Green Light for Cluster of Excellence

“Cells in Motion” sets to Work/ Scientists intend to understand Behaviour of Living Cells

Münster (upm), Do, 29 Nov 2012

From left to right: Prof. Michael Schäfers, Prof. Volker Gerke, Rector Prof. Ursula Nelles, Dr. Waltraud Kreutz-Gers (Ministry of Science of North Rhine-Westphalia), Prof. Lydia Sorokin, Dr. Dorette Breitkreuz (DFG) and Prof. Reinhard Fässler (Max Planc

photo: WWU - Peter Grewer

Prof. Lydia Sorokin, spokesperson of the cluster "Cells in Motion" (CiM), stressed she is "overjoyed" that the project will be going ahead: the cluster of excellence has officially set to work today (15 November) at Münster University. At a ceremony at the Schloss, Rector Prof. Ursula Nelles officially launched the new research association. In addition to scientists from Münster University's Departments of Medicine, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, researchers of the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine in Münster investigate the behaviour of cells in living organisms. Dr. Waltraud Kreutz-Gers of the Ministry of Science of North Rhine-Westphalia congratulated the Münster scientists on their success personally and on behalf of Minister Svenja Schulze.

The Rector emphasized that the success of a project like CiM at Münter University was no coincidence as, after all, it is "just the right place" for this project. On that note, she referred to the long-standing expertise in cell research and molecular imaging, for instance by the Collaborative Research Centres 629 and 656, and also by other outstanding institutions in Münster such as the European Institute for Molecular Imaging and the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine. Dr. Dorette Breitkreuz from the German Research Foundation's office also congratulated the CiM researchers, before Prof. Reinhard Fässler of the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry in Martinsried gave his ceremonial lecture.

Every organism's cells are in constant motion, for example during embryonic development when each cell needs to find its place in the human tissue. Another example of particularly active cells are white blood cells which hunt for pathogen agents and inflammatory sites in the body. Changes in cells' behaviour could cause diseases like heart attacks, cancer or Alzheimer's. With the help of imaging process technology scientists will be able to see and understand the cells' behaviour. This not only includes traditional methods such as ultrasound and x-raying but also modern procedures like positron emission tomography. The development and application of modern imaging processes is of great importance for CiM.

The cluster's scientific research projects were set up at the beginning of November. The application procedures for vacant positions in the project, including four professorships, are currently underway. The research project was granted by a committee of the German Research Foundation (DFG), the German Council of Science and Humanities (Wissenschaftsrat) and the federal Ministers of Science in June 2012. At the same time, the second cluster of excellence of Münster University, "Religion and Politics", was extended. The five-year funding for CiM amounts to approximately 28 million euros. Spokesperson and biochemist Prof. Lydia Sorokin of the Institute for Pathobiochemistry will coordinate the cluster together with Prof. Volker Gerke (Institute for Medical Biochemistry) and Prof. Michael Schäfers (Director of the European Institute for Molecular Imaging).

Translated by: Silke Köster, Anna-Maria Spiekermann, Carolin Borrass

"Cells in Motion"

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