News Archive
DFG funds autophagy research network
November 2015. Scientists from Frankfurt and Mainz have successfully applied for funding to establish a Collaborative Research Centre (SFB) on the molecular mechanisms of selective autophagy. Autophagy literally means „self-eating“ and describes a process by which the cell recycles harmful ballast like aggregated proteins, damaged organelles or even bacterial invaders. The centre will be funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) with 11 million € for the next four years. This new SFB 1177 is the first large-scale collaborative network in Germany in this highly competitive field of research. 
Several CEF members including CEF speaker Volker Dötsch, Ivan Dikic, Christian Behrends, Anja Bremm, Andreas Ernst, Simone Fulda, Stefan Knapp, Heinz Osiewacz and Christian Pohl are part of the core of scientists from Goethe University within the network. Other partners are the University Medical Centre in Mainz, the Georg-Speyer-Haus in Frankfurt and the Institute of Molecular Biology in Mainz.
The success of the SFB application follows a longterm strategic investment in autophagy research by the participating institutions. The funding by the DFG will now give a powerful impetus for the network, also strengthening the position of the Rhine Main scientists on the international stage. More ...
Contact
Ivan Dikic
Institute of Biochemistry II
Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences
Goethe University Frankfurt
Frankfurt (Main), Germany
ivan.dikic@biochem2.de