Overview of research projects

Funding: MWK über Uni Göttingen, 732.193 EUR

Project Details:
Das SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-Type 2) ist der Erreger von COVID-19. Der bisherige Verlauf der COVID-19 Pandemie hat nachdrücklich gezeigt, dass eine koordinierte Bündelung von interdisziplinären und komplementären Expertisen notwendig ist, um die vielfältigen Aspekte der Biologie, der Pathologie und der Epidemiologie von SARS-CoV-2 zu entschlüsseln und die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse sowohl klinisch für die Behandlung von Patienteninnen und Patienten als auch für die Modellierung von Infektionsverläufen in der Bevölkerung einzusetzen. Um einen solch holistischen Ansatz leisten und umsetzen zu können, bietet das Bundesland Niedersachsen mit seinen international renommierten Wissenschaftsstandorten ideale Voraussetzungen. Das Forschungsnetzwerk COFONI arbeitet am Aufbau eines COVID-19 Forschungsnetzwerkes des Landes Niedersachsen (COFONI)um gebündelt Forschungsvorhaben zur Entwicklung neuer Strategien zur Bekämpfung von COVID-19 zu entwickeln. Hauptfokus der Technologieplattform Tiermodelle ist der Aufbau von Tiermodellen für COVID-19.

Funding: Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft, 224.100 EUR

Project Details:
The aim of the project is to transfer an innovative concept for cold-storage of liquid preserved boar semen into practise. This enables the reduction of antibiotics in the preservation medium and additionally, the optimization of the transport logistics of the semen portions from semen collection centers to the sow farms. The environmental impact resulting from antibiotic use is reduced and possibilities for efficient use of boar semen are tested in practice. Thus, the CoolSperm project particularly promotes sustainability and efficiency in future-oriented pig breeding.

Results:

doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.01.025

doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305280

doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2024.107486

doi: 10.3390/antibiotics12050857

10.1016/j.anireprosci.2024.107486

Cooperation Partners:

Institut für Fortpflanzung landwirtschaftlicher Nutztiere

Förderverein Bioökonomieforschung (FBF e.V.)

Genossenschaft zur Förderung der Schweinehaltung eG (GFS)

Minitüb GmbH

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: EU, 1.234.225 EUR

Project Details:
Bewertung von rational konzipierten Influenza-Impfstoffen

Funding: EU Kommission (imi), 337.500 EUR

Project Details:
The objective of WP3 is to combine the broad expertise of consortium partners in drug discovery in order to identify small molecule candidate drugs to fight coronaviruses.
To effectively deliver drug candidates, WP3 is interacting closely with WP1 and WP2 to identify and select potential starting points for further development based on clearly defined progression criteria. A screening cascade for (phenotypic) hit ID has been implemented and executed. In addition, a coordinated AI-platform and analysis of targets for their druggability is being finalized to facilitate the selection of potential starting points for chemistry. The medicinal chemistry efforts have not yet been initiated as the review and selection of potential starting points from the first wave of hit identification is still ongoing.
In addition to the Hit selection criteria to move forward into Hit to Lead (H2L), WP3 contributors have already prepared for the next steps by defining the initial progression criteria for hits, leads and optimized lead compounds. In addition, a screening cascade for H2L and lead optimization (LO) is proposed, including the flow for the ADMET-PK related assays. The aim is to work towards the predefined target product profiles (TPPs) which have also been discussed within WP3 and are close to finalisation.

Funding: Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung, 128.383 EUR

Project Details:
In this project, the focus is on analysing the interrelationships between animal welfare and environmental protection in dairy farming. The aim of the project is to consider the three factors "low emissions, high walking comfort and long-lived cows" in a three-year study phase in the Chamber of Agriculture's trial barn at Haus Riswick.

Cooperation Partners:

- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Institut für Landtechnik

- Landwirtschaftskammer Nordrhein-Westfalen, Haus Riswick

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: DFG Ra 50/23-1, 2, Houston Zoo, 344.938 EUR

Project Details:
Drivers of speciation are diverse and complex, ranging from large-scale geomorphological processes like the formation of mountains or rivers to small-scale mechanisms like intra-specific ecological plasticity, divergent habitat choice or colonization potential. Due to the lack of appropriate model regions and species, previous studies typically focused on single or dual factor approaches without investigating interactions between drivers. We propose a highly suitable model region in eastern Madagascar to better explore the principal evolutionary processes driving species diversification and their interactions. The proposed study region is traversed by several large rivers that differ greatly in age. The geology and vegetation is rather uniform with similar macro-habitats ranging from tropical lowland to highland rain forest along an elevational east-west gradient. The area harbors an outstanding lemur species richness of which three genera are chosen as models for this project. Thirteen model species belong to two exceptionally speciose genera, Lepilemur and Microcebus, in contrast to the less speciose but ecologically plastic genus of woolly lemurs (Avahi). Rivers and mountains are assumed to have played a crucial role during speciation of lemurs, providing refugia during Pleistocene glaciation events which supposedly facilitated speciation. We propose that river chronology is an additional major co-variate shaping diversification processes, colonization pathways and phylogeographic history of species. We aim to combine geomorphological reconstructions of relative river ages, (micro-)habitat characterizations, ecological niche modeling techniques and RADseq-based phylogeographic reconstructions of colonization routes to investigate the role and interactions of various drivers of speciation including chronology of riverine barriers, vagility, altitudinal tolerance, body size, and ecological plasticity. This interdisciplinary project will thereby illuminate the relative importance of various extrinsic (e.g., geomorphology, habitat) and intrinsic factors (e.g., ecological plasticity, vagility) for the evolutionary diversification of animal populations.

Results:

Tiley, G.P.*; van Elst, T.*; Teixeira, H.; Schüßler, D.; Salmona, J.; Blanco, M.B.; Ralison, J.M.; Randrianambinina, B.; Rasoloarison, R.M.; Stahlke, A.R.; Hohenlohe, P.A.; Chikhi, L.; Louis, E.E.; Radespiel, U.; Yoder, A.D. (2022): Population genomic structure in Goodman?s mouse lemur reveals long-standing separation of Madagascar?s Central Highlands and eastern rainforests. Mol. Ecol., 31, 4901-4918. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16632 (*: shared first authors)

 

Schüßler, D.#; Blanco, M.B.#; Salmona, J.; Poelstra, J.; Andriambeloson, J.B.; Miller, A.; Randrianambinina, B.; Rasolofoson, D.W.; Mantilla-Contreras, J.; Chikhi, L.; Louis, E.E. Jr., Yoder, A.D.; Radespiel, U. (2020): Ecology and morphology of mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.) in a hotspot of microendemism in northeastern Madagascar, with the description of a new species. Am. J. of Primatol., e23180. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23180 (#: joint first authors)

 

Poelstra, J.#; Salmona, J. #; Tiley, G.P. #; Schüßler, D.; Blanco, M.B.; Andriambeloson, J.B.; Manzi, S.; Campbell, C.R.; Bouchez, O.; Etter, P.D.; Iribar, A.; Hohenlohe, P.A.; Hunnicutt, K.E.; Johnson, E.A.; Kappeler P.M.; Larsen, P.A.; Ralison, J.M.; Randrianambinina, B.; Rasoloarison, R.M.; Rasolofoson, D.W.; Stahlke, A.R.; Weisrock, D.; Williams, R.C.; Chikhi, L.; Louis Jr., E.E.; Radespiel, U.* Yoder, A.D.*; (2020): Cryptic patterns of speciation in cryptic primates: microendemic mouse lemurs and the multispecies coalescent. Systematic Biology, syaa053. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syaa053 (#: joint first authors, *: joint senior authors)

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Dr. M. Sauerwein, Universität Hildesheim

Dr. Jordi Salmona, Universität Toulouse, Frankreich

Dr. Lounès Chikhi, IGC, Oeiras, Portugal

Pr. Dr. Jonah Ratsimbazafy, Universität Antananarivo, Madagaskar

Pr. Dr. Solofonirina Rasoloharijaona, Universität Mahajanga, Madagaskar

Dr. Romule Rakotondravony, Universität Mahajanga, Madagaskar

Dominik Schüßler, Apl.Prof. Dr. Jasmin Mantilla-Contreras, Universität Hildesheim

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

Project Details:
exploratory research project

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)