SFB 1540:  Exploring Brain Mechanics (EBM): Understanding, engineering and exploiting mechanical properties and signals in central nervous system development, physiology and pathology

• Subject Area: Medicine ; Biology ; Computer Science, Systems and Electrical Engineering ; Mechanical and Industrial Engineering ; Materials Science and Engineering ; Mathematics ; Physics
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 460333672

The central nervous system (CNS) is our most complex organ system. Despite decades of intense research, many fundamental processes and diseases are still not fully understood. While a large body of literature exists regarding the role of chemical signalling in regulating CNS function, only recently groups of several members in this consortium, and a few other groups worldwide, have discovered an important contribution of mechanical stimuli. The proposed CRC ‘EBM’ will synergise the expertise of engineers, physicists, biologists, medical researchers, and clinicians in Erlangen to explore mechanics as an important yet missing puzzle piece in our understanding of CNS development, homeostasis, and pathology. Our strongly multidisciplinary team with unique expertise in CNS mechanics will integrate advanced in vivo, in vitro, and in silico techniques across time (development, ageing, injury/disease) and length (cell, tissue, organ) scales to uncover how mechanical forces and mechanical cell and tissue properties, such as stiffness and viscosity, affect CNS function. We will especially focus on (A) cerebral, (B) spinal, and (C) cellular mechanics. In vivo and in vitro studies will provide a basic understanding of mechanics-regulated biological and biomedical processes in different regions of the CNS. In addition, they will help identify key mechano-chemical factors for inclusion in in silico models and provide data for model calibration and validation. In silico models, in turn, will allow for data transfer across species and scales. They will additionally enable us to optimise process parameters for in vitro engineered brain tissue and in vivo mechanical stimulation, and, eventually, pave the way for personalised clinical predictions. In summary, we will exploit mechanics-based approaches to advance our understanding of CNS function and to provide the foundation for future improvement of diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres

Current projects

• A01 - In silico modelling of brain malformations (Project Head Budday, Silvia )
• A02 - Quantitative characterisation of brain malformations (Project Heads Blümcke, Ingmar ;  Dörfler, Arnd ;  Paulsen, Friedrich )
• A03 - In vitro model for the mechanics of early brain development (Project Head Schambony, Alexandra )
• A04 - The role of mechanics in orchestrating neural lineage decisions (Project Heads Falk, Sven ;  Karow, Marisa )
• A05 - In vivo model for the mechanics of brain development (Project Head Franze, Kristian )
• B01 - In silico modelling of spinal cord Regeneration (Project Heads Budday, Silvia ;  Steinmann, Paul )
• B02 - Pre and post metamorphosis spinal cord regeneration in frogs (Project Head Franze, Kristian )
• B03 - The determinants of spinal cord mechanics in homeostasis (Project Heads Guck, Jochen ;  Möllmert, Stephanie )
• B04 - Spinal cord mechanics in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (Project Head Kürten, Stefanie )
• B05 - In vivo mechanical manipulation of spinal cord regeneration (Project Head Wehner, Daniel )
• C01 - In silico modelling of mechanical cell-matrix interactions (Project Heads Steinmann, Paul ;  Zaburdaev, Ph.D., Vasily )
• C02 - The role of mechanics for neuronal ‘plasticity’ (Project Head Frischknecht, Renato )
• C03 - The role of mechanics in synchronised neuronal activity (Project Head Kobow, Katja )
• C04 - Cellular differentiation in brain tissue-like matrices (Project Head Bosserhoff, Anja-Katrin )
• C05 - Molecular mechanisms of neuronal mechanotransduction (Project Head Fabry, Ben )
• IRTG - Integrated Research Training Group on EBM (Project Head Paulsen, Friedrich )
• X01 - Model-based reconciliation of ex vivo and in vivo test data (Project Heads Guo, Ph.D., Jing ;  Sack, Ingolf ;  Steinmann, Paul ;  Willner, Kai )
• X02 - Data analysis and machine learning for heterogeneous, cross-species data (Project Heads Breininger, Katharina ;  Maier, Andreas )
• X03 - Engineering brain- tissue-like matrices (Project Head Boccaccini, Aldo )
• Y - Establishing magnetic resonance elastography at FAU (Project Heads Dörfler, Arnd ;  Guo, Ph.D., Jing ;  Laun, Frederik B. ;  Sack, Ingolf )
• Z - Scientific coordination and fiscal administration (Project Head Steinmann, Paul )

• Applicant Institution: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
• Participating Institution: Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin; Max-Planck-Institut für die Physik des Lichts
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr.-Ing. Paul Steinmann