Overview of research projects

Funding: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), 155.950 EUR

Project Details:
Abstract:
Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a highly contagious morbillivirus, which causes severe systemic disease with involvement of the respiratory tract in domestic and wildlife carnivores. Innate immune cells play a key role in the pathogenesis in a variety of viral respiratory diseases. However, the knowledge about pulmonary innate immunity in canine distemper is still fragmentary. The envisioned project is based on our previous work, in which it could be demonstrated that innate immune cells are able to carry CDV to facilitate cell-to-cell transmission in the respiratory tract and that restriction of antiviral signaling pathways of innate immune cells enhance virus release from the lung in canine distemper. The first part of the project aims at investigating the polarizing effect of CDV upon innate immune cells in vitro. Here the ability of CDV to influence the phenotype of pulmonary and blood-derived macrophages, and the maturation state of monocyte-derived dendritic cells will be analyzed by flow cytometry. In addition, virus-mediated effects upon macrophages and dendritic cells will be characterized by whole transcriptome analyses and functional assays, including mixed leukocyte reaction, as well as migration, phagocytosis and nitric oxide release assays. In the second part, the impact of macrophage polarity and dendritic cell maturation upon CDV cell entry and the capacity of modulated innate immune cells to transmit CDV to the airway epithelium will be investigated using canine air-liquid interface cultures and precision-cut lung slices. In addition, virus-induced cytopathic effects and ultrastructural changes, such as ciliary pathology and apoptosis induction, as well as the regenerative capacity of infected cultures will be determined. The study will give mechanistic insights in the dysfunction of pulmonary innate immunity in CDV infection and its impact on disease pathogenesis. Elucidating the regulatory mechanisms through which pathogens regulate innate immune cell plasticity will contribute to the discovery of therapeutic targets in morbillivirus diseases and prevention of virus transmission to other hosts.

Funding: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), 155.950 EUR

Project Details:
Abstract:
Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a highly contagious morbillivirus, which causes severe systemic disease with involvement of the respiratory tract in domestic and wildlife carnivores. Innate immune cells play a key role in the pathogenesis in a variety of viral respiratory diseases. However, the knowledge about pulmonary innate immunity in canine distemper is still fragmentary. The envisioned project is based on our previous work, in which it could be demonstrated that innate immune cells are able to carry CDV to facilitate cell-to-cell transmission in the respiratory tract and that restriction of antiviral signaling pathways of innate immune cells enhance virus release from the lung in canine distemper. The first part of the project aims at investigating the polarizing effect of CDV upon innate immune cells in vitro. Here the ability of CDV to influence the phenotype of pulmonary and blood-derived macrophages, and the maturation state of monocyte-derived dendritic cells will be analyzed by flow cytometry. In addition, virus-mediated effects upon macrophages and dendritic cells will be characterized by whole transcriptome analyses and functional assays, including mixed leukocyte reaction, as well as migration, phagocytosis and nitric oxide release assays. In the second part, the impact of macrophage polarity and dendritic cell maturation upon CDV cell entry and the capacity of modulated innate immune cells to transmit CDV to the airway epithelium will be investigated using canine air-liquid interface cultures and precision-cut lung slices. In addition, virus-induced cytopathic effects and ultrastructural changes, such as ciliary pathology and apoptosis induction, as well as the regenerative capacity of infected cultures will be determined. The study will give mechanistic insights in the dysfunction of pulmonary innate immunity in CDV infection and its impact on disease pathogenesis. Elucidating the regulatory mechanisms through which pathogens regulate innate immune cell plasticity will contribute to the discovery of therapeutic targets in morbillivirus diseases and prevention of virus transmission to other hosts.

Funding: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)/PTJ Jülich, 165.805 EUR

Project Details:
In phase II of CREATE the subproject of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, aims at the identification and the establishment of health indicators for native marine mammal species in order to be able to assess the impacts of increasing anthropogenic activities on marine mammals and the marine ecosystem and to be able to detect them at an early stage. For this purpose, health data is analysed from about three decades, as well as data gained during the project, of native marine mammals from the German North Sea and Baltic Sea. The Knowledge gained in phase I on the spatial and temporal occurrence of bacteria and viruses will be used for more extensive investigations in phase II. The aim is to investigate a possible interaction between the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria and viruses and other infections, such as bacterial/viral co-infections or parasite infestation. It will also be analysed to what extent there is a connection between the determined causes of illness and death and the occurrence of certain pathogens. In this context, factors that are relevant to the population as a whole are of particular interest. The chronology of the data can be used to assess whether there have been changes in the burden on marine mammals over the last 30 years. Finally, the analysed data will be evaluated for their suitability for indicators, especially with regard to anthropogenic effects on marine mammal populations. The identification of such indicators would enable long-term monitoring strategies, promote the development of effective management measures and also feed into international agreements such as HELCOM and OSPAR. In addition, the data developed in the project will be used to create various Knowledge formats for stakeholders and thus communicate the here gained findings to the general public.

Cooperation Partners:

Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven inklusive Helmholtz-Institut für Funktionelle Marine Biodiversität an der Universität Oldenburg

Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg

Christian-Albrechts-Universität, Kiel

GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Leibniz-Institut für Ostseeforschung Warnemünde

Max-Planck-Institut für Marine Mikrobiologie, Bremen

Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung

Leibniz-Zentrum f. Mar. Tropenforschung Bremen

Funding: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung über Projektträger Jülich/Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Rostock, 443.773 EUR

Project Details:
The habitat of marine mammals is strongly characterised by anthropogenic use in the North and Baltic Seas. Marine mammals are sensitive to Stressors such as maritime traffic, offshore wind energy development, pollution and fishing. These activities can lead to habitat degradation for marine mammals, as habitat loss or fragmentation often occurs.
The interdisciplinary and cross-scale end-to-end (E2E) modelling System developed in the first phase of CoastalFutures will be extended in phase II to model the occurrence of marine mammals under different future scenarios. This novel tool now offers the possibility to analyse the effects of climate change and anthropogenic activities on indicator species by generating a virtual environment. For the first time, simulations on the effectiveness of various management measures for the protection and Conservation of marine mammal populations can be carried out in phase II, thus providing Knowledge for action for the implementation of political decisions. The impact of underwater noise on harbour seals as a result of the expansion of offshore wind farms (OWFs) is estimated at population level using a multifactorial assessment. Animal movement models are extended to include aspects of animal physiology so that effects on the energy budget can be integrated, while the effects of other Stressors and management measures are also considered, taking future climate conditions into account. In addition, potential impacts, such as the role of OWFs as artificial reefs and noise impacts on marine mammals, will be analysed and assessed to explore negative and positive effects. This in turn leads to a quantitative assessment of the food and habitat base for marine mammals and the exposure to Stressors in the marine protected areas.

Cooperation Partners:

-Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Coastal Systems - Analysis and Modeling

-Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Warnemünde

-Technische Universität Braunschweig, Leichtweiß-Institute for Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources

-Thünen-Institut (TI für Seefischerei, TI für Ostseefischerei)

-Leibniz Universität Hannover, Ludwig-Franzius-Institut

-Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven

-Technische Universität Hamburg, Institute of River and Coastal Engineering

Assoziierte Partner:

-Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie

-Deutscher Wetterdienst

-Bundesanstalt für Wasserbau

- Bundesamt für Naturschutz

Funding: UBA, 299.799 EUR

Project Details:
With the melting of the ice in the Arctic, new areas are becoming accessible for shipping routes, seismic oil exploration, extraction of critical raw materials for new technologies (e.g. rare earth elements), and other anthropogenic activities. All these activities have the potential to impact cetaceans.
Studies performed on rats and humans show that different chemicals (including PCBs and heavy metals) can cause hearing loss and/or effects of noise exposure are more pronounced. However, a correlation between hearing loss and high levels of PCBs or heavy metals in cetaceans has not been determined to date.

The aim of this project is to identify and quantify the effects of noise and chemical pollution on hearing in cetaceans in the Arctic. Since cetaceans rely on hearing for all their daily activities, it is crucial to understand how underwater noise and chemical pollution (or the cumulative effects of both stressors) could affect cetacean hearing.
To achieve this we will analyze ears of cetaceans that stranded or were legally harvested including complementary techniques to be able to identify lesions in the ear that are compatible with noise exposure. Samples of blubber and/or liver of the same animals will be analyzed for selected chemical pollutants to determine concentrations of persistent organic pollutants and chemical elements and correlate them with the findings of the ear analyses. If possible, the findings of the PIONEER project will be correlated with comprehensive post-mortem findings of each individual to determine the impact of the overall health status on the specific findings but also how cumulative effects of exposure (i.e. noise and chemical pollution) can affect cetacean health.
The novel approach of PIONEER combining the results of the analysis of hearing structures and concentrations of contaminants in several cetacean species in different countries along the Arctic will increase our understanding on the effects of underwater noise pollution on hearing and chemical pollution on health of wild populations.

Cooperation Partners:

Prof. Annika Jahnke (Helmholtz Zentrum für Umweltforschung - UFZ)

Prof. Krishna Das (Universität Lüttich, ULiege)

Dr. Marianna Pinzone (Universität Lüttich, ULiege, und Norwegisches Polarinstitut)

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

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: Landwirtschaftskammer Niedersachen , 227.674 EUR

Project Details:
Since the ban on cage housing in Germany in 2010, many laying hens are kept in alternative housing systems with free-range access. In Lower Saxony, approximately 23% of laying hens are housed in conventional free-range systems, while around 16% are kept under organic farm conditions. Particularly in these systems, an increasing parasite burden from intestinal worms has been observed, as worm eggs accumulate in the outdoor areas, and there are only limited biosecurity measures available for prevention and treatment.
Depending on the intensity of the infestation, worm infections can lead to significant health impairments in laying hens. These include general well-being disturbances, reduced performance, delayed growth, gastrointestinal damage and, in severe cases, even death. Effective worm control presents a major challenge for many free-range farms, particularly for those operating under organic standards. Addressing this issue requires strategic planning, targeted interventions and subsequent success monitoring.
The "Worm-free" project focuses on alternative measures to reduce worm infestations in free-range laying hen flocks. Over the course of three years, 50 flocks will be monitored for one production cycle each. By continuously recording management practices and regularly assessing parasite loads, the effectiveness of different farm-specific interventions will be evaluated.
As part of the project, a web application is also being developed to support laying hen farmers in identifying the risk of increased parasite burdens in their flocks and implementing effective countermeasures.

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