Laufende Synergy-Projekte
Synergy Grants
Laufzeit: 01/2024 – 12/2025
Abstract:
During central nervous system development cells undergo a series of decisions to ultimately form highly specialized networks – the structural basis for behavior and cognition. This developmental decision-making process is poorly understood, yet of high clinical relevance as its disruption can result in neurodevelopmental disorders and loss of resilience to disease in later life. The Synergy Project “TRAIN: Towards Rationalizing Neurodevelopment” pursues a novel concept that key decisions in neurodevelopment are controlled by biological ratios. In TRAIN, experts in neurodevelopment, artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, and optogenetic engineering join forces to generate tools for prediction, genetic manipulation, and high-content analyses of ratios driving neurodevelopmental decisions. Hence, TRAIN will create a truly interdisciplinary research environment allowing to drill deep into the mechanisms of central nervous system development.
Laufzeit: 01/2024 – 12/2025
Abstract:
Cell trafficking is crucially involved in the pathogenesis of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease. While the contribution of cell surface receptors to such trafficking has been explored in detail and has already lead to therapeutic applications, cell-intrinsic properties affecting the cellular migratory behavior have largely been overlooked. Here, we hypothesize that cell mechanical properties and cell trafficking are inextricably linked. Thus, in an interdisciplinary and synergistic effort, this project addresses the role of cellular mechanobiology for homing to the inflamed gut and synovia as well as the mechanical features of therapeutic regulatory T cells and pharmacological opportunities to manipulate cell mechanics. In the long-term perspective, we hope that our insights might provide novel and specific targets for mitigating chronic inflammation.