Projects

MIND - Mechanisms of Dietary Intervention in Neurodegenerative Disease

Alzheimer´s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease representing a burden on the global healthcare systems. It severely affects quality of life and lifespan of patients, and up to date, no real cure or prophylaxis has been found.
The gut-microbiota-brain-axis has been identified as a central link between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system. Targeted nutritional interventions can be a promising approach to influence the axis in a beneficial way.
Our pilot studies, funded by an LMU Excellence Grant, showed a significant reduction in amyloid plaques in the brains of 5xFAD mice supplemented with prebiotic fibre. In collaboration with the Imhof group at the BMC, the Martin-Luther-Universität Halle, and the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in Berlin, we keep working on this topic.

 

Metabolic Challenge

The metabolic syndrome and resulting diabetes mellitus type 2 are metabolic diseases of high and rising global prevalence. Lifestyle and dietary factors are involved in the development. Diabetes type 2 is typically chronic and comes with severe complications, causing disability or even death. Thus, early diagnostic biomarkers as well as preventive and curative measures are of critical importance.
Translational research addresses these points in different animal models. In this context, pigs are an excellent biomedical model. However, purely nutritionally induced diabetes type 2 has not yet been modelled in pigs.
The DFG project investigating GIPRdn transgenic pigs under nutritionally induced metabolic stress was conducted in collaboration with many LMU institutes (Faculty for Veterinary Medicine, especially the Chair for Animal Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty for Medicine, and KUM), as well as the University of Leipzig and the Metabolomics Unit of the Helmholtz Center Munich. The study took place at the Center for Innovative Medical Models (CiMM) thanks to the support of Eckhard Wolf, Simone Renner, and team.

 

Starch digestion

Starch is a complex polysaccharide consisting of amylose and amylopectin units, which in turn are chains of glucose molecules. Its characteristics depend on botanical source and processing, thus influencing enzymatic accessibility and digestibility. In addition, there are distinct species differences relating to starch digestion. Since starch is one of the main sources of energy in feed for many species, including laboratory rodents, understanding the digestion process is critical.
We are interested in the effect of diet processing and composition on starch digestibility and the intestinal microbiome in laboratory rodents. Our studies hitherto, partly funded by the Schaumann Foundation, show that both factors have significant influence on the animals´ phenotype but are often overlooked in study planning. This is highly relevant in terms of comparability between experiments and Refinement as part of the 3R principles.
In a project on the peri-weaning phase, we gathered the first data on pancreatic amylase development in laboratory mice.

 

Trace minerals and fertility

Together with the University of Nottingham, we are conducting a project on the influence of trace minerals on fertility. This translational project is funded by a SVMS Strategic Research Fund.
Given the decrease of male fertility in developed countries, this project is of translational relevance for the human population.

 

fAminoTWO

In collaboration with the University of Göttingen, we are part of a DFG project on protein reduction in broiler chickens. This is a topic of high relevance in terms of food and feed resources, sustainability, and environmental aspects.