It is with great pleasure that the 23 principal investigators based in different research campuses, were awarded a funding extension from the DFG for their Collaborative Research Centre 1123 “Atherosclerosis: Mechanisms and Networks of Novel Therapeutic Targets”.
This large-scale collaborative effort, coordinated by IPEK director Prof. Christian Weber, encompasses a total of 20 multidisciplinary basic and clinical research projects which have been awarded a further €14,5 Million for a period of 4 years.
The scientists will continue to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and molecular networks in atherogenesis, atheroprogression as well as atherothrombosis and to improve the identification and validation of relevant therapeutic target candidates. To this end, state-of-the-art technology will be implemented, namely genome editing and conditional mouse models for gene deletion or lineage tracking, proteomics and bioinformatics, and novel methods extending the limits of visualization, such as multiphoton, nanoscopic, optoacoustic and Mass spectometry Imaging. The scientists have set themselves the ambitious goal to redefine the standards of target discovery and to close methodological gaps to monitor cell trafficking, behaviour, subcellular or molecular events in plaques and adventitia. The researchers ultimately hope to find valuable targets and therapeutic options which will not alter healthy immune responses and metabolic homeostasis.
