The Else Kröner-Fresenius-Graduiertenkolleg (EKF-GK) Eicosanoid and Sphingolipid Signalling in Inflammation, Cancer and Vascular Diseases is funded by the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung since January 2015 and continues the Dr. Hans Kröner-Graduiertenkolleg (HKG). Its aim is to understand of the physiological and pathophysiological roles of eicosanoids and sphingolipids in inflammatory processes as well as in cancer and vascular biology. The academic goal is to train excellent graduate students/PhD students for careers in molecular medicine, pharmacy and biology.
The Research Training Group is a joint academic and research venture between the Goethe-University in Frankfurt and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. The EKF-GK thus continues and extends the unique multidisciplinary scientific environment and the well-structured teaching programme and supervision scaffold that has already been established between the two institutions and which was strengthened by the DFG-funded Research Training Group 757 “Roles of eicosanoids in biology and medicine” from 2002-2010.
The EKF-GK as the HKG before was evaluated by three external reviewers with an on-site evaluation similar to DFG procedure.
The following projects belong to the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Graduiertenkolleg:
| Project | PI | PhD student | Topic |
| P1 | Prof. K. Scholich | Jennifer Cohnen | Modulation of the interaction between immune cells and neurones by prostaglandins during trauma- and cancer-induced neuropathies |
| P2 | Prof. B. Brüne / PD Dr. A. Weigert | Eiman Elwakeel | Origin and targets of mPGES-1-derived PGE2 in breast cancer |
| P3 | Prof. I. Fleming | Giorgia Ciliberti | The role of the cytochrome P450/soluble epoxide hydrolase system in a tumour growth and metastasis |
| P4 | Prof. J. Haeggström (KI) | NN | Role of the 5-LO pathway in cardiovascular disease |
| P5 | Prof. O. Radmark (KI) | Stella Hedrich | Modulation of dicer-mediated miRNA processing by 5-LO - roles in leukaemia development and inflammation |
| P6 | Prof. D. Steinhilber | Anne Emmerich | Post-transcriptional regulation of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 in rheumatoid arthritis by miRNA-574 |
| P7 | Prof. J. Pfeilschifter / Dr. W. Pfeilschifter | Lena Hansen | Characterization of new therapeutic targets for ischaemic stroke within lipid signalling pathways |
| P8 | Prof. H. Radeke | Caroline Dreis | Role of S1P enzyme activity for the production and signalling of IL-33 in multiple sclerosis |
| P9 | Prof. P-J. Jakobsson (KI) | Julia Steinmetz | Roel of anti-inflammatory cyclopentenones and HODEs in balancing inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis |
Symposium of the Else Kröner-Fresenius Graduiertenkolleg
On November 3rd, 2015, the Else Kröner-Fresenius Graduiertenkolleg hosted a 1-day symposium at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften in Bad Homburg. The PhD students invited guest speakers and presented their own work with posters to discuss with the guest scientists. Among the audience were, among others, PhD students and PIs from the Collaborative Research Centre (SFB) 1039 and the TRIP-Promotionskolleg. The symposium was supported by the Else Kröner-Fresensius Stiftung and FIRST.
The following guest came and presented their work:
Prof. Dr. Joan Claria, University of Barcelona: Proresolving lipid mediators adn metabolic syndrome.
Dr. Wolf-Hagen Schunck, Max-Delbrück-Centrum Berlin: Dietary fatty acid-induced modulation of the CYP epoxygenase pathway: a novel mechanistic link between nutrition and cardiovascular disease?
Prof. Dr. Nigel Pyne, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow: Role of sphingosine 1-phosphate in disease.
Dr. Johan Lengqvist, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm: CETSA-methodology in drug discovery.
Prof. Dr. Paola Patrignani, University of Chieti: role of platelets in inflammation and cacner: new therapeutic strategies.