Overview of research projects

Funding: Bundesministerium für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung, Bundesprogramm Nutztierhaltung, 305.117 EUR

Project Details:
The goal of this project is to reduce the environmental pollution caused by the entry of antibiotics and resistant bacteria from pig breeding. Worldwide, antibiotics are added to liquid preserved semen portions in order to inhibit bacterial growth during semen storage.The present study aims to establish an innovative concept to eliminate bacteria without using conventional antibiotics. The concept is based on the photodynamic inactivation (PDI) of bacteria. Specifically, the aim is to inactivate microorganisms in boar semen using the photodynamic effect and, thus, to avoid bacterial growth and
exchange of resistance genes in the environment.

Results:

DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1429749

Cooperation Partners:

Humboldt Universität zu Berlin

Minitüb GmbH

Funding: Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, Berlin, 413.140 EUR

Project Details:
The project VetAmUR (Veterinary Antimicrobial Usage and Resistance) is a research project that, following the VetCab-S project, is carried out to describe the use of antimicrobials in farm animals in Germany as well as connect this with resistance data for those antimicrobials.

Background: Despite many independent investigations, no direct link between the information on antimicrobial usage and antimicrobial resistance could be estab-lished in German livestock husbandry so far. Therefore, an extensive and detailed risk assessment in regards to antimicrobial resistance is not possible, even though such an assessment is required on an international basis (Global Antimicrobial Re-sistance Surveillance System - GLASS, https://www.who.int/glass/en/). To accom-modate this demand, the VetAmUR project was initiated.

In the area of resistance data, the focus is on collecting data at farm level and de-scribing its heterogeneity with the aim of creating a standardised documentation template.

Additionally, specific periods within the fattening process and specific indications for antimicrobial administrations are documented and observed closely to deter-mine alternative treatments and prevention strategies.

Results:

Bonzelett C, Rehberg B, Winkelmann TS, Käsbohrer A, Kreienbrock L. Documentati-on of antimicrobial resistance data in veterinary practices in Germany. Berliner und Münchener Tierärztliche Wochenschrift. 2024;137:1-13 . doi: 10.2376/1439-0299-2023-14

Funding: Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre, 1.349.525 EUR

Project Details:
The FERVET project addresses the digital teaching and review of mandatory clinical-practical skills in veterinary medicine studies and pursues three aims:
1. the enrichment of face-to-face, hybrid and virtual teaching through the development of simulators, the provision of digital teaching material, the development of a Virtual Learning Lab, the expansion of video production and the implementation of video annotations.
2. the further development and evaluation of existing formative and summative e-examination formats
3. the anchoring of the innovative measures in the university structures

Funding: Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre, 549.540 EUR

Project Details:
The aim of the SOUVER@N project is to promote sovereign digital teaching and learning. This includes
1) the sovereign, i.e. competent and learning goal-oriented use of digital tools on the part of teachers and students (digital literacy) as well as
2) the professional development of high-quality digitally enriched teaching/learning concepts and content, and
3) the digital sovereignty of the universities as institutions strengthened by the network.

Results:

https://www.souveraenes-digitales-lehren-und-lernen.de/home/

Cooperation Partners:

1) Universität Osnabrück

2) Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg

3) Leuphana Universität Lüneburg

4) Technische Universität Clausthal

5) Stiftung Universität Hildesheim

6) Universität Vechta

7) Medizinische Hochschule Hannover

8) ELAN e.V. (1. Förderphase August 201 - Juli 2024)

Funding: DFG, 491.000 EUR

Project Details:
The aim of the project is to analyse host-parasite interactions between the Fasciola hepatica as parasite and dairy cows as host, taking into account the genome of both interaction partners. Until now, studies on endoparasite resistance have focused exclusively on the genome of the host or the parasite, without considering genotype-genotype interactions between these two players. Therefore, for the first time, interactions will be modelled considering bovine genotypes (Gh) and F. hepatica genotypes (Gp).

Results:

May, K., Hecker, A.S., Strube, C., Tong, Y., König, S. (2025) Genetic parameters and single-step genome-wide association analysis for trematode (Fasciola hepatica and Calicophoron / Paramphistomum spp.) infections in German dairy cows. Infection, Genetics and Evolution 128, 105712

 

Hecker, A.S., Raulf, M.-K., König, S., Knubben-Schweizer, G., Wenzel, C., May, K., Strube, C. (2024) In-herd prevalence of Fasciola hepatica and Calicophoron/Paramphistomum spp. infections in German dairy cows with comparison of two coproscopical methods and establishment of real-time pyrosequencing for rumen fluke species differentiation. Veterinary Parasitology 327, 110142

 

May, K., Hecker, A.S., König, S., Strube, C. (2024) Helminth co-infections have no additive detrimental impact on milk yield and milk quality compared to mono-infections in German dairy cows. Parasites & Vectors 17, 398

Cooperation Partners:

Dr. Dr. Katharina May, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen

Funding: DFG (Heisenberg), 256.200 EUR

Project Details:
The objective of this research work is to evaluate the genetic architecture of body size using a pig model in a multi-omics approach. It particularly aims at in-depth investigations of interrelations of size determining variants, transcriptional variation among miniature and large size as well as the identification of topologically associated domains (TADs) and putative enhancers involved in body size determination. This study is particularly focusing on the elucidation of the regulatory landscape in pigs and its essential role in the determination of body size.Initial analyses of whole genome sequencing data of miniature versus standard sized breeds/populations are supposed to identify potential signatures of selection reflecting high selection pressures in both directions- miniature and large size- harboring variants causative for the miniaturization across-breeds. Subsequently, I aim at detecting chromatin interactions defined as TADs and putative enhancer elements in the region of these variants involved in size-determination by targeting high intensity peaks of chromatin interactions from Hi-C analysis as well as high histone modification levels associated with active enhancers (H3K27ac and H3K4me1) from ChIP-seq in the growth plates of the long bones. These marks of active DNA sequences will then be linked to transcriptional variation in-between miniature and large pigs. An in vitro model will be established for further functional validation.This will be the first study investigating genomic and functional effects on body size specifically targeting growth plates in pigs. Based on these data, we aim at increasing the knowledge of biological processes in mammals regulating growth and determining the size of a body. This profound understanding of body size development will not only be of high importance for livestock breeding but will also provide better understanding of growth biology, developmental genetics and disturbances in growth processes.

Results:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12864-022-08801-4

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Dr. Stefan Mundlos, Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Genetik, Berlin

Funding: DFG, 466.350 EUR

Project Details:
The objective of this research work is to evaluate the genetic architecture of body size using a pig model in a multi-omics approach. It particularly aims at in-depth investigations of interrelations of size determining variants, transcriptional variation among miniature and large size as well as the identification of topologically associated domains (TADs) and putative enhancers involved in body size determination. This study is particularly focusing on the elucidation of the regulatory landscape in pigs and its essential role in the determination of body size.Initial analyses of whole genome sequencing data of miniature versus standard sized breeds/populations are supposed to identify potential signatures of selection reflecting high selection pressures in both directions- miniature and large size- harboring variants causative for the miniaturization across-breeds. Subsequently, I aim at detecting chromatin interactions defined as TADs and putative enhancer elements in the region of these variants involved in size-determination by targeting high intensity peaks of chromatin interactions from Hi-C analysis as well as high histone modification levels associated with active enhancers (H3K27ac and H3K4me1) from ChIP-seq in the growth plates of the long bones. These marks of active DNA sequences will then be linked to transcriptional variation in-between miniature and large pigs. An in vitro model will be established for further functional validation.This will be the first study investigating genomic and functional effects on body size specifically targeting growth plates in pigs. Based on these data, we aim at increasing the knowledge of biological processes in mammals regulating growth and determining the size of a body. This profound understanding of body size development will not only be of high importance for livestock breeding but will also provide better understanding of growth biology, developmental genetics and disturbances in growth processes.

Results:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12864-022-08801-4

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Stefan Mundlos, Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Genetik, Berlin

Project Details:
Das Projekt untersucht die Pathogenese der Rifttalfieberenzephalitis im Mausmodell. Rifttalfieber ist eine virale Zoonose, die in seltenen, aber schweren, teils fatalen Fällen zu einer Enzephalitis in Humanpatienten führt. Wichtige Details zu deren Pathogenese, insbesondere der Infektionsweg, die intrazerebrale Virusausbreitung und die Rolle der (intrazerebralen) Immunantwort sind bisher nicht vollständig geklärt. Das Projekt erforscht den Verlauf der Rifttalfieberenzephalitis nach intranasaler Infektion bei verschiedenen immundefizienten Knockoutmäusen im Vergleich mit immunkompetenten Wildtypmäusen, um die genaue Rolle verschiedener Immunzellen in der Pathogenese zu charakterisieren.

Results:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36293352/ (2022 Oct 18)

Funding: Gesellschaft der Freunde der Tierärztlichen Hochschule Hannover e.V. (GdF), 15.600 EUR

Project Details:
Growing evidence indicates that exercise has the potential to reduce components of Parkinson's disease (PD)-related pathology. PD progression starts early before onset of the cardinal motor signs and subtle motor and non-motor dysfunctions are evident even in the early prodromal stage before clinical disease diagnosis (Berg et al. 2021 Nat Rev Neurol). We therefore examine whether and to which degree exercise affects disease pathology and progression in young mice that overexpress human wildtype alpha-synuclein under the Thy-1 promotor (Thy1-aSyn mice) and replicate PD hallmarks by developing, among others, robust fine motor deficits at two months of age (Chesselet, Richter et al. 2012 Neurotherapeutics). We hypothesize that early intervention by exercise has a disease-modifying effect during prodromal phase in Thy1-aSyn mice and can be applied as a non-pharmacological preventive strategy for early-stage PD (Schäffer et al. 2020 Neurology). Next, we will administer a substance to the animal model, which shows increased levels under exercise and neuroprotective properties in other neurodegenerative diseases.

Cooperation Partners:

Prof Dr. Daniela Berg (Neurologie, Christian-Albrechts Universität Kiel), Prof. Dr. Christiane Wrann (Harvard Medical School)

Funding: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, 236.600 EUR

Project Details:
exploratory research project