GRK 438:  Vascular Biology in Medicine

• Subject Area: Medicine
• Term: from 1998 to 2007
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 272399

Despite advances in prevention and treatment, cardiovascular disease remains the largest cause of death and disability world-wide. Coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, cerebral ischemia, stroke, hypertension, transplant rejections and vascular nephritis are manifestations of inflammatory, degenerative and proliferative processes within the vessel wall. Furthermore vascular processes play a central role in tumor formation and metastasis. A fundamental understanding of pathogenic mechanisms is essential for the development of new strategies for diagnosis, prevention, and therapy of these diseases. The program "Vascular Biology in Medicine" financed by the DFG and developed by the medical faculties of the University and Technical University of Munich assembles highly qualified pre- and postgraduate students of medicine, and postgraduate students of biology/biochemistry, chemistry and pharmacy. The graduates carry out research studies in vascular biology towards a doctoral degree (German MD or PhD). Based on an interdisciplinary approach the program offers students the opportunity to acquire a broad scientific knowledge in the biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology and cell biology of the vessel wall and the pathogenesis of vascular diseases as well the possibility to get trained in various methods of vascular cell biology, thereby receiving a broad education in this central biomedical research field.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Wolfgang Siess
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Richard Brandl; Professor Dr. Bernd Engelmann; Dr. Wolfgang Erl; Professor Dr. Markus Essler; Professor Dr. Meinrad Paul Gawaz; Professor Dr. Ulrich Hoffmann; Professor Dr. Franz Hofmann; Professor Dr. Matthias Kretzler; Professor Dr. Fritz Krombach; Professor Dr. Stefan Linder; Professor Dr. Reinhard Lorenz; Privatdozent Dr. Bruno Luckow; Professor Dr. Matthias Mack; Professor Dr. Steffen Massberg; Professor Dr. Peter Jon Nelson; Professor Dr. Ulrich Pohl; Professor Dr. Detlef Schlöndorff (†); Dr. Alois Sellmayer; Privatdozent Dr. Peter C. Weber; Privatdozent Dr. Michael Weis; Dr. Ralf Wienecke; Professorin Dr. Dietlind Zohlnhöfer-Momm