Research

Funding: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie, 635.500 EUR

Project Details:
The cHillYGIENE project will be carried out in three stages. First, the microbiological contamination of cooling fan units and their surroundings in meat processing plants will be investigated, while simultaneously recording various metadata (including design, materials, temperature range, operating zones, defrosting processes, and refrigerated goods). This will be done through a broad-based status quo survey and long-term monitoring in selected companies. This will provide comprehensive information on the usual microbial colonization, hygienically relevant areas, and the development of microflora in air coolers. Furthermore, the influence of various surface coatings on relevant cooling fan components on microbial contamination is being investigated. Preliminary laboratory-scale tests provide basic information on the extent to which coatings influence the adhesion, detachment, proliferation, and biofilm formation potential of selected microorganisms under practical conditions. Based on this, the previously identified hygienically relevant components of a standard cooling fan are coated, or coated pieces of material are installed in them as sentinels. The modified cooling fan is installed in a practical operation or in a room suitable for simulating practical conditions in order to generate information on the hygienic benefits of surface coatings on cooling fans. Finally, the results are evaluated jointly and discussed with the participating commercial enterprises. Based on the synthesis of all available data, the final report identifies problems and formulates recommendations for implementing the results in practice.

Cooperation Partners:

Externe Kooperationspartner: Technische Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe, Institut für Life Science Technologies, Lemgo

Veterinärmedizinische Fakultät der Universität Leipzig, Institut für Lebensmittelhygiene

Project Details:
Aposematic warning coloration is primarily associated with deterring potential predators. However, only limited knowledge exists regarding the role of such visual signals in intraspecific communication. The aim of this study is to enhance the color intensity of a group of dorsally yellow Dendrobates tinctorius from the locality "Citronella" through dietary supplementation with carotenoids, such as β-carotene and lutein derivatives. The underlying assumption of this experiment is that coloration can be modified through carotenoid supplementation to a degree that allows supplemented individuals to be distinguished from unsupplemented ones by the naked eye, as well as through measurable shifts in reflectance spectra. Individuals exhibiting different levels of pigmentation (supplemented and supplemented = control) will be put together in a test arena for mate-choice experiments and the assessment of territorial behavior. There is reason to assume that particularly intense coloration confers selective advantages in terms of mate choice or dominance behavior, as has been suggested in previous studies on strawberry poison frogs. Such selective advantages, including increased attractiveness or greater competitive ability, are of particular interest in the context of the evolutionary mechanisms underlying warning coloration and the pronounced phenotypic variation observed among different local populations. The study will examine whether the color differences are perceptible to the frogs themselves and how individuals from the two experimental groups respond behaviorally to differently colored conspecifics. Previous studies further suggest that carotenoids may have a stimulatory effect on clutch production. To test this assumption, the reproductive performance of the separately housed experimental groups will be analyzed. The insights gained from this work may contribute to improved amphibian husbandry, provide new perspectives on intraspecific communication, and shed light on the mechanisms driving the evolution of aposematic coloration.

Funding: Fritz-Ahrberg-Stiftung, 100.000 EUR

Project Details:
The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is capable of being transmitted to humans via under-cooked meat or contaminated raw foods and has been identified as a potential health risk to the immunocompromised and pregnant population. In the absence of an efficient, rapid test method for foodstuffs that enables early identification of the source of contamination, work is underway on the development of a LAMP assay, with funding provided by the Fritz Ahrberg Foundation. This method should enable the rapid and sensitive detection of even small amounts of parasites in various, sometimes complex food matrices. In a subsequent phase of the project, the presence of pathogens along the food processing chain will be determined. Consequently, potential measures for risk minimisation can be evaluated.

Funding: Dr. Rolf M. Schwiete Stiftung, 243.493 EUR

Project Details:
This project aims to develop a system for the visualization and modification of carbohydrate structures on the surface of neuronal cells within 3D neurosphere models. By employing chemically modified sugar derivatives and bioorthogonal ligation chemistry, surface epitopes will be selectively labeled and functionalized for fluorescence imaging. This approach enables the investigation of changes at the cell surface during early brain development in a complex, biomimetic system that recapitulates fetal brain development. The innovative strategy holds the potential to significantly deepen our fundamental understanding of the role of glycans in neuronal development. In the long term, this technology could advance research into the impact of infections on the developing brain and may open new avenues for preventive strategies to reduce the risk of neurological sequelae and neurodevelopmental disorders following fetal infections.

Funding: BMFTR, 39.738 EUR

Project Details:
The planned project will serve to prepare a multilateral project proposal on research and innovation at EU level in order to improve the integration of Eastern Partnership countries into the European Research Area.
The multilateral AgriTransEUROPE consortium consists of six excellent research groups from two
European Member States (D, NL) and three Eastern Partnership countries (GE, UA, ARM). The planned
EU application aims to provide alternative treatment strategies that can replace or complement current antibiotic treatments. The aim is to further develop the use of bacteriophages as a model in the three animal husbandry systems poultry, cattle/pigs and aquaculture. Bacteriophages are viruses that can infect and kill bacterial pathogens. The planned project aims to address global challenges in the food and livestock sector with innovative concepts for the use of bacteriophages.

Cooperation Partners:

Center for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Prof. Willem Wolkers

Agricultural University of Georgia 0159 Tiflis Georgien

George Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages,

Microbiology and Virology 0160 Tiflis Georgien

Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National

University Luhansk Ukraine

Yerevan State University Armenia 0025 Jerewan Armenien

Funding: Gesellschaft für Kynologische Forschung e.V., 10.000 EUR

Project Details:
As part of this project, the effectiveness of alternatives to antibiotics (including ozone oil, manuka honey) in dog skin infections caused by Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is being investigated.

Funding: IBT, 486.181 EUR

Project Details:
The aim is a comparative study for the MCMV-based vaccine candidate developed at the HZI against RSV in the ferret model at the TiHo and the further technical development of the vaccine candidate at the HZI.

Cooperation Partners:

HZI Braunschweig

Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz, 172.697 EUR

Project Details:
The aim of the project is to classify and evaluate the practical possibility of animal-friendly catching and loading of laying hens from an animal welfare perspective, taking into account aspects of workload and economics. In project part 1, it is planned to monitor the catching of old hens from 20 commercial farms. Since white-feathered hens are often much more active and restless than brown-feathered animals, the catching and crating of both white- and brown-feathered flocks will be documented. In order to obtain reliable data, the catching of 10 flocks per genetic line will be monitored, with 6,000 animals per flock to be caught in an animal-friendly manner. The remaining animals in each flock are removed in the usual manner. In addition to the basic data on the participating flocks, the duration of loading, individual crates (average) and individual animals (differentiated according to the average time for both catching methods) are to be documented during the catching process. Animal behaviour will be recorded in the crates, e.g. on the basis of vocalisation and exemplary behavioural observations (including panting). The findings at the slaughterhouse will be used to assess the effect of the catching method on possible damage to the animals. The workload and costs of animal-friendly catching and loading will also be recorded and evaluated.
In order to obtain reliable data on the possible stress caused by capture, sub-project 2 plans to quantitatively assess stress under experimental conditions for both capture methods (upright versus hanging overhead with fixation to the legs) by measuring corticosterone metabolites in faeces.

Cooperation Partners:

Universität Osnarbrück

Funding: Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre, 339.015 EUR

Project Details:
Gaining knowledge about the anatomy and physiology of the forestomaches of ruminants is an important part of veterinary education. This sets the basis for proper diagnosis of diseases and surgical interventions on this organ system in their future professional practice. During their preclinical study part at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation (TiHo), all veterinary students attend certain anatomical and physiological practical courses related to this topic. These courses also include the work with living animals, hence defined as animal experiments. However, the goal of thorough and sustainable veterinary training, conflicts with the raising legal and public pressure to reduce the number of animal experiments and desired improvement of animal welfare. This project aims to develop a virtual anatomical model of the ruminant forestomaches to be implemented into the Virtual Learning Lab of the Clinical Skills Lab (CSL). This virtual resource can be accessed by all students online at any time, providing flexible learning opportunities. According to the 2022 teaching report, students rated the opportunities for deepening their knowledge at the CSL very positively and expressed a desire for additional offerings that allow for independent and needs-based learning of practical, job-relevant skills. Therefore, a second aim of this project is the development of a malleable 3D model of the rumen, simulating its motility and allows for manual palpation of the organ. Simulations play an important role in medical education and are assessed as very useful by the students when linked to practical relevance. The planned project ranges within the framework of the 3Rs concept for animal experiments providing both, a refinement and a reduction method. Using the simulator, students can learn how to palpate the rumen before they do it on a living animal during the practical course. This helps to reduce anxiety and leads to a more skilled and animal-friendly handling. The virtual forestomach model offers the opportunity for independent preparatory learning and thus contributes to reduce the number of animals used in the anatomical practical courses. During the clinical study phase, both models can be used for repetition of anatomical and physiological basics to support final exam preparation and the acquisition of clinical and surgical skills. Therefore, both models can be used across semesters, promoting the development of learning- and career-related skills and competences.

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.