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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
The German Research Foundation (DFG) has approved a new Transregional Collaborative Research Centre at the University of Cologne: Together with scientists at the Universities of Hamburg and Münster, the researchers will study the control processes in the kidney filter.
The new Transregional Collaborative Research Centre (CRC/TRR) 422 ‘PodoSigN - Podocyte Signaling Networks’ will receive funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG) for an initial funding period of 3 years and 9 months. The CRC/TRR 422 was jointly proposed by the Universities of Cologne, Hamburg and Münster. It will be led by Professor Dr Thomas Benzing, Director of Department II of Internal Medicine at University Hospital Cologne and one of the speakers for the CECAD Cluster of Excellence, together with Professor Dr Tobias Huber, Director of the III. Department of Medicine at University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) and speaker for the Hamburg Center for Kidney Health. In the new network, researchers are investigating the molecular control processes of structurally complex kidney cells known as podocytes. “We are very pleased about the funding decision because the expected results will benefit many patients. The success of the research network led by Professor Benzing underlines the scientific excellence and the international visibility that the participating groups have achieved,” says Professor Dr Joybrato Mukherjee, Rector of the University of Cologne.
The CRC/TRR receives funding including a programme allowance of 15.5 million euros from the German Research Foundation. “The funding represents a unique opportunity for German kidney research, which is at the forefront of this field internationally,” says Professor Dr Thomas Benzing.
Podocytes are wrapped around the blood vessels of the renal filter and play a key role in the production of urine. If they are damaged, the kidneys can no longer reliably fulfil their filter function: the loss of vital proteins through the urine causes kidney function to collapse. Such damage is a major factor in the development of chronic kidney disease, which affects millions of people worldwide. Despite their central importance, the complex signaling pathways that regulate the health and function of podocytes remain largely unknown.
“Our aim is to understand how podocytes function at a cellular level – specifically, what keeps them viable for decades and what causes them to become dysfunctional,” explains Benzing. The scientists will focus on systematically deciphering the mechanisms of podocyte damage, identifying molecular ‘checkpoints’ and developing new therapeutic approaches.
They will use state-of-the-art technologies such as single-cell analyses, innovative imaging techniques and AI-supported data evaluation. The research results will be incorporated into digital models that will be linked with data from national and international tissue collections. According to Benzing, the future of podocyte research looks promising: “By combining technological innovation with clinical data, we are taking podocyte research to a new level, and, ultimately, paving the way for more precise and effective prevention and treatment of kidney diseases.”
Professor Dr Thomas Benzing
+49 221 478 4480
nephrologie@uk-koeln.de
https://www.podocyte.org
https://www.dfg.de/de/service/presse/pressemitteilungen/2025/pressemitteilung-nr...
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