Overview of research projects

Funding: Frauenhofer ITEM, 278.466 EUR

Project Details:
Frauenhofer ITEM-Therapeutic treatment against SARS-CoV-2 with inhaled VHH from BiondVax - Efficacy program in hamsters

Funding: DFG, 110.700 EUR

Project Details:
Tetraspanins are evolutionary conserved integral membrane proteins of 200-350 amino acid lengths. Through their large extracellular loop they mediate protein - protein and protein - lipid interactions in cellular membranes thereby shaping membrane microdomains called ?tetraspanin webs?. In humans and mice 33 tetraspanins are described and mosquito species express at least 15 tetraspanin orthologs. In mammalian cells, tetraspanins are host co-factors for several viruses including papillomaviruses, influenza virus, hepatitis C virus, HIV-1 and coronaviruses (Gerold et al., 2015; Bruening et al. 2018; Banse et al., 2018; Alberione et al. 2020; Palor et al., 2020). For hepatitis C virus, colleagues and we showed that the tetraspanin CD81 is a host range determining factor (Vogt et al. 2013; Scull et al., 2015; von Schaewen et al., 2016).
The proposed project aims at characterizing in detail, which of the 33 human tetraspanins in addition to CD81 are host factors for alphaviruses and whether tetraspanins from reservoir species, dead end host species and transmitting mosquito vectors serve as host factors of alphaviruses. Thereby the work will contribute to the understanding of the molecular composition and function of alphavirus replication complexes and determine the role of tetraspanins in species range, transmission and consequently emergence of alphaviruses.

Funding: Niedersächsischen Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur , 50.000 EUR

Project Details:
Veterinarians and their employees have a relatively high risk of accidents at work, whether in the clinic, in the diagnostic laboratory or in research. Occupational accident and illness risks in the workplace can be reduced through systematic prevention. Only those who know the specific risks and exposures can minimize them. Safety and health during studies, and later at work in the long term, are the areas that everything should revolve around here. Experience has shown that occupational safety and infection prevention are not the most popular topics and are often only considered relevant once a risk factor has been acutely identified or an accident has already occurred.
The aim of this project is to generate a game-based and collaborative course that uses interactive and digital elements as well as a workshop-based face-to-face event to convey the topic of active occupational safety using memorable practical examples and thus accompany the participants throughout their studies. The aim is to create a profound understanding with long-lasting learning success.

Funding: TU München, 158.232 EUR

Project Details:
We hypothesize that the stabilization of the vascular system by low-dose ligands to activate the integrin αvβ3 should have beneficial effects on COVID-19 infected patients. We here investigate the effects of the synthetic ligand cylengitide and 29P for integrin αvβ3 in an animal model of SARS-CoV-2 infected hamsters in which the destruction of the vascular system in association with formation of neutrophil extracellular traps has previously been documented.

Funding: Verein für Bioökonomieforschung (FBF), 9.600 EUR

Project Details:
The FBF funded project "Influence of stress during rearing management and later eligibility in sperm production" revealed a clear difference in a developed management score and in mean testosterone concentrations between young bulls with good versus poor sperm quality. However, due to a lack of sensitivity, hormone measurements could not be used as adequate diagnostic tests to identify very good or bad bulls with regard to their later performance and performance persistence, neither at an age of four months nor later at the first semen collection.
This more in-depth study is designed to search for better biomarkers using proteomics as non-target approach. Bulls with a very good versus bad performance persistence over two years will be analyzed by mass spectrometry using the plasma samples collected close to the first semen collection during the preliminary project. Data sets of the mass spectrometric measurements with identified peptides will be matched with a bovine protein database to finally name proteins of the plasma samples. Both groups of bulls will be compared with respect to the proteins identified and the amounts of the same.
In order to establish test methods that are as practicable as possible, promising fertility-associated proteins will subsequently be measured in the blood samples from all age classes investigated during bull calf rearing using commercially available ELISA kits. These data will be used to establish reference ranges and thresholds using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. Optimally, suitable biomarkers in the blood allow an early preselection of bull calves that are eligible for the collection of quantitatively and qualitatively good semen.

Cooperation Partners:

Institut für Toxikologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover

Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur , 50.000 EUR

Project Details:
Within a blended learning event, content on interprofessionalism and teamwork is delivered across professional groups via self-study units in TiHoMoodle, in video conferences and in live events in the communication room in the Clinical Skills Lab. With the help of actors, relevant aspects of communication between veterinarians and veterinary assistants as well as animal owners are simulated and practiced so that the foundation can be laid for effective and harmonious collaboration in veterinary practice.

Results:

OER-Beitrag: https://www.twillo.de/edu-sharing/components/collections?id=784dd823-e75e-48ed-a8c3-6de63136b02b

https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14020229

Project Details:
Frequencies of Glaesserella parasuis isolates resistant against various antimicrobial substances will be compared in the years 2006-2021

Results:

Wiencek I, Hartmann M, Merkel J, Trittmacher S, Kreienbrock L, Hennig-Pauka I. Temporal Patterns of Phenotypic Antimicrobial Resistance and Coinfecting Patho-gens in Glaesserella parasuis Strains Isolated from Diseased Swine in Germany from 2006 to 2021. Pathogens 2022; 11: 721. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.802570

Funding: BLE/ Unterauftrag FLI, 78.300 EUR

Project Details:
Pig production has grown dramatically worldwide over the last 20 years, leading to increased herd sizes
with weekly production cycles of piglets. In the meantime, the dynamics of infections with swine influenza A
viruses (swIAV) have changed, from epizootic acute respiratory
outbreaks to a self-sustaining infected status of affected herds. Moreover, the genetic and antigenic
diversity of swIAVs in European pig populations has dramatically increased in recent years. Thus, novel
reassortants and antigenic variants have emerged regionally, that can escape control strategies based on
vaccines licensed for use in Europe. The self-sustaining forms of swine influenza (SI) in large holdings
adversely affect animal health and welfare, and prompts the excessive use of antibiotics when swIAV is
associated with other respiratory pathogens in the porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC), resulting in
severe economic losses. There is an urgent need to increase knowledge of within-herd virus dynamics and
evolution in order to design intervention and prevention measures to limit swIAV persistence in intensive
herds and counteract continuous production losses and emergence of new swIAVs.The objectives of the
research project PIGIE are:
- to define the epidemiological and economic factors that drive the prevalence and dynamics of swIAV in
large pig herds,
- to evaluate the impact that swIAV enzootic infections have on animal welfare, production parameters and
economic productivity,
- to study the genetic and antigenic diversity of swIAV in Europe,
- to identify the host-pathogen factors that would foster swIAV evolution,
- to provide a better understanding of long-lasting and protective immunological memory responses
developed in the infected hosts,
- to identify mitigation points in continuously infected herds,
- to implement and evaluate control strategies that would help to counter sustained infections in closed
intensive herds.

Cooperation Partners:

FLI, Riems

Funding: Pharmacosmos A/S Holbaek (Dänemark), 35.200 EUR

Project Details:
Uniferon is an injectable 20% iron dextran for prevention and treatment of anaemia in swine. 200 mg iron is routinely administered to piglets within the first days of life to prevent development of anaemia. Empirical observations show, that iron deficiency can develop within the first four weeks of life despite this early preventive measure due to the high growth rates of modern cross-bred pigs. While the product Uniferon can be used in flexible volumes, so that an adaptation of the iron amount administered is possible, the competitor product Forceris can only be used in a fixed dosage of 1.5 ml containing 200 mg iron -gleptoferron in combination with 45 mg toltrazuril as a coccidiostaticum. The advantage of this combinatory product to address two different diseases by one single shot is counteracted by the lack of adjustment of the necessary amount of iron to prevent anaemia as long as possible. Different iron treatments in suckling piglets should be evaluated to review the traditional recommendations for iron applications and adjust them according to the higher genetic potential for growth in modern pig breeds if necessary.

Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur, 119.980 EUR

Project Details:
Interactions between humans and wild animals in teh urban environment take place in many ways, indirectly and directly, rationally and emotionally. The discourse will involve various interest groups using variable discussion formats with online participation and accompanying data collection. Structured debates, including scientific findings and expertise, are intended to formulate theses on how to deal with animals in the human environment and create respective recommendations.