GRK 533:  Cell-Cell Interaction in Reproduction

• Subject Area: Medicine
• Term: from 1999 to 2005
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 272795

Knowledge about molecular mechanisms of cell function and cell-cell interaction in the reproductive process is essential for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infertility and diseases associated with pregnancy. The clinical relevance of the research training group "Cell-Cell Interaction in Reproduction" lies in a steadily growing number of patients who suffer from disturbed fertility (in Germany about 10-15% of couples in the reproductive age are unintentionally infertile). In the field of veterinary medicine, species protection and top performance at the cost of fertility are important problems that need to be studied. Nevertheless there are only few specialised and well trained clinicians or scientists in the field of human medicine as well as in veterinary medicine. The aim of the research training group is to offer a broad and excellent education for medical doctors (MD), veterinarinans (VMD) and natural scientists and to make progress in the field of reproductive medicine and reproductive biology. The research training group is intended to give a solid basis for later specialisation of the graduates in the field of human and animal reproduction. Besides experience that can be gained in the clinical fields of endocrinology, andrology, gynaecology and urology, fields of basic science such as anatomy, biology, physiology, physiological chemistry, molecular biology will be included in the programme. This concept was also developed to enhance public acceptance of the socio-economical benefits and relevance in the field of reproduction.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
• Co-Applicant Institution: Philipps-Universität Marburg
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Gerhard Aumüller; Professor Dr. Aria Baniahmad; Professor Dr. Martin Bergmann; Privatdozent Dr. Thorsten Diemer; Professor Dr. Alexander Dietrich; Professor Dr. Thomas Gudermann; Professor Dr. Axel Heidenreich; Professor Dr. Bernd Hoffmann; Privatdozent Dr. Lutz Konrad; Professor Dr. Walter Krause; Dr. Uwe Lang; Professor Dr. Rudolf Leiser; Professor Dr. Monika Johanna Löffler; Dr. M. Manning; Professor Dr. Andreas Meinhardt; Dr. Thomas Monsees; Professorin Dr. Christiane Pfarrer; Professor Dr. Wolf-Bernhard Schill; Professor Dr. Harald Schmidt; Professor Dr. Gerhard Schuler; Professor Dr. Jürgen Seitz; Professor Dr. Klaus Steger; Professor Dr. Wolfgang Weidner; Dr. Beate Wilhelm; Dr. K. Wingler; Professor Marek Zygmunt, Ph.D.
• Spokesperson: Professorin Dr. Elvira Hinsch