Research

Funding: Roland und Elfriede Schauer-Stiftung, 92.200 EUR

Project Details:
This project focuses on the identification and characterization of glycosylated helminth ligands (protein/lipid) of host C-type lectin receptors (CLRs), in particular Dectin-1, Dectin-2, CLEC12A and DC-SIGN. Further, we plan to investigate how the respective CLR/ligand interactions affect innate responses of host immune cells.

Funding: DZIF, BMBF, 65.000 EUR

Project Details:
In May 2022, an unprecedented multi-country outbreak of monkeypox affecting Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Australia was recognized. Monkeypox (MPX) is a re-emerging, zoonotic, and potentially life-threatening viral disease caused by monkeypox virus (MPXV), an orthopoxvirus endemic in Central and West Africa. As of June 28th 2022, a total of 4119 confirmed cases have been reported worldwide (ECDC), including 676 confirmed cases in Germany (RKI). This is the first time that chains of human-to-human MPXV transmission are documented without epidemiological links to West or Central Africa. At present, most cases are detected in young men, self-identifying as men who have sex with men, and associated with mild clinical symptoms. However, MPXV may cause severe disease in risk groups of the population (young children, pregnant women, immunosuppressed persons), and a spread of MPX into the general population is to be expected as most of the younger population (<50-60 years of age) lack virus specific immunity because of the end of smallpox vaccination programmes in the 1980ties. Thus there is a risk of an extended period of MPX circulating also outside of Africa, and ongoing efforts in the public health response must interrupt MPX transmission chains and clear MPXV from its new environment as soon as possible. Current countermeasures include the use of a licensed smallpox vaccine (IMVANEX) based on Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) and a licensed drug against smallpox (Tecovirimat). STIKO recommends vaccination with IMVANEX as post-exposure prophylaxis for contacts of MPX patients and for persons at high risk of exposure.
The aim of this application is to support this counteraction measures against the MPX outbreak by preparing for the development and clinical use of the DZIF MVA-SARS-2-S candidate vector vaccine as bivalent vaccine against MPX and COVID-19 including the establishment of a preclinical model for immunogenicity and efficacy testing.

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Dr. Marylyn Addo, UKE Hamburg

Prof. Dr. Gerd Sutter, LMU München

Funding: BLE/ Unterauftrag FLI, 78.300 EUR

Project Details:
Pig production has grown dramatically worldwide over the last 20 years, leading to increased herd sizes
with weekly production cycles of piglets. In the meantime, the dynamics of infections with swine influenza A
viruses (swIAV) have changed, from epizootic acute respiratory
outbreaks to a self-sustaining infected status of affected herds. Moreover, the genetic and antigenic
diversity of swIAVs in European pig populations has dramatically increased in recent years. Thus, novel
reassortants and antigenic variants have emerged regionally, that can escape control strategies based on
vaccines licensed for use in Europe. The self-sustaining forms of swine influenza (SI) in large holdings
adversely affect animal health and welfare, and prompts the excessive use of antibiotics when swIAV is
associated with other respiratory pathogens in the porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC), resulting in
severe economic losses. There is an urgent need to increase knowledge of within-herd virus dynamics and
evolution in order to design intervention and prevention measures to limit swIAV persistence in intensive
herds and counteract continuous production losses and emergence of new swIAVs.The objectives of the
research project PIGIE are:
- to define the epidemiological and economic factors that drive the prevalence and dynamics of swIAV in
large pig herds,
- to evaluate the impact that swIAV enzootic infections have on animal welfare, production parameters and
economic productivity,
- to study the genetic and antigenic diversity of swIAV in Europe,
- to identify the host-pathogen factors that would foster swIAV evolution,
- to provide a better understanding of long-lasting and protective immunological memory responses
developed in the infected hosts,
- to identify mitigation points in continuously infected herds,
- to implement and evaluate control strategies that would help to counter sustained infections in closed
intensive herds.

Cooperation Partners:

FLI, Riems

Funding: Frauenhofer ITEM, 331.375 EUR

Project Details:
Therapeutic treatment against SARS-CoV-2 with inhaled VHH from BiondVax - Efficacy Program in Hamsters

Funding: Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre, Projektförderung Freiraum, 144.160 EUR

Project Details:
Entomophagy has traditionally been practised in many regions and is now gaining popularity in Europe. Commercial production reduces the burden on wild populations, ensures safety and quality and generates new streams of income. However, like all other domesticated animals, insects reared in large quantities need oversight to ensure animal welfare and health. This does not happen yet.
The aim of this project is therefor to train students of veterinary and biological sciences to work in this field. As an elective module veterinary students learn how to care for and assess insect rearing, while students of biology learn to how to identify edible insect species. Students will raise their own insect charge and will become a potential advisor for farmers interested in commercial insect rearing.

Funding: Ministerium für Energie­wende, Klimaschutz, Umwelt und Natur, 98.692 EUR

Project Details:
The two invasive fungi Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (hereafter referred to as Bd) and B. salamandrivorans (hereafter referred to as Bsal) originate from Asia. Bd is known to infect more than 700 species of amphibians of all three clades (caecilians, salamanders, frogs). A Bd infection can lead to clinical disease and ultimate death of affected animals. Clinical disease though, like the characteristic skin lesions, are not present in all cases. The so-called chytridiomycosis is therefore versatile and difficult to predict. Bsal was first discovered in Europe in the Netherlands in 2013, where the pathogen has been associated with a decline of more than 95% of the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) population since 2010. Since then, outside of Asia, it was found in several European countries, including Germany. The overall aim of the project is to provide better knowledge of the actual distribution of both invasive fungi Bd and Bsal in Schleswig-Holstein over a period of two years. Therefore, different amphibian species sharing the same habitats in Schleswig-Holstein are targeted. Sampling uses sterile skin swabs, which represents an amphibian friendly method. Right after sampling, animals are released. Ideally, the outcome of this pilote study will give first ideas of regional, seasonal and species specific characteristics of the pathogens and will thus shape future research in this field.

The following questions will be addressed:
-Is there a direct link between the detection of Bd and Bsal and clinical symptoms or even an increased mortality?
-Which species typically show symptoms of clinical disease? Which species
are infected without symptoms (subclinically), function as asymptomatic carriers or as a reservoir?
-Are there regional differences in the prevalence of the pathogens?

Due to the critical situation of Schleswig-Holsteins amphibians, it is of utmost concern to apply management measures to protect amphibian populations of additional threats like infectious diseases. Additionally, the outcome of the project will therefore directly serve conservation efforts and help improve reintroduction efforts and management measures for amphibians.

Results:

Abschlussbericht an das Ministerium für Energiewende, Klimaschutz, Umwelt und Natur

https://www.tiho-hannover.de/fileadmin/57_79_terr_aqua_Wildtierforschung/79_Buesum/downloads/Berichte/2023_Amphibien_Abschlussbericht_MEKUN.pdf

Cooperation Partners:

Christoph Leineweber, Rachel Marschang (LABOKLIN GmbH)

97688 Bad Kissingen

Christian Winkler (Arbeitskreis Herpetofauna der F?-AG)

24582 Bordesholm

Patrick Pohlmann (Gesellschaft für Freilandökologie und Naturschutzplanung)

24145 Kiel Wellsee

Arne Drews (Landesamt für Landwirtschaft, Umwelt und ländliche Räume)

24220 Flintbeck

Funding: Deutsche Wild Tier Stiftung, Hamburg, 8.415 EUR

Project Details:
The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is the only species found in German waters. This species is protected as an Annex II and IV species under the Habitats Directives, among others. Harbour porpoises inhabit coastal waters, which means that their distribution largely overlaps anthropogenic activities. The resulting pressures on the harbour porpoise range from noise pollution and competition for prey fish to accidental bycatch in set net fisheries. The area of the Eckernförde Bay in the western German Baltic Sea is characterised by a high degree of anthropogenic use and thus has a high potential for disturbance of harbour porpoises. Set net fishing is widespread in this area and is the fishing method with the highest incidental bycatch. The area around Eckernförde also has a high incidence of shipping, as it is a rather narrow bay from which many fishing vessels leave, a harbour and training area for military activities, and a high area of tourist activities is situated here.
In order to develop effective measures for the protection of harbour porpoises, it is first necessary to investigate the habitat use of harbour porpoises in this area. In the western part of the German Baltic Sea, acoustic monitoring has been carried out by ITAW since spring 2021, but there is a gap in the area of the Eckernförde Bay. Within the framework of this research project, a monitoring station is to be deployed in the Eckernförde Bay that can meaningfully close this gap. The monitoring station will be equipped with a CPOD in spring, which will be replaced after about 3 months in order to collect data on harbour porpoise occurrence for a total of about 6 months. Underwater sound will be recorded simultaneously allowing for correlating harbour porpoise presence with the occurrence of anthropogenic noise.

Funding: Industry (Veterinary pharmaceuticals/Vaccines), 567.421 EUR

Project Details:
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Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur, 110.550 EUR

Project Details:
Social media are playing a rapidly growing role in human communication. If content is posted, imitated or shared on Social media which can impair animal welfare, it potentially reaches a broad mass of people. This project is intended to initiate a social debate on the subject of animal welfare on Social media, which is scientifically based. The aim is to educate potential users about the animals' expressive behaviour and needs, as well as the potential relevance of various depictions for animal welfare. Several functional groups such as universities, schools, veterinarians, pet shops and the (print) media are involved for this purpose.

Results:

A targeted search for pet videos with animal suffering was carried out on the platforms TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Numerous videos with animal welfare relevance were found, which were categorized according to their content. The scientific analysis of animal behaviour in the videos was the basis for determining the animal welfare relevance. In 82.4% of the videos analysed, the animals showed signs of stress. In 53.3% of the videos there was a risk of injury to the animals, and in 29.7% of the videos the animals were suspected of being in pain. The results of an online survey with 3,256 participants showed that 98.5% of respondents had already contact with animal videos. 41.7% of respondents said that they never/almost never searched for animal videos themselves and 73.8% said that they often/very often had animal videos suggested by the platforms' algorithms. Various print and online media reported on the project (e.g. Spiegel, Zeit (Leo), Hannoversche Allgemeine and various specialist magazines). In addition, those responsible for the project gave interviews on radio, television and in a podcast. Posters, flyers, logos as well as GIFS and PDF files were also made available to the public. Various functional groups were involved as multipliers through lectures at events and teaching opportunities for schools.

Project Details:
Ein Verfahren zur Messung des Stresslevels über Ausscheidungen des Mäusebussards soll etabliert, validiert und anschließend zur Einschätzung der Stressbelastung von Tieren in Rehabilitation eingesetzt werden.

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Dr. Touma, Universität Osnabrück