Cologne Scientists Receive DFG Funding for Proteastais Research
The German Research Foundation (DFG) has established five new research groups to address pressing scientific questions. This decision was made by the DFG's Main Committee based on
In total, these research groups will receive approximately 19 million euros in funding, including program allowances for indirect project costs. In addition to the new groups, the DFG has also approved extensions for four existing research groups, one clinical research group, and one collegiate research group. Research groups receive funding for up to eight years and play a crucial role in fostering innovative research directions.
One of these newly established research groups focuses on the study of organismal proteostasis. This highly relevant research initiative is coordinated by CECAD Prof. Dr. David Vilchez and Prof. Dr. Thorsten Hoppe (University of Cologne), who are also Principal Investigators at the Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC).
Proteostasis is a crucial mechanism for maintaining cellular function by ensuring that proteins are properly folded, regulated, and degraded. Disruptions in this process can lead to severe conditions such as metabolic disorders, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. The research group aims to decipher how proteostasis is regulated at the organismal level through interactions between different tissues and how it responds to environmental and metabolic changes.
The approval of this research group underlines the importance of proteostasis and shows that the scientists from University of Cologne are part of this groundbreaking initiative. They will make an important contribution to the understanding of fundamental mechanisms of ageing and age-related diseases.
Official DFG Press Release:
https://www.dfg.de/de/service/presse/pressemitteilungen/2025/pressemitteilung-nr-06
Scientific contact:
Prof. Dr. David Vilchez
dvilchez[at]uni-koeln.de
This message has been modified by the CMMC (K. Heber & D. Grosskopf-Kroiher) and is based on the text provided by Tanio Calabres (CECAD Cologne).