GRK 1089:  Protein Interactions and Modifications in Heart

• Subject Area: Medicine
• Term: from 2005 to 2009
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 447482

Proteins are subject to a variety of posttranslational modifications and dynamically engaged in multiple interactions with each other. These two processes massively enhance the complexity of the primary genetic information as stored in the genome. The dynamic interplay of protein modification and complex formation is currently viewed to critically determine most of the outcome of biological processes.The Research Training Group aims at applying this new concept to cardiovascular research and to study the significance of interactions and modifications of key proteins for defined cardiac functions, such as myocardial energy utilisation, hypertrophy, signal transduction, apoptosis, necrosis, and the interaction of the extracellular matrix with platelets. In this effort we combine several strengths of ours, including advanced proteomics and interactomics, confocal microscopy of living cells, various gene-modified animal models, and clinical investigations of cardiac patients, which are all established within the initiative. Thus, we are in a position to address the role of the entire chain linking genome - proteome - interactome - function and relating the above pathological processes to corresponding clinical conditions. By an extended interaction of this Research Training Group with the Collaborative Research Centre 612 we will create a coherent and focused research cooperative that goes beyond the aims of this proposal and will allow for coordinated investigations of cardiovascular research issues by multiple approaches. Moreover, by a concerted action of institutions of basic sciences, applied sciences and clinical investigation, we will be able to provide in this Research Training Group a sound and comprehensive teaching programme, both for medics and natural scientists. In this context, we intend-- to recruit young basic scientist and medical students devoting their career to cardiovascular research, to train them in collaborative and interactive scientific work, and to improve the education of young scientist, who may contribute to the Collaborative Research Centre 612 (or similar such outfits) at a later stage of their career,-- to establish a new scientific and interdisciplinary focus on cardiovascular research, and-- to promote the education of high potentials within the Düsseldorfer Research Training Group.These ambitious aims are supported by an innovative educational concept, which utilises an e-learning platform already established for a coordinated management of learning and knowledge throughout the entire research intiative.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Friedrich Boege; Professor Dr. Ulrich K.M. Decking; Professor Dr. Malte Kelm; Dr. Sabine Metzger; Professor Dr. Bernd Nürnberg; Professor Dr. Wolfgang Schlack; Professor Dr. Jürgen Schrader; Professor Dr. Klaus Schulze-Osthoff; Professor Dr. Artur-Aron Weber
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Axel Gödecke, since 11/2005