Research

Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur (MWK), 324.000 EUR

Project Details:
The aim of this subproject is the further development and optimization of a 3D lung epithelial cell culture model
for the investigation of viral and bacterial infections and the effect of immunomodulatory
immunomodulatory substances on the course of infection and cell biochemical processes. An increased
complexity of the model system using physiological or pathophysiological oxygen
conditions and microfluidic systems enables the in vitro system to be approximated to the in vivo situation and
to the in vivo situation and will help to reduce the number of test animals in the long term. The
complexity of the infection model is reduced by physiologically relevant oxygen conditions (defined
tissue-specific hypoxic conditions) and by 3D co-cultivation of human or animal pulmonary
or animal pulmonary epithelial cells and neutrophil granulocytes. In addition
the use of primary cells and induced pluripotent stem cells should provide long-term optimization.

Project Details:
At Hofgut Neumühle, data on the health and performance of dairy cows is continuously collected and stored in various electronic data management systems. Scientific questions repeatedly arise that should be clarified with the help of an analysis of the available data (so-called secondary data analysis). Before this data analysis is possible, an overview of the available data sources, the primary collection objectives, the data contained and the metadata describing the existing data should be drawn up.
To this end, the origin of the data is first traced on site and the (original/primary) purpose for which it was collected is understood and documented. Extracts from the data sources are created to serve the creation of the above-mentioned over-view. These excerpts will be further analyzed using application examples. As an important aspect of the work, the implications for subsequent secondary data analyses will be presented and discussed (Translated with DeepL.com (free version)).

Cooperation Partners:

Hofgut Neumühle (Theresa Scheu)

Funding: Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL), 164.593 EUR

Project Details:
The aim of "InUtero"" is to develop a lifelike simulator for midwifery in small ruminants and to implement this model in teaching and training. The Clinical Skills Lab, together with the Clinic for Small Ruminants, is responsible for the development and validation of the simulator as well as the preparation of detailed instructions. The animal husbandry school at the Triesdorf Agricultural Training Institute and the Echem Agricultural Training Center will use and evaluate this simulator as part of the obstetric teaching of their trainees as well as in the context of seminars and workshops in adult education. The close cooperation between the project partners enables the simulator to be constantly adapted and modified so that at the end of the project phase there is a lifelike simulator for midwifery in small ruminants that is optimized to meet the demands and needs of both teachers and learners."

Cooperation Partners:

Landwirtschaftliches Bildungszentrum Echem

Landwirtschaftliche Lehranstalt Triesdorf

Funding: Drittmittelprojekt, gefördert durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)., 269.600 EUR

Project Details:
Bacillus cereus is a common soil bacterium responsible for two types of foodborne gastrointestinal diseases. The emetic variant leads to food poisoning and manifests in nausea and vomiting, while infections with enteropathogenic strains cause diarrhoea and abdominal pain. These symptoms are caused by various toxins, including the cyclic dodecadepsipeptide cereulide and the protein-based enterotoxins haemolysin BL (Hbl), non-haemolytic enterotoxin (Nhe) and cytotoxin K (CytK).
The principle of action of the pore-forming three-component toxin Hbl was investigated in detail in a previous project. The complex formation of the three protein components in solution, the binding order to the target cells, the optimum concentration ratio for fastest pore formation and maximum cytotoxicity, as well as the effect of a fourth protein component were determined. While the preliminary work focused on the toxin itself, this project investigates the effects of pore formation on the host.
This project provides answers to the cellular response of the primary target of B. cereus enterotoxins, namely human cells of the gastrointestinal tract. Firstly, relevant toxin concentrations and exposure times for the survival of intestinal cells or the onset of apoptosis will be determined. In addition, the onset of possible repair mechanisms within the target cells is investigated. These initial data already provide a model for the onset of diarrhoea caused by enteropathogenic B. cereus. Following these studies, the interaction of B. cereus and its enterotoxins with more complex structures, namely human intestinal organoids, is investigated. The use of organoid culture systems enables more elaborate studies on host-microorganism interactions. Various aspects are investigated, including gene expression, ion transport and the activation of signalling pathways within the target cells and structures.
Important new insights into the physiological processes that lead to enterotoxin-induced diarrhoea are expected.

Funding: Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL), 365.439 EUR

Project Details:
Ziel des Projektes "CalPhy"" ist es, das Auftreten von behandlungsbedürftigen Erkrankungen in der Kälberhaltung zu reduzieren und damit erhöhten Verlusten entgegen zu wirken. Durch den Einsatz von hochwertigen Ergänzungen soll insgesamt die Versorgung der Kälber verbessert und damit die Tiergesundheit, das Tierwohl und die Leistung gefördert werden. Gezielt soll für die besonders empfindlichen Tiere innerhalb der Tiergruppen ein teil-individualisiertes Fütterungskonzept für die Praxis entwickelt werden. Leichte und in Teilen auch in gut geführten Beständen durch unvermeidbare Situationen (mechanische Geburtsprobleme etc.) geschwächte Neugeborene, sind besonders betroffen von einer ungenügenden Kolostrumversorgung. Diese Kälber benötigen zusätzlichen Schutz, damit die Gefahr eines überdurchschnittlichen Abfalls des kolostralen Immunschutzes nicht die Infektionsanfälligkeit erhöht. Um das Risiko von Erkrankungen auf das unvermeidbare Minimum zu reduzieren, sind auf Basis einer sensiblen Erfassung von ersten Krankheitsanzeichen bzw. prädisponierenden Situationen weitere Maßnahmen sinnvoll. Futtermittelzusatzstoffe können zur Stärkung von Kälbern und damit Förderung ihrer Gesundheit eingesetzt werden. Insbesondere phytogene Zusatzstoffe haben in gut geführten Betrieben das Potential, die Notwendigkeit für antibiotische Behandlungen weiter zu reduzieren. Durch die Reduzierung der Häufigkeit von Erkrankungen in der Kälberaufzucht sowie damit verbunden eine Steigerung der Tiergesundheit und des Tierwohls, kann das Projekt einen substantiellen Beitrag zur Förderung der nachhaltigen Leistungsfähigkeit der Agrarwirtschaft bei bestmöglicher Förderung des Tierschutzes in der Landwirtschaft leisten."

Cooperation Partners:

Phytobiotics Futterzusatzstoffe GmbH

Funding: cofinanziert durch die Europäische Kommission, 107.187 EUR

Project Details:
This project aims to address a critical gap in neurotoxicity assessment by developing a novel in vitro methodology specifically targeting myelin toxicity?a decisive factor influencing peripheral sensory and motor functions. Building upon established modes-of-action (MoA) in adult neurotoxicity, the study utilizes human induced pluripotent stem cells to differentiate into mature motor and sensory neurons, along with Schwann cells. Distinguishing itself from existing in vitro methods, the project focuses on myelin toxicity, an unexplored MoA not yet incorporated into existing approaches, thereby influencing neurotoxicity assessment.
Acknowledging the regulatory imperative for swifter and more human-relevant neurotoxicity evaluations, the project aims to deliver an effective myelin toxicity assessment method. The methodology involves co-cultivating sensory or motor neurons with Schwann cells in both 3D spheres and 2D configurations. The plan encompasses characterizing cell types and scrutinizing myelin formation through immunocytochemical stainings and RT-qPCR after 4-8 weeks in culture. A pivotal aspect of the study is the exploration of optimal conditions for high-throughput testing.
Milestones include achieving the expression of neuron and Schwann cell markers, determining the optimal 2D or 3D setup for automated high-throughput myelin quantification, and scientifically validating the test method. The ultimate objective is to furnish a robust tool for assessing myelin toxicity, utilizing a compound training set.
In conclusion, this project pioneers an approach to address the gap in myelin toxicity testing within in vitro neurotoxicity assessment. By leveraging human induced pluripotent stem cells and advanced co-culture techniques, the study aims to make a substantial contribution to the development of a more comprehensive and effective neurotoxicity evaluation testing battery for regulatory use.

Results:

https://www.eu-parc.eu/

Funding: Gefördert durch die Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung Bonn/BMEL, 369.000 EUR

Project Details:
Der innovative Ansatz dieses Projektes zielt darauf ab, aus der Produktionskette isolierte Phagen als nachhaltige prophylaktische Maßnahme in der Geflügelproduktion zu etablieren.
Es sollen im Rahmen eines Zweistufenkonzepts maßgeschneiderte Phagenprodukte entwickelt werden.

Cooperation Partners:

Tierärztliche Gemeinschaftspraxis WEK, Miavit GmbH

Funding: MEKUN, 229.320 EUR

Project Details:
Pressures on harbor porpoise habitat in the Schleswig-Holstein waters of the North Sea and Baltic Sea continue to increase due to anthropogenic activities. These include offshore wind turbine construction, Fehmarn Belt crossing, military and civilian blasting (munitions waste), fishing, as well as the use of PAL systems, tourism activities, chemical and pharmaceutical pollution, garbage, habitat loss, and other disturbances.
Studies of reproduction and age structure of harbor porpoises found dead in the waters of Schleswig-Holstein have shown that the animals generally die very young and that females in particular have little time to reproduce. The age structure of dead found animals provides evidence that many females die before or shortly after reaching sexual maturity. In addition, an increased number of pregnant females was found dead in the year 2021. Further data collection is needed to develop relationships that may contribute to reverse this trend. Initial studies on hearing and contaminant exposure in harbor porpoises have additionally shown that some of the animals are exposed to significant levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury, and hearing damage is evident in some animals. The relationships between hearing damage and exposure to contaminants as well as their significance at the population level, require further investigation. Systematic surveys of harbor porpoises are extremely important to assess trends in baseline biological data (age, sex, weight, location, date of discovery, species), as well as health status and causes of death. These data are elementary as they are reported to ASCOBANS, ICES, HELCOM, OSPAR and the IWC.
Within the framework of the project, freshly dead harbor porpoises from the Schleswig-Holstein North Sea and Baltic Sea will be examined in detail for their state of health. Histological, immunohistochemicaland microbiological examinations will be performed. The parasite fauna and its prevalence can give important information about its influence on the harbor porpoise, but also on the whole ecosystem in the Baltic Seaas intermediate hosts are important for transmission in different trophic levels. These additional investigations shall be used for the assessment parameters in the North Sea and Baltic Sea for the development of GES (Good Environmental Status) in the future and applied for OSPAR, HELCOM and the Marine Protection Framework Directive. In particular, if harbor porpoise mortalities become more frequent, immediate investigations are to be conducted to shed light on the possible causes and to uncover correlations. Based on the results, recommendations are to be developed regarding areas with increased potential for conflict and thus a further requirement for habitat investigations. Ears from well preserved animals found dead will also be collected and made available for further studies to examine the changes occuring in bycatch compared to animals found dead as well as to assess the effects of blasting, acoustic and chemical exposure. Similarly, post mortem examinations will be used to take collect samples for toxicological studies that can be analyzed as part of further projects.

Funding: The International Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSP), 1.106.000 EUR

Project Details:
Insect cell membranes differ from mammalian membranes by deformability, lipid content and distribution. Enveloped insect-borne viruses require intimate interactions with cellular
membranes to enter cells, replicate their genomes in cells and bud from cells. Despite fundamental biophysical differences between insect and mammalian membranes, viruses can productively infect cells from both phyla. Decades of studies on insect-borne viruses have not addressed the machinery of insect membrane deformation and its exploitation by viruses. Working at the interface of insect genetics, biophysics and infection biology, our newly formed team has assembled innovative technologies to break through this barrier in the field. Through the combined expertise of the PIs, we will: 1. Employ gene editing libraries in insect cells to identify host factors steering virus - membrane interactions; 2. Image membrane deformation at high resolution; 3. Assess the impact of membrane deformation on permissiveness to insectborne viruses. These studies will provide insight into mechanisms driving insect membrane shape and revolutionize our understanding of virus adaptation across fundamentally different
species.

Cooperation Partners:

Dr. Nicholas Ariotti, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australia

Dr. Norbert Perrimon, Harvard Medical School, USA

Funding: Ministerium für Energiewende, Landwirtschaft, Umwelt, Natur und Digitalisierung , 350.135 EUR

Project Details:
After unexpected problems occurred during the data collection in the field, an objectively evaluable data basis will be created, aming at evaluation of the acoustic deterrence system. In addition to the working task, further analyses will be carried out to assess the management measures developed and implemented to date outside the public swimming area, which include, for example, the previously established protection zones or the panoramic path. In order to ensure an effective management, regular evaluation and possible optimization is essential. The counting data collected on Helgoland by Jordsand / Dünen-Ranger represents an extremely important data basis for this. Based on an extremely important data basis for this juvenils, a corresponding evaluation of the effectiveness of the measures will be carried out.
In order to investigate the temporal and spatial use of areas by grey seals in the North Sea in more detail and also to create the data basis for a tailor made management, individual grey seals will be captured on Helgoland and tagged with telemetry devices. Vocalizations of grey seals associated with mating will be recorded underwater to identify areas used for mating. In this context, a comprehensive health monitoring of grey seals will also be conducted to update knowledge on the zoonotic potential of pathogens present in grey seals for residents and tourists on Heligoland.
Additional management needs have arisen in recent years regarding the locations of grey seal births. As it repeatedly happened that single pups were born on the main island, beaches had to be closed for residents and tourists during the pupping season. At the same time, these beaches are the only places on Helgoland where dogs can run free. Thus, there is a great interest in directing the births of grey seals away from the main island, if nature conservation compatibility can be guaranteed in the process. This project will continue to investigate the extent to which the main island is already relevant during mating season.
The following questions will be addressed in the targeted project:

1) Can a seal exclusive zone be created by using an acoustic fence in the swimming area of the Helgoland dune?
2) How effective are the applied management measures on Helgoland and how can they be further optimized?
3) Which areas are used by grey seals and what are their functions? Which zoonotic pathogens do living grey seals carry on Helgoland and what danger do they pose to humans?
4) Are there possibilities to direct the locations of grey seal births?

The work packages represent the planned work required to answer the respective questions.

1) Sound exposure of grey seals in the swimming area of the Helgoland Dune.
2) Evaluation of the collected daily count data
3) Acoustic monitoring, health monitoring, and tagging of grey seals at Helgoland Dune.
4) Development of tailor made methods to keep away grey seals from main island beaches during the pupping season.