Better understanding of diabetes and high blood pressure: Biomedical research at H-BRS strengthened

DFG-Projekt Althaus Preller Sass 120724 2 Foto Daniela Greulich

Another success for biomedical research at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS): the German Research Foundation (DFG) is supporting projects by Professors Mike Althaus, Matthias Preller and Jörn Oliver Sass with a total of 700,000 euros. Last year, the DFG had already funded the purchase of four new analysers - these are now playing an important role. The projects focus on knowledge-oriented basic research to better understand common diseases such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, as well as rare metabolic disorders.

Department of Natural Sciences

DFG Projekt Studentin Chamoda Nilukshi Alankara Professor Jörn Oliver Sass 120724 Foto Daniela Greulich

In the lab: Professor Jörn Oliver Sass with Bachelor student Chamoda Nilukshi Alankara. Photo: Daniela Greulich

In his project, Professor Jörn Oliver Sass is investigating disorders of human valine catabolism. In some disorders in the breakdown of the amino acid valine, 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid accumulates. "But we don't yet know what the consequences of this are," says Professor Sass. With the help of cultured cells, he wants to investigate proteins and mechanisms - there are some indications that malfunctions may be linked to diabetes and effects on the nervous system. To this end, the biochemist is also analysing the effects of the altered genes on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. "With our research, we hope to gain a better understanding of rare metabolic disorders and to be able to draw conclusions about more common diseases," says Sass.

DFG-Projekt Althaus Preller 120724 Foto Daniela Greulich

Professors Mike Althaus (left) and Matthias Preller with the DFG-funded binding measurement device. Photo: Daniela Greulich

In another project, professors Mike Althaus and Matthias Preller are investigating the epithelial sodium channel, an ion channel that plays a key role in the regulation of salt and water balance. "But we don't know how these control mechanisms work," explains Preller. "We want to understand this better." This is because malfunctions of the sodium channel are associated with diseases such as high blood pressure or cystic fibrosis. "The sodium channel is a kind of tunnel in the cell membrane," explains Professor Mike Althaus. "We want to find out how the so-called "gating" works, meaning how the door opens or closes, and which factors influence this."

Basis is the large-scale equipment funding from last year

In the two projects, the three professors use the four DFG-funded large-scale devices of the "Analysis Platform for Molecular Mechanisms and Cellular Functions", which have been located in the biology laboratories in Rheinbach since August 2023. The project funding is an in-kind grant for personnel and materials. The application was only made possible by the previously successful large-scale equipment application (binding analyser based on microscale thermophoresis; a device for studies on enzyme kinetics and imaging investigations on human cell lines and nematodes; an automated patch clamp system; a device for high-resolution activity measurements on membrane transporters).

Knowledge transfer is an important task of a university of applied sciences. "But we also need to create knowledge," says Preller. "If you know how the mechanisms we are investigating work, you can develop drugs, for example," explains Althaus.

Distinctive profile in the life sciences

"The two successful applications show that biomedical research at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg is once again making progress and developing further," emphasises Sass. In recent years, researchers at the Rheinbach site have had to deal with the consequences of the flood disaster in July 2021. The well-equipped new biology laboratories are now up and running and are once again enabling research at the highest level. The university has a strong profile in the life sciences. Collaborative work across working group or institute boundaries is a top priority.

Working across institute boundaries in the DFG project "CytoTransport"

Collaborative work across institute boundaries is also an important aspect of the "CytoTransport" project, which is currently being launched. This cutting-edge research project at H-BRS is about establishing an interdisciplinary research centre for transport mechanisms in cells and their molecular interactions. The university's project is one of ten nationwide that the DFG has selected for its "Forschungsimpulse" programme. H-BRS will receive around six million euros over the next five years for the programme. This is the first time that the DFG has funded collaborative projects at universities of applied sciences.

Caption press photos: Professors Jörn Oliver Sass, Mike Althaus and Matthias Preller (from left) at the Rheinbach Campus. Photo: H-BRS