Research

Project Details:
As part of chemical synthesis and subsequent modern spectroscopic studies, targeted modifications of ammonium iron hexacyanoferrate are being investigated.

Cooperation Partners:

Dr. Damian A. Motz, Leibniz Universität Hannover

Funding: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), 179.695 EUR

Project Details:
The study of animal immune systems in their natural environment is gaining increasing importance. In addition to naturally occurring factors influencing the immune system, the growing environmental stressors to which animals are exposed highlight the significance of the research field of ecoimmunology. This is particularly true for mosquitoes, the most important vectors of various pathogens, whose development, immune system, and vector competence are strongly influenced by environmental conditions. A key environmental factor is exposure to pollutants, which have become increasingly prevalent due to their widespread use.

This project focuses on analyzing mosquito breeding sites, assessing their contamination with various pollutants, and investigating the interaction between pollutant exposure and mosquito vector competence. In the first work package, field samples are collected and analyzed, and the most common pollutants are tested in laboratory experiments for their effects on mosquito larvae. Dose-response experiments are conducted to determine sublethal doses of these substances for use in subsequent experiments. In the second work package, behavioral assays are performed to assess oviposition preferences of female mosquitoes in pollutant-contaminated water samples. Larvae are reared in the test waters defined in Work Package 1 to investigate the impact of pollutant exposure on their development. Additionally, transcriptome analyses are carried out to explore changes in gene expression in larvae resulting from pollutant exposure.

The third work package investigates the vector competence of mosquito larvae for West Nile virus (WNV) after exposure to different pollutants during development. Both WNV-infected larvae reared in pollutant-containing water are examined in the adult stage for their ability to transmit the virus to blood meals, and uninfected larvae are reared in the same test waters, then infected as adults to measure viral load in saliva and viral kinetics. The findings from these studies aim to enhance our understanding of the interactions between environmental pollution and vector competence.

Cooperation Partners:

RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Institut für Umweltwissenschaften

Funding: H. Wilhelm Schaumann Stiftung, 5.000 EUR

Project Details:
The feeding of farm animals has a big influence on our environment. Due to both, the resources fed and the excreted metabolic products, it is important to understand physiological processes in the metabolism of farm animals. Especially with regard to the "One Health" concept, we have to develop ways to ensure the health of humans and animals, as well as the supply of
food, despite the increasing world population and scarcity of resources, while minimizing the influence on nature.
Due to their ability to recycle phosphorus (P) and their nitrogen (N) utilization by the forestomach microbes, ruminants in particular represent an interesting test group for reducing
N- and P- levels in feed to a minimum. The planned studies should contribute to a better understanding of the adapted metabolic
processes during P- and N-reduced feeding and focus particularly on the regulation of amino acid transport in the liver under stress conditions.

Project Details:
The research project "WORMICs" investigates the three-dimensional genome structure of the giant mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) and the superworm (Zophobas atratus) in collaboration with the institutes of food quality and safety and animal nutrition. The overall aim is to support the development of novel protein sources and, in particular, to achieve a deeper understanding of the genetic basis of growth and developmental processes in these insect species. A special emphasis is placed on the genetics of growth and the genomic regulation of growth-related traits. A central focus of the project is the methodological advancement and optimization of 3D genomics protocols, covering the full workflow from sample preparation and library construction to sequencing. The resulting sequencing data are analyzed using advanced bioinformatics approaches to identify structural and functional genomic features.

Funding: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), 427.078 EUR

Project Details:
Therefore, we are particularly interested in this initial host-pathogen interaction that determines the outcome of the disease. In the present project, we will therefore investigate this important initial interaction of Mmm with the primary target cells of the host organism, both in vitro and in vivo, at the molecular level. In particular, we will elucidate the molecular basis of adhesion of the pathogen to the host cell. To this end, we will identify adhesins of Mmm and determine their cellular receptors. We will also study in detail the early response of host epithelial cells to contact with the pathogen. In addition, we will study the antibody response against molecules involved in the early phase of infection. The overall goal of this project is to better understand the molecular basis of the early interaction between pathogen and host. In doing so, we aim to identify target structures that may facilitate the development of new therapeutic tools.

Cooperation Partners:

PD Dr. Robert Kammerer

Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut

Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit

Institut für Immunologie

17493 Greifswald

Dr. Christiane Schnee (seit 12/2024)

Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut

Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit

Institut für molekulare Pathogenese

07743 Jena

Victor Mobegi, Ph.D.

University of Nairobi

Department of Medical Microbiology

Nairobi

Martin Kiogora Mwirigi

Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization

Nairobi

Elise Schieck, Ph.D.

International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi

Dr. Martin Heller (bis 12/2024)

Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut

Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit

Institut für molekulare Pathogenese

07743 Jena

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: 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.

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

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