Experimentation Spaces

The project ‘X4Neuro – XAI for Digital Neuropathology’ is led by Dr Jennifer Hannig (THM) and Dr Daniel Amsel (JLU) in collaboration with Prof. Dr Frank Bittner (THM) and Prof. Dr Andreas Brückner (JLU). It combines artificial intelligence with neuropathology to develop explainable AI (XAI) that enables more accurate diagnoses of brain tumours. By analysing digital tissue images using state-of-the-art image processing and AI methods, the aim is to speed up diagnostics and make them comprehensible to medical professionals. The aim is to strengthen the connection between medicine and AI and promote trust in these technologies.

Insect cells could play an important role in biotechnological production – for example, in the development of new products for agriculture. However, their use has been expensive to date because special nutrient solutions are required. Under the leadership of Prof. Dr Michael Wolff (THM) and Prof. Dr Andreas Vilcinskas (JLU), researchers are developing cost-effective alternatives. To this end, they are focusing on by-products from the bioeconomy, such as molasses or insect components. The goal is to reduce media costs and create new applications.

Under the direction of Prof. Dr Gerd Manthei (THM), a research team is investigating how much stress concrete sleepers in the track bed are subjected to and what consequences this has. The aim is to understand the causes and effects of cracks in concrete sleepers and to develop measures to improve their durability – artificial intelligence (AI) is also being used in the analysis of acoustic emissions, for example. The team also includes Prof. Dr Michael Guckert (THM), Prof. Dr Frank Lademann (THM) and Prof. Dr Bernhard Seeger (UMR).

This project focuses on darobactin, a newly discovered antibiotic that specifically targets a protein in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria that is essential for their survival. Darobactin is particularly interesting because it could also be effective against dangerous, multi-resistant infections. However, to prevent bacteria from becoming resistant to darobactin, new variants must be developed. To this end, the research team led by Prof. Dr Raphael Reher (UMR) and Prof. Dr Till Schäberle (JLU) is using an innovative approach called ‘native metabolomics’. This involves examining natural metabolites of microorganisms in order to discover new substances that have the same target as Darobactin.

Prof. Dr Maren Ziegler (JLU, Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Marine Holobiomics Lab) and Prof. Dr Ralf Jacob (UMR, Centre for Synthetic Microbiology, Institute of Cytobiology) are leading the HeatMap project. Together, they aim to visualise the temperature distribution within photosynthetically active cells for the first time. Using novel fluorescent dyes, they are investigating microalgae of the genus Symbiodiniaceae, which live in corals and play a crucial role in their heat tolerance. The project combines expertise in marine ecosystem research and cell biology microscopy, thus making an innovative contribution to our understanding of heat dynamics in cells. In the long term, the results could help us to better understand coral bleaching, develop heat-resistant crops and improve climate models.

Dr Anna Lena Jung (UMR, Institute for Lung Research) and Prof. Dr Christoph Rummel (JLU, Institute for Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry) are researching the previously little-understood connection between the lungs and the brain. Lung diseases such as COVID-19 or bacterial infections can trigger neurological symptoms and are suspected of increasing the long-term risk of neurodegenerative diseases. AERO is investigating how so-called extracellular vesicles (EVs) – tiny transport particles from immune cells in the lungs or from pathogens – transmit inflammatory signals to the brain, where they activate immune cells. Using state-of-the-art molecular biology methods, the team aims to elucidate how lung infections trigger neuroinflammatory processes. The results could enable new therapeutic approaches and diagnostic procedures and make an important contribution to understanding the communication between the lungs and the brain.

Led by Prof. Dr Julia Weigand (UMR) and Dr Christin Müller-Ruttloff (JLU), this project investigates how coronaviruses package their RNA into new viral particles. It focuses on interactions between viral RNA and the nucleocapsid protein to identify key packaging signals. Understanding these mechanisms may open the door to innovative antiviral strategies with broad-spectrum potential.

Led by Prof. Dr Markus Degünther (THM) and Prof. Dr Andreas Kirschbaum (UMR), OPTI-Q develops an optical system to assess the quality of laparoscopic vessel sealing in real time. High-resolution imaging and smart algorithms aim to enhance surgical safety and reduce complications. The system is designed for integration into existing operating platforms.

Verbal politeness in the acquisition and use of German as a foreign/second language: pragmatic routines and linguistic means

Full title: EPIC-CAM – 3R-compliant CAM model for investigating the effect of the epi-drug guadecitabine using the epigenome

Led by Prof. Dr Jan Christoph Goldschmidt (UMR), Prof. Dr Sangam Chatterjee (JLU) SuPer develops sustainable, indium-free transparent electrodes for perovskite tandem solar cells. The project aims to overcome raw-material bottlenecks and enable next-generation sustainable photovoltaics.

When does the beginning of the end start? Idiosyncratic symbols for dying and incurability from the perspective of patients in palliative care

Led by Dr Anca-Laura Amati and Prof. Dr Andreas Hecker(JLU) and Dr Jennifer Hannig and Prof. Dr Michael Guckert (THM), VisSURG-AID builds a high-quality image dataset to enable future AI-based decision-support systems in surgery. Such systems aim to support surgeons intraoperatively and reduce the risk of subjective errors.

Full title: Carcinoembryonic Cell Adhesion Molecule 6-Targeted EVs for Raft-Localised Reporter Delivery (CRAFT)

Dr Antje Richter from the Institute of Genetics at the University of Giessen and Prof. Denise Salzig from the Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology at THM Giessen are collaborating on this project. In a feasibility study, they are investigating the possibility of stopping the growth of tumour cells in 3D cultures. Together, they are investigating the role of epigenetics in the development of cancer and optimising the application of cell culture techniques in this context. This collaboration enables an interdisciplinary approach and promises new insights for cancer research. They are using an innovative system called EpiEdit, which is based on epigenetic editing. Epigenetic changes are chemical modifications of DNA that influence gene activity. In the case of tumours, certain tumour suppressor genes are silenced by excessive DNA methylation, leading to uncontrolled cell growth.

Prof. Jens Klose (THM) and Prof. Peter Tillmann (JLU) conduct research into the effects of monetary policy on financial markets and the economy as a whole. The reaction of financial markets to ECB policy is already a well-researched area of study in which both the written and spoken word have been analysed and made quantifiable. The project aims to transfer this to the new field of facial expressions, where AI opens up new technical possibilities for investigation. The ECB's regular press conferences provide a highly structured format that makes it easy to evaluate facial expressions using AI facial analysis. The influence of facial expressions can then be measured in real time based on the reactions of the financial markets. This should provide insight into the relationship between facial expressions and market reactions, thereby improving our understanding of the transmission of monetary policy to the financial markets.

In this project, Dr Mareike Grotheer (UMR) and Prof. Daniel Kaiser (JLU) are investigating how mathematics and reading are processed in the brains of typical adults. What makes this project special is that it combines two different imaging techniques: MRI, which provides accurate spatial resolution but poor temporal resolution, and EEG, which does not provide good spatial resolution but does provide accurate temporal localisation. The combination of both techniques should provide information about how the activity that can be seen spatially in the brain is located temporally; in other words, when and where exactly increased activity in the brain can be found. Overall, the aim is to establish and expand the method of linking MRI and EEG (EEG-MRI fusion analysis) so that other issues, such as the development of maths and reading skills in childhood, can also be researched using this method.

Under the leadership of Dr Frederic Hanusch (JLU) and Prof. Sven Opitz (UMR), this project is developing a novel research framework that jointly examines planetary processes and social dynamics. While the natural sciences have been analysing the Earth system holistically for decades, a comparable planetary perspective has been lacking in the humanities and social sciences. The project therefore examines three central interfaces between the planet and society – the geosphere, biosphere and magnetosphere – and shows how earthquakes, metabolic processes and space weather shape social orders. With this concept, the team is laying the foundation for future joint research on planetary-human relations at the Universities of Giessen and Marburg, while also strengthening the research profile of the Panel on Planetary Thinking.

Led by Dr Kilian-Simon Baumann (THM) and PD Dr Ulrike Theiß (UMR), this project aims to improve our understanding of biological radiation effects in proton and carbon-ion therapy. By validating the Monte-Carlo code Geant4-DNA, which models radiation transport and its chemical and biological consequences at the cellular level, the project will benchmark simulations against experimental data. Irradiation experiments at the Marburg Ion Beam Therapy Centre, combined with chemical dosimetry and cellular DNA-damage analyses, will be used to refine the model parameters. A validated code will help reduce the need for costly, time-consuming cell experiments and will significantly advance mechanistic research in particle radiation biology.

Led by Dr Jan Schuller (UMR), Prof Ritva Tikkanen (JLU) and Dr Christoph Hudemann (UMR), this project investigates the molecular basis of Pemphigus vulgaris, a severe autoimmune blistering disease. In PV, autoantibodies target desmosomal adhesion proteins, causing loss of cell–cell attachment and extensive blister formation. The team applies state-of-the-art cryo-electron microscopy, cryo-tomography and biophysical analyses to visualise desmosomes and their interactions with the cytoskeleton at unprecedented resolution. By characterising the binding of pathogenic monoclonal and patient-derived polyclonal antibodies, the project aims to unravel key disease mechanisms and pave the way for more targeted and personalised therapeutic strategies.

Full title: EpiCure4C - Epigenetic Editing by plant based glycosylase for Inhibition of Cancer using RNAbased EpiEdit_ for Collaboration and Technology Transfer

Led by Dr Daniel Wendt (UMR) and Prof Peter von Möllendorff (JLU), this project explores the interplay between the aesthetic form of satire and its communicative and political impact. Recent public controversies – such as the debates surrounding politically charged satire in the Böhmermann case – illustrate how satirical expression simultaneously embodies artistic freedom, social provocation and real-world consequences.

Project leads: PD Dr Lutz Konrad (JLU) and Prof Jörg-Walter Bartsch (JLU)
This project explores novel diagnostic and therapeutic avenues for endometriosis and adenomyosis, two common yet insufficiently understood conditions associated with severe pain. It focuses on the proteases MMP7, MMP10 and ADAM8, which play key roles in the cyclical breakdown of the endometrium and show altered regulation in affected patients. Using endometrial cell models, the team aims to clarify their hormonal regulation, their contribution to tissue remodelling and their potential as diagnostic markers. The project seeks to deepen understanding of disease mechanisms and to pave the way for earlier diagnosis and more targeted treatment strategies.

The project swAMPy, led by Prof. Dr. Franz Cemič (THM) and Prof. Dr. Alexander Goesmann (JLU), is developing innovative bioinformatic workflows for discovering new antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in publicly accessible genomes. The aim is to establish a scalable and reproducible methodology that uses modern AI and machine learning techniques to identify potential AMP candidates. These peptides could provide a promising basis for new active substances to combat antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

The project ‘Role of the TRPM3 channel in LPS-induced sickness behaviour’, led by Dr Stephan Leisengang (JLU) and Prof. Dr Johannes Oberwinkler (UMR), investigates the role of the TRPM3 ion channel in inflammatory symptoms such as fever, pain perception and behavioural changes. Using a telemetry system and in vitro studies, the function of the TRPM3 channel is being researched at the molecular level to gain new insights into neuroinflammatory processes. This knowledge could form the basis for innovative therapeutic approaches.

Prof. Dr Lienhard Schmitz (JLU), Prof. Dr Johannes Graumann (UMR) and Dr Vera Saul (JLU) are investigating the role of RNA in inflammation. They are looking at how RNA is involved in the formation of certain protein complexes that control inflammation. The aim is to gain a better understanding of how RNA influences the structure and behaviour of these protein complexes. The research could provide new insights into the development of inflammation and lay important foundations for future studies and new treatment approaches.

Dr Reihaneh Mostolizadeh (JLU, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology) and Prof. Dr Bernd Schmeck (UMR, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine) are investigating how human metapneumovirus (HMPV) affects the metabolism of infected cells. HMPV causes flu-like illnesses and can trigger severe symptoms, particularly in children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. As there is currently no vaccine or targeted therapy available, the team aims to use a computer-assisted model at the metabolic level to understand how the virus interacts with human cells. By comparing healthy and infected cells, the aim is to identify metabolic vulnerabilities that could serve as targets for new antiviral drugs. The project thus makes an important contribution to a better understanding of virus-host interactions and to the development of new treatment strategies against HMPV.