EXC 294:  Centre for Biological Signalling Studies (bioss) - From Analysis to Synthesis

• Subject Area: Basic Research in Biology and Medicine
• Term: from 2007 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 39236281

Biological signalling processes are of fundamental importance for the development and maintenance of cells and cellular activities in living organisms. Therefore, signalling studies provide solutions to essential biological questions and problems. For example, the problem of how to maintain stem cells in vivo and expand them ex vivo will only be solved if we understand and learn how to manipulate the signals that regulate the proliferation and differentiation programmes in cells. Furthermore, many human diseases are caused by deregulation of signalling, and a better understanding of these processes will have a major impact on medical research and practise. The Centre of Biological Signalling Studies (bioss) in Freiburg will investigate the key mechanisms of biological signalling in a new, highly interdisciplinary and cross-systems approach.
The central research idea of bioss is to initiate and promote a dialectic process between scientists using analytical (dissecting) and synthetical (rebuilding) approaches in signalling research. This includes the introduction of synthetic biology as a new research and teaching topic at the University of Freiburg. To support the innovative research and education programme of bioss we install four W3 tenure track professorships, five junior research groups (competitive tenure-track) and five positions for independent postdocs ("signalling incubator").
The bioss centre will also harbour the bioss toolbox, a resource centre for signalling engineers, two new machines for pathway assembly and image analysis as well as a modern technical platform for gene and protein analysis. The dynamic structure of bioss includes programmes for female scientists and for training signal engineering students. Know-how transfer is a central goal of bioss and will be acquired through a dedicated technology transfer marketing. bioss will increase the international visibility and the efficiency of signalling scientists in Freiburg and allow them to reach a comprehensive understanding of the cellular signalling machinery in health and disease.

• DFG Programme: Clusters of Excellence
• Applicant Institution: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
• Participating Institution: Fraunhofer-Institut für Physikalische Messtechnik (IPM); Max-Planck-Institut für Immunbiologie und Epigenetik
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Michael Reth
• Participating Researchers: Professorin Asifa Akhtar, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Christoph Borner; Professor Dr.-Ing. Thomas Brox; Professorin Dr. Leena Kaarina Bruckner-Tuderman; Professor Dr. Karsten Buse; Professor Dr. Wolfgang Driever; Professor Dr. Bernd Fakler; Professor Dr. Rudolf Grosschedl; Professorin Dr. Carola Hunte; Professor Dr. Hassan Jumaa; Professor Dr. Thomas Laux; Professorin Dr. Virginie Lecaudey; Professor Dr. Chris Meisinger; Professor Dr. Christoph Peters; Professor Dr. Nikolaus Pfanner; Professorin Dr. Sabine Karola Rospert; Professor Dr. Winfried Römer; Professor Dr. Roland Schüle; Professor Dr. V. Prasad Shastri; Professor Dr. Jens Timmer; Professor Dr. Gerd Walz; Professorin Dr. Bettina Warscheid; Professor Dr. Wilfried Weber; Professor Dr.-Ing. Roland Zengerle