EXC 2030:  CECAD - Excellent in Aging Research

• Subject Area: Basic Research in Biology and Medicine ; Medicine
• Term: since 2019
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 390661388

Modern societies are facing a dramatic demographic change with an ever-increasing life expectancy that is concomitant with increased risk of age-associated diseases, e.g. diabetes and obesity, as well as skin, kidney, and neurodegenerative disorders. The landmark discovery that modification of specific signaling pathways can extend lifespan and reduce the incidence of age-associated diseases formed the scientific foundation of the Cologne Cluster of Excellence on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD) – to define the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying lifespan regulation as potential novel targets for prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of age-associated diseases. CECAD has actively recruited top basic researchers and clinician scientists who work in concert at the University of Cologne, the Max Planck Institutes for Biology of Ageing and for Metabolism Research, as well as the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Further, CECAD has effected massive infrastructural changes, which have firmly established the Cluster as one of the leading aging research centers in Europe. Moreover, CECAD’s strategic recruitment policy has generated a more international and inclusive research environment where female representation is high. In parallel, we have built up and will now further implement additional educational measures to better train the best global scientific talent at all academic levels. While previous work focused on defining the role of cell autonomous quality control pathways in aging and age-associated diseases, recent studies have highlighted the importance of interorgan communication and signals originating from the environment that control these processes, thereby opening up a new channel for identifying novel therapeutic targets. To better understand this increasing organismal complexity, CECAD will now consolidate and expand on its research program through investigations in three new research areas (RAs): RA-1: Cell autonomous control of homeostatic mechanisms and cellular stress responses in aging and age-associated diseases; RA-2: Stress response mechanisms of tissue-related and interorgan communication in aging and age-associated diseases; and RA-3: Environment/organism interactions in aging and age-associated diseases. We will also further develop our highly successful research platforms (RPs) on core facilities and technology development (RP-A), translational research activities (RP-B), as well as education, career development, gender equality, and public outreach activities and programs (RP-C). Importantly, to further enhance the Cluster’s translational studies, projects will now include unique, Europe-wide human cohorts. Collectively, these adjustments to and expansion of CECAD’s research program will not only enable this Cluster to continue to be at the forefront of world-class aging research, but will also provide a leading training site for aging researchers at all academic levels.

• DFG Programme: Clusters of Excellence (ExStra)
• Applicant Institution: Universität zu Köln
• Participating Institution: Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE); Max-Planck-Institut für Biologie des Alterns; Max-Planck-Institut für Stoffwechselforschung
• Spokespersons: Professor Dr. Thomas Benzing; Professor Dr. Thorsten Hoppe; Professorin Dr. Carien Niessen, since 1/2019
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Adam Antebi; Professor Dr. Andreas Beyer; Professor Dr. Oliver Cornely; Professorin Dr. Sabine Eming; Professor Jan Hoeijmakers, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Tamas Horvath; Professor Dr. Frank Jessen; Professorin Dr. Tatiana Korotkova; Professor Dr. Marcus Krüger; Professor Dr. Thomas Langer; Professorin Maria Leptin, Ph.D.; Professorin Dr. Linda Partridge; Professor Dr. Manolis Pasparakis; Professorin Dr. Elena Irene Rugarli; Professor Dr. Björn Schumacher; Professorin Dr. Eline Slagboom; Sophie Steculorum, Ph.D.; Professorin Dr. Aleksandra Trifunovic; Professorin Dr. Mirka Uhlirova; Professor Dario Riccardo Valenzano, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. David Vilchez