Our Research - Our Strength

The Excellence Cluster ImmunoSensation² is a collaborative project of the Medical Faculty, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the University of Bonn, and the DZNE (German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases).

• SFB-TRR 124 "Pathogenic fungi and their human host: Networks of interaction".
  TP A01 "Cross-talk between Aspergillus fumigatus and neutrophil granulocytes"; Dr. Marie von Lilienfeld-Taol
• SFB-TRR 274 "Checkpoints in the regeneration of the central nervous system".
  TP PI Prof. Felix Meissner
• SFB 914 "Immune cell migration in inflammation, development and disease"
  TP A13 "Functional proteomic decoding of chemotactic protein diversity", Prof. Felix Meissner
• SFB 1123 "Atherosclerosis: mechanisms and networks of new therapeutic targets".
  TP B07 "Effects and mechanisms of an altered microbiome on the development of atherosclerosis", PD Peter Düwell, Prof. Eicke Latz
• SFB 1158 "From nociception to chronic pain: structure-function characteristics of neural pathways and their reorganisation"
  TP A08 "Pain-related epigenetic changes and plasticity in the spinal cord: the role of the neurovascular unit"; Prof. Carmen Ruiz de Almodovar
• SFB 1192 "Immune mediated glomerular diseases - basic principles and clinical implications".
  TP A08 "Modulation of dendritic cells by CX3CR1 and complement receptors in rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis", Prof. Christian Kurts
• SFB 1218 "Regulation of cellular function by mitochondria".
  TP B11 "Quality control at the entry gate for proteins into the mitochondria", PD Dr. Thomas Becker
• SFB 1328 "Adenine nucleotides in immunity and inflammation".
  TP A09 "Spatiotemporal organization of the cAMP signaling pathway in brown/beige adipocytes and interaction with the chemokine network", Prof. Alexander Pfeifer
• SFB 1335 "Aberrant immune signaling in cancer".
  TP P16 "Investigation of immune and cancer cell communication by quantitative proteomics", Prof. Felix Meissner
• SFB 1369 "Vigilance cultures, transformation - spaces - techniques".
  TP C02 "Vigilance as ideal, strategy and method in pre-modern medical culture", Prof. Mariacarla Gadebusch Bondio
• SFB 1399 "Mechanisms of drug sensitivity and resistance in small cell bronchial carcinoma".
  TP C04 "Modulation of immune signaling pathways in SCLC", Prof. Michael Hölzel
• SFB 1403 "Cell death in immunity, inflammation and disease".
  TP A04 "Cellular responses to and molecular pathways of pyroptosis in macrophages", Prof. Eicke Latz, Dr. Florian I. Schmidt
• SFB 1425 "Heterocellular Nature of Cardiac Lesions: Identities, Interactions, Implications"
  SP 14: Prof. Bernd Fleischmann and Prof. Wilhelm Röll
• SFB 1450 "Imaging organ-specific inflammation through multiscale imaging"
  TP C05 "The role of IL24 in the development and regression of acute kidney injury"; PD Dr. Verena Hörr

The faculty is involved in two German Centers for Health Research of the Helmholtz Association: Bonn is the central location of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), which is located on the Venusberg Campus of the University Hospital with close involvement of the Medical Faculty. In addition, Bonn provides the spokesperson for the Bonn/Cologne site of the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF).

The Center for Integrated Oncology Cologne Bonn (CIO) of the German Cancer Aid is one of the leading tumor centers in Germany and combines patient care with research and teaching at the highest level. 

The PharmaCenter Bonn pursues innovative therapeutic approaches with the goal of translation and, to this end, combines basic biomedical research with LIFE & BRAIN GmbH with the participation of the Medical Faculty and other non-university institutions (Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior – caesar, Helmholtz Health Research Centers, Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM), pharmaceutical industry).

BMBF Collaborative Projects with Speaker Function

• ACCENT "Advanced Clinician Scientist funding in immunopathogenesis and organ dysfunction, brain and neurodegeneration."
  Speaker: Prof. Anja Schneider, Prof. Annkristin Heine (Co-Sprecherin)
• BM-AXIS: "Bonn-Melbourne Academy for Excellence in Immunosciences"
  Spokesperson Germany: Prof. Christian Kurts, Prof. Robert Finger
• CONNEX: "The role of connexin-derived channels in glial cells in the onset and progression of temporal lobe epilepsy"
• EPCHF-Studie "Early palliative care intervention in patients with heart failure."
  Speaker: PD Dr. Marc Ulrich Becher
• FINISHER: "Anti-inflammatory therapy after aneurysm hemorrhage."
  Speaker: Prof. Dr. Erdem Güresir
• MecMeth: Phase I/II-Studie zur Meclofenamat/Temozolomid-Kombinationstherapie bei rezidiviertem, MGMT-Promotor-methyliertem Glioblastom
  Sprecher: Prof. Ulrich Herrlinger
• NG4LeuKo: "Investigation of neuron-glia interactions in leukodystrophies using human iPSZ-based models: Implication for therapy"
  Speaker: Prof. Oliver Brüstle
• TAKeOFF: "Network to overcome the difficulties in the control of filariasis." 
  Speaker: Achim Hörauf
• TOFU "Registry on treatment exit options for non-infectious uveitis (realization phase)."
  Speaker: Prof. Robert Finger

BMBF Collaborative Projects with Participation

• AUTONOMIC: "Developmental effects of epilepsy on autonomic functions in Dravet syndrome." 
  Subproject management: Prof. Rainer Surges
• COMMITMENT: "Modeling comorbidity processes through integrative machine transfer learning for psychiatric disorders."
  Subproject management: PD Dr. Franziska Degenhardt
• CORD_MI: "Cross-consortia Use Case on Rare Diseases"
  Subproject management: PD Dr. Sven Zenker
• DaRe: "Health DAta Trust REallaboratory to develop and test the ecosystem integration of data-driven health research"
  Speaker: Anja Burmann (Frauenhofer-Institut)
• DeepHumanVision: " Study of visual coding in the human brain using multilayer neural networks."
  Subproject management: Prof. Florian Mottmann
• DESCARTES: "A blood-based diagnostic and prognostic test of Alzheimer's disease - data integration, data management and analysis."
• FlexTreat "Flixible and reliable concepts for sustainable water reuse in agriculture."
  Subproject management: Prof. Thomas Kistemann
• DZIF TTU9: "Novel antibiotics"
  Coordinator: Prof. Rolf Müller, HZI, Saarland; co-coordinators: Prof. Achim Hörauf and Prof. Wolfgang Wohlleben, University of Tübingen
• HBCI: "Brain clearance imaging in MRI after intravenous application of contrast agent to investigate the clearance mechanisms of the central nervous system and the influence of neurodegenerative diseases and sleep quality."
  Subproject management: Prof. Alexander Radbruch, Dr. Katerina Deike-Hofmann
• InflASD: "Physiological and molecular consequences of an inflammatory episode on the severity of Shank3-based ASD phenotypes in mouse and hPSC models."
  Subproject management: Prof. Oliver Brüstle
• INTEWAR: "Innovative technologies for the control of water-associated diseases"
  Subproject management: Andrea Rechenburg
• MecMeth "Phase I/II study of meclofenamate/temozolomide combination therapy for relapsed MGMT promoter-methylated glioblastoma."
  Speaker: Prof. Ulrich Herrlinger
• NRW-GPRN: "General Practice Research Network North Rhine-Westphalia"
  Subproject management: Prof. Birgitta Weltermann
• POLAR_MI: "Consortia-wide use case polypharmacy, drug interactions, risks"
  Subproject management: PD Dr. Sven Zenker
• PREADAPT: "Identification of personalized inflammatory profiles of aging and their implications for dementia development"
  Subproject management: Prof. Michael Heneka
• PRETWINSCREEN: "Developing a multidisciplinary approach to personalized pregnancy diagnosis and care for twin pregnancies"
  Subproject management: Prof. Annegret Geipel
• SMITH: "Medizininformatik-Konsortium"
  Subproject management: Prof. Matthias Schmid
• SNAP ONE: Stärkung der Implementierung nationaler Aktionspläne durch die Analyse sozioökonomischer Kosten antimikrobieller Resistenzen
  Subproject management: Chantal Morel
• TRANS-FOODS: Preventing peanut allergy through improved understanding of the transcutaneous sensitisation route, novel food processing and skin care adaptations.
• TrustNShare: "Partizipativ entwickeltes, Smart-contract basiertes Datentreuhandmodell mit skalierbarem Vertrauen und Inzentivierung"
  Subproject management: Prof. Jonas
• ULTRA-F: Ultrafiltration als Element der Energieeffizienz in der Trinkwasserhygiene

EU Research Projects

• MACUSTAR: "Intermediate AMD: development of novel clinical endpoints for clinical trials in patients with a regulatory and patient access intention"
  Coordination: Prof. Frank Holz, Prof. Robert Finger
• PHAGO: "New therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer´s Disease"
  Spokesperson: Prof. Harald Neumann

EU Research Projects (with Participation)

• DIGYMATEX "Establishing a comprehensive understanding and taxonomy of children´s digital maturity"
  Coordination: Marco Hubert, Department of Management at Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, Denmark; Bonn: Prof. Bernd Weber
• environMENTAL "Reducing the impact of major environmental challenges on mental health"
  Coordination: Ksilink; Bonn: Prof. Markus Nöthen
• EuroGCT "European consortium for communicating gene- and cell-based therapy information"
  Koordination: University of Edinburgh, UK; Bonn: Prof. Oliver Brüstle
• GROWTH "Research and Training in Early Life Nutrition to Prevent Disease"
  Coordination: DCSN Research B.V., Niederlande; Bonn: Prof. Sven Wehner
• HELP "Establishment of a pan-nematode drug development platform"
  Spokesperson: Prof. Jennifer Keiser, Basel, Schweiz; Bonn: Prof. Achim Hörauf
• INTEGRATA "Integrating chemical and biological approaches to target NAD production and signaling in cancer"
  Coordination: Universita Degli Studi Di Genova, Italien; Bonn: PD Dr. Georg Feldmann
• ICEI "Interactive Computing E-Infrastructure for the Human Brain Project"
  Coordination: EBRAINS, Belgium; Bonn: UKB
• LIVERHOPE "SIMVASTATIN AND RIFAXIMIN AS NEW THERAPY FOR PATIENTS WITH DECOMPENSATED CIRRHOSIS"
  Subprojects WP2 und WP3
  Coordination: Consorci Institut, D´Investigacions Biomediques, August PI I Sunyer, Spain; Bonn: Jonel Trebicka
• NeurotechRI "European University of Brain and Technology - Research and Innovation"
  Coordination: Stichting Radboud Universiteit, Netherlands; Bonn: Prof. Christian Henneberger
• NSC-Reconstruct "Novel Strategies for Cell-based Neural Reconstruction"
  Coordination: Unioverstita Degli Studi di Milano, Italien; Bonn: Prof. Oliver Brüstle
• PAL-CYCLES "PALliative Care Yields Cancer welLbEing Support"
  Coordination: Stichting Radboud Universitair Medisch Centrum; Bonn: Prof. Radbruch
• PalliativeSedation "The use of proportional palliative sedation for the relief of refractory symptoms: an international multicenter study"
  Coordination: Stichting Katholieke Universiteit, Niederlande; Bonn: Prof. Lukas Radbruch
• PSY-PGx "A New Intervention for Implementation of Pharmacogenetics in Psychiatry"
  Subprojects P05a und P05b
  Coordination: Universiteit Maastricht, Netherlands; Bonn: Prof. Markus Nöthen, Prof. Alexandra Philipsen
• REPO4EU "Precision drug REPurpOsing For EUrope and the world"
  Coordination: Universiteit Maastricht, Netherlands; Bonn: Dr. Martin Coenen
• RHUMBO "modelling and pRedicting Human decision-making Using Measures of subconscious Brain processes through mixed reality interfaces and biOmetric signals"
  Coordination: Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Spanien; Bonn: Diana Shih
• Solve-RD "Solving the unsolved Rare Diseases"
  Coordination: Eberhard Karls Universität, Tübingen; Bonn: Prof. Stefan Aretz
• SCREEN4CARE "Shortening the path to rare disease diagnosis by using newborn genetic screening and digital technologies"
  Coordination: Universita Degli Studi di Ferrara, Italy; Bonn: Prof. Janbernd Kirschner
• TENACITY  "TargEting the Nectin fAmily to boost Cancer ImmuniTY"
  Coordination: Prof. Tobias Bald; Bonn: Prof. Tobias Bald, Prof. Michael Hölzel
• TO_AITION "A high-dimensional approach for unwinding immune-metabolic causes of cardiovascular disease-depression multimorbidities"
  Coordination: Dr. Evangelos Andreakos, Greece; Bonn: Prof. Eicke Latz

 
ERC-Proof of Concept Grants

• iPhotoreceptors "Inducible Human Photoreceptors for Research, Development and Therapy to Prevent Blindness"
  Prof. Volker Busskamp

Selected Research Networks

• AELKI "Establishment and evaluation of a risk-adapted, multidisciplinary, guideline-based transition and (long-term) aftercare for children and adolescents with cancer."  (GBA Innovationsfond)
  Coordinator: Prof. Thorsten Langer, Uni Lübeck, Uniklinik Schleswig-Holstein; Bonn: UKB
• DigIn2Perio "Digital Integrated Care for Diabetes Mellitus Type-2 and Periodontitis" (GBA Innovationsfond)
  Coordinator: Prof. Stefan Listl, Uniklinikum Heidelberg; Bonn: UKB
• DNPM "German Network for Personalized Medicine" (GBA Innovationsfond)
  Coordinator: Prof. Nisar Malek; Bonn: UKB
• Care for Caya "Holistic prevention program for young patients after surviving cancer in childhood, adolescence and young adulthood (CAYAs)" (Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) Innovation Fond)
  Coordinator: Prof. Alexander Stein, Hamburg; Bonn: Dr. Gabriele Calaminus
• FrühstArt "Early, cross-sector, outreach, and family-centered obesity prevention." (GBA Innovationsfond)
  Coordinator: Prof. Stephanie Stock, Uni Köln; Bonn: Uni Bonn
• Familien-SCOUT "Cross-sector and cross-phase support for families with a parent with cancer" (Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) Innovation Fond)
  Coordinator: Prof. Tim Henrik Brümmendorf, Aachen; Bonn: Prof. Franziska Geiser
• INTEGRATION program - "Combined nutritional and physical activity intervention during oncological therapy" (Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) Innovation Fond)
  Coordinator: PD Dr. Freerk T. Baumann, CIO Cologne; Prof. Sebastian Theurich, Munich; Bonn: Prof. Ingo Schmidt-Wolf
• LeiSe LebEr "Guidelines for Rare Liver Diseases - Autoimmune and Genetic Cholestatic Liver Diseases from Pediatrics to Adulthood." (GBA Innovationsfond)
  Coordinator: Prof. Ansgar Lohse, Uniklinik Hamburg-Eppendorf; Bonn: UKB
• Neo-CamCare "Use of Webcams in Neonatal Intensive Care Units" (Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) Innovation Fond)
  Coordinator: Dr. Nadine Scholten, Cologne; Bonn: Prof. Andreas Müller
• NEO-MILK "Breast milk banks: Implementation and promotion of lactation in German neonatal intensive care units" (Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) Innovation Fond)
  Coordinator: Dr. Nadine Scholten, Cologne; Bonn: Prof. Andreas Müller, Dr. Till Dresbach, Prof. Matthias Weigl, Judith Hammerschmidt
• PRO-P "Influence of electronic Patient Reported Outcomes (ePROMs) in surgical therapy for prostate cancer on the postoperative course."  (GBA Innovationsfond)
  Coordinator: Prof. Peter Albers, Uniklinikum Düsseldorf; Bonn: UKB
• P-SUP "Personalized Self-Management Support Program" (Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) Innovation Fond)
  Coordinator: Prof. Stephanie Stock, Cologne; Bonn: Prof. Birgitta Weltermann
• VERSKiK "Care following childhood or adolescent cancer" (Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) Innovation Fondd)
  Coordinator: PD Dr. Enno Swart, Magdeburg; Bonn: Abteilung für Pädriatische Onkologie und Hämatologie
• EnOB: ULTRA-F  "Ultrafiltration as an element of energy efficiency in drinking water hygiene"
• "Social Phobia Research: Understanding phenotypic dimensions and the genetic architecture of social anxiety disorder"; Dr. Andreas Forstner (Else Kröner Fresenius Foundation)
  "Functional Synthetic Human Neural Circuits" (Volkswagenstiftung)
  Coordinator: Prof Volker Busskamp
• "Helmholtz Excellence Network Initiative EXN: "Role of inflammation in neurodegenerative diseases"
  Co-Speaker: Prof. Gunther Hartmann, Prof. Eicke Latz, Prof. Joachim L. Schultze
• Hertie Network of Clinical Neuroscience
  Speaker: Prof. Anja Schneider, Prof. Heinz Beck
• Mildred-Scheel Early Career Center of the German Cancer Aid (Bonn/Cologne)

The Medical Faculty is excellently integrated into the university's network of disciplines and is well networked with the other faculties. In addition, the Medical Faculty is integrated into the scientific profile of the University of Bonn. Examples of successful interfaculty collaborations are: 

Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
The excellent collaboration with the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences is reflected in several joint research associations (e.g. Cluster of Excellence "ImmunoSensation") and institutions (e.g. Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Bonn Forum Biomedicine (BFB)). The collaboration of both faculties in research and teaching is closely coordinated and partly contractually regulated.

• Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation
• Pharmaceutical microbiology
• Bonn Forum Biomedicine

Other Faculties 

In addition, the Medical Faculty cooperates with the Faculty of Law and Political Science (e.g. "Center for Economics and Neuroscience" (CENs)), the Faculty of Philosophy (e.g. Institute for Science and Ethics (IWE)) and the Faculty of Agriculture (e.g. competence cluster DietBB, M.Sc. Crop Science). In the competence cluster DietBB, academic partners and institutes of the University of Bonn, the University Medical Center Bonn, the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), the German Nutrition Society (DGE) and industrial partners have joined forces to form a regional network to investigate the relationship between nutritional factors and the development, maintenance and impairment of cognitive abilities over the life course (BMBF funding). 

• Center for Economics and Neuroscience (CEN)
• Institute for Science and Ethics (IWE)
• Competence Cluster DietBB
• M.Sc. Crop Science

German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
The foundation of the DZNE in 2009 decisively strengthened translational research in Bonn. The close collaboration between working groups of the Neurosciences Research Center and the DZNE was further intensified by the occupation of the state-of-the-art DZNE building in 2016 in close proximity to the Neurocenter. The collaboration in clinical research is particularly close.

The establishment of a clinical research platform with its own clinical research areas (Clinical Trial Unit) in the DZNE building allows clinical studies to be conducted at the highest level. The clinical research platform conducts several large prospective observational and biomarker studies on neurodegenerative diseases together with the clinics of the Neurocenter. The Clinical Trial Unit of the DZNE is physically connected via a tunnel to the newly established Clinic for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Gerontopsychiatry in the new Bonn NPP (Neurology, Psychiatry and Psychosomatics).

Several clinicians of the Neurocenter have an affiliation in the DZNE at the same time. Since the foundation of the DZNE, several neuroscience professorships based on the Jülich model have been established together with the DZNE. The DZNE operates several technological platforms to which researchers of the Medical Faculty Bonn have access. Scientists of the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation² also work closely with the DZNE.

German Center for Infection Research (DZIF)
The overall concept of the DZIF (seven equal locations nationwide; administrative center at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig) was approved in spring 2012. In addition to substantial project funding in the areas of clinical infectiology, new viral infections and anti-infectives (the latter area is coordinated from Bonn as a focus for the entire DZIF), joint professorships are being established.

By locating these professorships in BMZ II, there will be interaction within DZIF as well as networking with the other research networks located there in the area of the research focus Immunosciences and Infection.

The Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior – caesar is mainly focused on neuroscience research. Caesar is closely linked to the Neuroscientific focus area through co-appointments with the Medical Faculty, close cooperation in collaborative projects (SFB 1089) and joint graduate schools  (BIGS Neuroscience, IMPRS „Brain and Behavior“).

J. Kerr has already been appointed to the Medical Faculty as W3 Professor of "Behavioral Neuroscience" based on the Jülich model, and an appointment of K. Briggman is planned.

The Medical Faculty Bonn works closely with the BfArM in the field of Translational Medicine. This includes in particular the processing of collaborative projects including a joint application for project funding as well as the joint use of research facilities, infrastructure and large-scale equipment.

In addition, there is close collaboration in the pharmaceutical research sector between the BfArM and the PharmaCenter of the University of Bonn. The collaboration in research and teaching includes joint courses in elective subjects and continuing education courses (e.g. Drug Regulatory Affairs), the provision of clinical traineeships and internships for medical doctoral students and pharmacy students, the use of laboratory resources and the library of the BfArM for training purposes, and the joint supervision of students (bachelor's and master's theses).

The "Center for Translational Medicine" was founded as a joint organizational structure with the participation of several professorships from the Medical Faculty and the BfArM. 

University of Cologne
The medical faculties of both neighboring sites combine expertise in the SFB 670, in the DZIF site Bonn-Cologne and in the CIO Cologne-Bonn, thus strengthening the Cologne-Bonn science region. In the case of W3 appointments, there is regular mutual consultation between the sites at professorial level.

Aachen University Clinic
In the Collaborative Research Center SFB/TRR 57, basic researchers, immunologists, hepatologists and nephrologists from Aachen and Bonn cooperate in several subprojects to analyze fibrosis mechanisms in liver and kidney.

Rhine Sieg College
A joint master's degree program in "Life Science Technologies" is planned with the Rhein Sieg College.