Else Kröner Excellence Fellowships 2023 awarded to outstanding physicians
The individual Excellence Fellowships – each of which is endowed with 350,000 euros – are going to the following eight candidates:
Else Kröner Graduate Schools for Medical Students 2023
EKFS wants to arouse enthusiasm for research among interested and talented university students working toward a degree in medicine. Through the doctoral programs students receive the opportunity to carry out a demanding doctoral candidacy and become acquainted with career paths in science. Each of the following three doctoral programs in Jena, Mainz and Regensburg, Germany receives a grant amounting to 900,000 euros.
Towards more efficient therapies for immune-mediated kidney diseases through better understanding of B cell and plasma cell development
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) affects around 10% of the global population and is one of the leading causes of death. Approximately 20% of CKD cases are due to immune-mediated diseases such as Membranous Nephropathy or ANCA-associated Vasculitis. These diseases vary greatly in their course, ranging from mild and self-limiting to severe and inadequately treatable. B and plasma cells play a key role in their pathogenesis. The goal of this project is to investigate the differences in the development and maintenance of B and plasma cell memory across various disease trajectories.
Translational Optoacoustic Biomarkers for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases
Treatment of children and adolescents is becoming increasingly complex and structures are being addressed at an even smaller level - right down to the genes. However, physicians often lack monitoring tools for objective assessment of treatment success. In the future, innovative, non-invasive imaging techniques such as optoacoustics could provide corresponding molecular tissue information, even in the smallest patients. Furthermore, this molecular-sensitive ultrasound can be used to translate findings from animal experiments directly into clinical applications.
Individualized risk assessment using artificial intelligence and molecular imaging in prostate carcinoma patients
The advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) opens new possibilities in medical imaging analysis. AI algorithms can non-invasively analyze tumors and make prognoses. Collaborating with a group of international medical treatment centers, we are gathering data from prostate cancer patients who have undergone a specific type of molecular imaging (PSMA PET) before radio-oncological treatment. The aim is to develop specialized AI algorithms to improve therapy planning, better characterize tumors, and assist doctors in prognosis assessment.
Sector-overarching assessments after stroke – Predictors of stroke recovery in personalized stroke rehabilitation
Recovery after stroke exhibits considerable variability. In the sector-overarching stroke registry, RECOVER-S, patients are longitudinally assessed, examining both neurological and psychological recovery, as well as evaluating the characteristic of received rehabilitation. Specialized MRI and blood tests aim to enhance our ability to predict recovery. RECOVER-S integrates various stakeholders in stroke care, including patients. In a registry-based study, we explore the impact of wearable sensors on motivation and the recovery trajectory of stroke patients during rehabilitation.