Wir überwinden Grenzen

Two Collaborative Research Centers led by or involving researchers from the Faculty of Medicine - University of Freiburg and the Medical Center - University of Freiburg newly approved, another extended / Topics are digitalization and the immune system

The German Research Foundation is funding University Medicine in Freiburg with a total of 37 million euros: a Collaborative Research Center (CRC) on Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, led by researchers from the Medical Center - University of Freiburg and the Faculty of Medicine - University of Freiburg, and a Collaborative Research Center-Transregio on cellular suicide, in which the Medical Center - University of Freiburg is significantly involved, have been newly approved. A Collaborative Research Center on immunodeficiencies and a new Collaborative Research Center Transregio with significant Freiburg participation were extended. Another SFB of the Faculty of Medicine - University of Freiburg was also extended. All funding applications will run for four years.

"The funding of these research projects by the DFG is a great sign of the research strength of the Faculty of Medicine and the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. My heartfelt congratulations go to all the scientists involved," says Prof. Dr. Lutz Hein, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine - University of Freiburg and member of the Executive Board of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg.

Finding complex patterns in small data sets using AI

The use of artificial intelligence even with relatively small medical data sets is the central topic of the new Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1597 "Small Data". The spokesperson is Prof. Dr. Harald Binder, Director of the Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics (IMBI) at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding the new Collaborative Research Center with over 11 million euros until June 2027. Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques often require large data sets, also known as "big data". Medical data, on the other hand, is often only available in relatively small numbers. These "small data" applications make it much more difficult to use data-hungry artificial intelligence approaches. This requires a highly interdisciplinary approach. The new Collaborative Research Center is developing methods for discovering complex patterns in relatively small data sets using artificial intelligence and modelling techniques.

"The new Collaborative Research Center 'Small Data' will significantly advance data-driven medicine and the use of artificial intelligence in clinical research and treatment. The detailed analysis and processing of medical data is an important basis for the quality-centered, cutting-edge university medicine that we want to offer our patients," says Prof. Dr. Frederik Wenz, Chief Medical Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg.

Focus on the immunological paradox

Since 2015, the Collaborative Research Center SFB 1160 "IMPATH - Immunopathology due to Impaired Immune Responses" has been researching the connection between immunodeficiencies and excessive immune responses. The DFG has now also approved a third funding period and is supporting it with ten million euros. The spokesperson of the Collaborative Research Center is Prof. Dr. Stephan Ehl, Medical Director of the Institute of Immunodeficiency at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. The research focuses on the apparent contradiction that excessive or misdirected immune reactions can be the result of immune reactions that are too weak. This correlation, known as the immunological paradox, can be seen, for example, in the immune disease HLH, when phagocytes of the immune system attack the body's own red blood cells. Because invading germs are not properly combated due to a genetic defect, this ultimately leads to excessive and misdirected activation of the phagocytes. Corresponding immune diseases could therefore be treated with drugs that promote or stabilize the immune response instead of suppressing the immune response as has been the case up to now.

"The success of the IMPATH Collaborative Research Center once again demonstrates the high quality of immunological research in Freiburg. The close cooperation between clinical research and basic research is particularly convincing," says Hein.

Research into dying cells

Controlled cell death is of central importance for the development and survival of multicellular organisms, for example for the elimination of old, infected or degenerated cells. The new Collaborative Research Center/Transregio (CRC-TRR) 353 "Regulation of cell death decisions" under the leadership of the University of Konstanz has set itself the task of shedding more light on these processes and finding new therapeutic approaches. The Freiburg projects will receive around two million euros.

"Our goal is to better understand the molecular mechanisms that underlie controlled cell death. We could then use this knowledge, for example, to develop new therapeutic approaches," said Prof. Dr. Georg Häcker, Medical Director of the Institute for Microbiology and Hygiene at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Vice-Speaker of the CRC-TRR 353 and coordinator of the Freiburg research projects.

"Research into controlled cell death affects almost all areas of medicine. Therefore, a better fundamental understanding can open the door to many new medical applications. I am very pleased that this research is being carried out with a significant Freiburg contribution in a strong consortium," says Hein.

Understanding cellular protein machinery

The Collaborative Research Centre 1381 "Dynamic Organization of Cellular Protein Machineries: From Biogenesis and Modular Assembly to Function", whose spokesperson is Prof. Dr. Chris Meisinger from the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Faculty of Medicine - University of Freiburg, has been extended for another four years. The researchers will receive around 14 million euros from the DFG.

Further information:

SFB 1597 www.smalldata-initiative.de/

SFB 1160 www.sfb1160.uni-freiburg.de

SFB 1381 www.sfb1381.uni-freiburg.de