Else Kröner Clinician Scientist Professorships 2022: Funding of professorships in nephrology, neurology and neuroradiology

Bad Homburg v.d. Höhe, February 16, 2023 – Last year the foundation Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS) awarded three Else Kröner Clinician Scientist Professorships. Within the scope of this funding line, which had announced its first call for applications in 2019, successful and advanced Clinician Scientists were called upon in 2022 to apply for an Else Kröner Clinician Scientist Professorship for the fourth time, a position funded by EKFS and designed for a maximum of ten years. Each professorship is endowed with a total of up to one million euros.

Deciphering and Overcoming Resistance Towards Afatinib in NRG1 Rearranged Cancers

In a subset of cancers, a gene fusion involving NRG1 drives tumor growth. NRG1 activates signaling pathways that are inhibited by the drug afatinib. However, the response to therapy is limited by the development of resistance. The aim of this project is to decipher afatinib resistance mechanisms and therapeutic targets in resistant cells. For this purpose, genes in NRG1-driven tumor cells are switched on or off and their influence on afatinib sensitivity is assessed. Resistant cells are characterized molecularly and used for screening with combination therapies.

Else Kröner Wiedereinstiegsförderung für forschende Ärztinnen und Ärzte

Ziel der Ausschreibung der Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung ist es, in Klinik und Forschung besonders qualifizierten Ärztinnen und Ärzten im Anschluss an eine längere Familien- oder Betreuungsphase mit flexibel und individuell einsetzbaren Fördermitteln den effektiven Wiedereinstieg und die Fortsetzung ihrer erfolgversprechenden Karriere zu ermöglichen.

Bewerben können sich promovierte oder habilitierte Ärztinnen und Ärzte an Universitätsklinika in Deutschland,

Formation and detection of impulsivity: insights from multisite, cross-disorder deep brain stimulation and multimodal neuroimaging

The ability to consider risks of our decisions is essential to human behaviour. When this ability fails, impulsivity emerges. Impulsivity is a core feature of numerous neuropsychiatric disorders. In this project, we will leverage the application of deep brain stimulation in various neuropsychiatric disorders to study the neural processes that causally influence risky decisions. This will provide unique insights into the underlying brain networks and neural activities that, if electrically stimulated, alter risky decisions.

Defining amyotrophic lateral sclerosis associated with mutations in the NEK1 gene

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common motor neuron disease. Genetic changes in the NEK1 gene are among the most common genetic causes of ALS (NEK1-ALS). However, the clinical picture and molecular mechanisms of NEK1-ALS are largely unexplored. In this project, the team will therefore comprehensively characterize patients with NEK1-ALS employing clinical analysis, MR imaging and wet biomarkers.

Transcription factor RelA as a therapeutic target in kidney and heart fibrosis

Cellular senescence describes a complex cellular program which can activated by various stress factors. It is thought that the accumulation of senescent cells promotes the progression of organ scarring. The molecular mechanisms of cellular senescence in kidney and heart scarring are poorly understood. In this project, the role of the transcription factor RelA as a possible initiator of senescence in kidney and heart scarring will be investigated. In addition, the study will reveal potential new therapeutic approaches to eliminate senescent cells.

Subscribe to Scientific Funding