compared with the production process of soy and milk proteins. In cooperation with the industrial partners, the feasibility and economic viability of the entire process will be evaluated (AP 8).

Cooperation Partners:

Elea Technology GmbH, Leiber GmbH

Funding: Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung, 170.000 EUR

Project Details:
In this project we are testing a therapeutic drug candidate to reduce alpha-synuclein pathology in an animal model of Parkinson's disease.

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Rossner, Paul Flechsig Institut für Hirnforschung, Universität Leipzig

Funding: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) , 287.753 EUR

Project Details:
Prenatal (in ovo) events have an impact on postnatal life. Prenatal "treatments"" may have a positive influence on adaptation to postnatal conditions. The targeted modulation of conditions during in ovo development could be a means for improving productive adaptability relating to growth and thermotolerance. The in ovo development of birds is a valuable model for studying environmental influences on early development and their long-term consequences. This is especially pertinent for myogenesis, where the response mechanisms to environmental influences on cell proliferation and differentiation can be studied. As chicken embryos have no active temperature regulation, a change in incubation temperature directly affects their body temperature. This leads to changes in the kinetics of biochemical processes and, in particular, the kinetics of relevant metabolic enzymes, which are likely associated with activity-dependent muscle and body growth. Our previous study demonstrated the respective effects on energy metabolism of low and high incubation temperatures between ED 7-10 and ED 10-13 immediately after treatment and in adulthood in broilers and identified changes in gene expression underlying the phenotypic responses. We intend to follow up on and answer the questions arising from this earlier study by analysing the effects of increased and decreased incubation temperatures within a specific treatment period (ED 10-13) on various metabolic, biochemical, and histological traits as well as on gene expression and epigenetic changes in day-old broiler and layer chicks. We will consider the one-day-of-age stage as representing the cumulative effect of the in ovo developmental processes. The aim is to uncover functional relationships along the genotype-phenotype map from the genome to the metabolome, via the epigenome and transcriptome, in response to changes in incubation temperature."

Cooperation Partners:

PD Dr. Siriluck Wimmers und Prof. Dr. Klaus Wimmers, Forschungsinstitut für Nutztierbiologie, Dummerstorf

Funding: Fritz-Ahrberg-Stiftung, 70.000 EUR

Project Details:
Consumer behaviour in our society is changing, with vegetarian and vegan diets becoming increasingly popular. This has led to a significant increase in the production of vegetarian and vegan sausage and meat substitutes in Germany. Various products made from plant-based protein sources are now available. With intensified production, however, the importance of food hygiene is also increasing. In terms of consumer health, vegetarian and vegan substitute are required to be of impeccable microbiological quality. Currently, there are no explicit legal specifications for assessing the microbiological parameters of these products. There has also been little scientific research into this topic to date. Only a few studies focus on the microbiological quality of vegan minced meat or other selected vegetarian and vegan meat substitutes. So far, few studies have focused on microbiological growth during the shelf life of these products. A direct comparison with conventional sausage and meat products has not been made.
The initial aim of this project is to obtain an overview of the microbiological composition of commercially available vegetarian and vegan sausage and meat substitutes. In addition, data on the persistence and proliferation of pathogenic germs in these products over the entire shelf life is to be collected. In this way, a foundation can be established for microbiological guidance, warning and critical values as well as for the assessment of the health risk of these products. In particular, differences and similarities in comparison to conventional sausage and meat products will be analysed. Are the plant-based substitutes generally more or less contaminated with germs than conventional products? Which (pathogenic) germs are to be expected in the substitutes? How do survival, persistence and growth rates of selected pathogenic germs in the substitutes compare to conventional sausage and meat products? These key food hygiene aspects will be addressed in this project.

Project Details:
Wildlife populations in Germany and Europe are declining due to factors like habitat loss, intensive agriculture, and climate change. As more animals are rehabilitated, there is a lack of data on their survival after release. This project aims to monitor the survival and activity of species such as buzzards, sea eagles, and hedgehogs using telemetry and transponder systems to better understand the success and challenges of wildlife rehabilitation.

Cooperation Partners:

Wildtier und Artenschutz Station Sachsenhagen

Max-Planck-Institut für biologische Intelligenz

Funding: Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung (BLE), 630.245 EUR

Project Details:
The FUETURE project aims to efficiently utilize regional feed resources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency in broiler chicken production. It seeks to develop an innovative approach based on the use of adaptable and resilient sustainably cultivated feed crops and previously underutilized domestic crops. Sustainability will be strengthened by reducing imports of unsustainable soy products from overseas. The scientific objective is to formulate regional feed rations taking into account sustainability criteria and the availability of co-products to reduce the environmental footprint of chicken meat. The environmental impact will be significantly reduced through innovative feed technology and precise supplementation of feed additives. The project aims to strengthen more sustainable regional food production and supports the German sustainability strategy.

Cooperation Partners:

KWS Lochow GmbH, Technische Hochschule Bingen, IFF Braunschweig

Funding: DFG- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, 456.829 EUR

Project Details:
PREGROW-project aims to provide a single nuclei transcriptional profile of the pituitary and its downstream targets in miniature-sized and larger-sized pigs as a model for prepubescent growth control. This approach is meant to meet a big challenge we encounter in research work on growth: Body size is a whole-organism phenotype with many different tissues involved, and the variant effects are expected to be complex. For this reason, PREGROW aims at studying the genetic landscape of growth-axis-related tissues in the pig, providing a genetic resource for deciphering mechanisms of gene interplay, and underlying variant effects. The objective is to perform a functional trait-cell type enrichment for previously identified genome-wide associated growth and height loci obtained from GWAS by assigning them to cell types identified in gene expression data on single nuclei level. The project aims at identifying those genes, which are differential in large versus miniature pigs, and can thereby be considered as important fine-regulators of prepubescent growth in pigs, in addition to the known hormonal axis regulation by growth hormone/IGF.

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Malte Spielmann, Universität zu Lübeck