Pilot projects

Pilot projects are research projects carried out by doctoral researchers and postdocs from working groups in the Cells in Motion Interfaculty Centre. In interdisciplinary teams, they can plan and implement their own first research projects – and at the same time practice how to apply for funding. Pilot projects should be innovative and creative – and they can also explore daring and unconventional research ideas.

  • Application

    The call for applications takes place every six months. Application deadline is on 28 February and 31 August.

  • Funded projects

    • PP-2026-02 – Microbiota-driven regulation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
      Principal investigators: Helen Furmann, Sangeetha Shankar
      Project term: 05/2026 - 04/2027

    • PP-2026-01 – Identifying alternative immune checkpoints in the glycome of malignant glioma using integrated fluorescence microscopy and mass spectrometry imaging
      Principal investigators: Michael Glatza, Enrico Küllenberg, Alexander Potthoff
      Project term: 05/2026 - 04/2027

    • PP-2025-04 – Infection-driven lipid reprogramming: Single-cell lipidomics of Yersinia-infected neutrophils
      Principal investigators: Sebastian Beßler, Christopher Margraf
      Project term: 05/2025 - 04/2026

    • PP-2025-03 – Engineering the biomechanical niche of aging nephrons
      Principal investigators: Amro Hussien, Vinayak Sivaramakrishnan
      Project term: 05/2025 - 04/2026

    • PP-2025-01 – Characterizing pathogen-host interactions in pyelonephritis using a novel human kidney organoid infection model
      Principal investigators: Maren Beuke, Annika Hilger
      Project term: 05/2025 - 04/2026

    • PP-2024-02 – Deciphering cellular dynamics during lymphatic development using a Zebrafish Lymphatic Development Atlas (ZeLDA)
      Principal investigators: Sanjay Sunil Kumar, Anna Pawluchin
      Project term: 05/2024 - 04/2025

    • PP-2024-01 – Effects of endothelial basement membrane proteins on mechanical properties of T cells and correlations with titin levels
      Principal investigators: Annika Klotz, José Ignacio Bernales Schnettler
      Project term: 05/2024 - 04/2025

    • PP-2023-05 – Platinum-doped nucleic acids as luminescent cellular oxygen sensors
      Principal investigators: Nadine Bauer, Tim Schäfer
      Project term: 11/2023 - 10/2024

    • PP-2023-02 – Basement membrane laminin 411 as an essential component for adipocyte cell mechanical stability
      Principal investigators: Dominika Ciechańska, Luís Henrique Correa
      Project term: 05/2023 - 04/2024

    • PP-2023-01 – From light sheet microscopy to clinical reality - development of a machine learning-based diagnostic tool for liver diseases with ductular reactions
      Principal investigators: Daniel Beckmann, Stefanie Bobe
      Project term: 05/2023 - 04/2024

    • PP-2022-03 – Effects of dietary conjugated linoleic acid and exercise on neuronal network reorganization after stroke assessed by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and axonal tracing
      Principal investigators: Frederike Straeten, Bastian Maus
      Project term: 01/2023 - 12/2023

    • PP-2022-02 – Mutations in the viral polymerase of HPIAV determine the production of aberrant viral RNA species that trigger overshooting immune responses during infection with highly pathogenic influenza A viruses
      Principal investigators: Josua Janowski, Rexford Mawunyo Dumevi
      Project term: 05/2022 - 04/2023

    • PP-2022-01 – Integrating molecular biology and physics of the slime mold Physarum polycephalum
      Principal investigators: Christina Oettmeier, Fenna Stegemerten
      Project term: 05/2022 - 04/2023

    • PP-2021-02 – Apolipoprotein E-modified nanoparticles as a new drug delivery system to overcome the blood-brain barrier: proof of concept in vivo
      Principal investigators: Hanna Gerwien, Angelika Wünsch
      Project term: 11/2021 - 10/2022

    • PP-2021-01 – Interplay between matrix stiffness and plasma membrane integrity in human endothelial cells using synthetic hydrogels
      Principle investigators: Nikita Raj, Martin Weiß
      Project term: 04/2021 - 03/2022
    • PP-2020-05 – Light-controllable cholesterol to unravel how capacitation activates the sperm Ca2+ channel CatSper
      Principal investigators: Anna Livia Linard Matos, Michelina Kierzek, Tristan Wegner
      Project term: 11/2020 - 10/2021
    • PP-2020-06 – Quantitative analysis of GLUT4 membrane clustering in cardiomyocytes
      Principal investigators: Silke Morris, Lisa Fischer
      Project term: 11/2020 - 10/2021
    • PP-2020-07 – Cellular OptoMechanics: Evaluation and 3D application of a novel approach to investigate molecular mechanics in cells
      Principal investigators: Tanmay Sadhanasatish, Giuseppe Trapani
      Project term: 11/2020 - 10/2021
    • PP-2020-08 – Clickable histidine-rich tags: universal 99mTc-chelators for small molecule SPECT tracers
      Principal investigators: Simon Tobias Steiner, Martin Grewer
      Project term: 11/2020 - 10/2021
    • PP-2020-10 – Dissecting the mechanical forces exerted by the trophoblast during embryo implantation
      Principal investigators: Bart Vos, Niraimathi Govindasamy
      Project term: 11/2020 - 10/2021
    • PP-2020-01 – Imaging invisible cues of sperm motility: A novel standardized and fully automatic imaging and tracking approach for sperm motility analysis
      Principal investigators: Matthias Kiel, Sebastian Thiele, Lars Haalck, Samuel Young
      Project term: 03/2020 - 02/2021
    • PP-2020-02 – Confocal microscope imaging of immune cells using superconducting single-photon detectors
      Principal investigators: Linda Groeneweg, Jonas Schütte, Martin Wolff
      Project term: 03/2020 - 02/2021
    • PP-2020-03 – Formyl peptide receptors as a druggable target to expand the pool of alveolar and bone marrow derived macrophages
      Principal investigators: Sebastian Maximilian Schloer, Karen Olejua Torres
      Project term: 03/2020 - 02/2021
    • PP-2018-01 – Tumor cell imaging using a labeled potassium channel inhibitor
      Principal investigators: Kathrin Brömmel, Christian Paul Konken, Zoltan Pethö
      Project term: 06/2018 - 05/2019
    • PP-2018-03 – In vivo imaging of neutrophil interactions with arteriole endothelium in a cerebral ischemia mouse model
      Principal investigators: Omar Chuquisana, Lisa Zondler
      Project term: 06/2018 - 05/2019
    • PP-2018-08 – Analysis of cell stress in laser-based biofabricated hydrogel microenvironments
      Principal investigators: Laura Hockaday-Kang, Neus Oliver
      Project term: 06/2018 - 05/2019
    • PP-2018-09 – Regulation of TRIM28 co-repressor activity by pathogen-induced post translational modifications
      Principal investigators: Tim Krischuns, Johannes Leufken
      Project term: 06/2018 - 05/2019
    • PP-2017-07 – Acquisition of cell polarization in migrating zebrafish germ cells – in vivo experiments combined with mathematical modeling
      Principal investigators: Anne Aalto, Adán Olguìn Olguìn, Carolin Roßmanith, Paul Striewski
      Project term: 11/2017 - 10/2018
    • PP-2017-08 – Standardized Visualization and Analysis of Vascular Inflammatory Pathologies
      Principal investigators: Dominik Drees, Aaron Scherzinger, Robert Seifert
      Project term: 11/2017 - 10/2018
    • PP-2017-10 – The hatching box: Automated monitoring of the circadian clock during metamorphosis of the fly
      Principal investigators: Maite Ogueta, Benjamin Risse
      Project term: 11/2017 - 10/2018
    • PP-2017-13 – Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells using engineered reprogramming factors and analysis for enhanced developmental potential
      Principal investigators: Sergiy Velychko, Rui Fan
      Project term: 11/2017 - 10/2018
    • PP-2017-01 – Imaging the tumor microenvironment in vivo – origin and regulatory mechanisms of tumor promoting S100A9
      Principal investigators: Anne Becker, Olesja Fehler
      Project term: 05/2017 - 04/2018
    • PP-2017-03 – Towards the mechanism of dendrite abscission during c4da neuron dendrite pruning in Drosophila
      Principal investigators: Rafael Krämer, Gloria Mancinelli
      Project term: 05/2017 - 04/2018
    • PP-2017-04 – Specific quantification and biodistribution analysis of 57Fe iron nanoparticles for cell labeling and molecular imaging
      Principal investigators: Max Masthoff, Rebecca Bucholz
      Project term: 05/2017 - 04/2018
    • PP-2017-05 – Development of a versatile microfluidics platform for quantitative cell imaging and analysis
      Principal investigators: Tanumoy Saha, Laura Hockaday Kang
      Project term: 05/2017 - 04/2018
    • PP-2017-06 – Role of lymphatic endothelial cells in cerebral blood vessel regeneration after ischemic stroke in mice
      Principal investigators: Max van Lessen, Antje Schmidt
      Project term: 05/2017 - 04/2018
    • PP-2016-12 – Molecular mechanisms of mechanosensation
      Principal investigators: Christoph Brenker, Benedikt Fels
      Project term: 11/2016 - 10/2017
    • PP-2016-14 – Dual-cell labeling of ER-HoxB8 cells with DiR and 89Zr-DBN to assess quantification of cell migration
      Principal investigators: Sarah Eligehausen, Sandra Gran
      Project term: 11/2016 - 10/2017
    • PP-2016-15 – Role of ROS in Cytoskeleton Remodelling during Wound Healing
      Principal investigators: Darío González-Abradelo, Lieke A. Golbach
      Project term: 11/2016 - 10/2017
    • PP-2016-16 – The role of actin dynamics and calcium transport in lumen formation
      Principal investigators: Yung Su Kim, Pauline Wales
      Project term: 11/2016 - 10/2017
    • PP-2016-19 – Imaging VEGFR-3 protein distribution and endothelial cell signaling activities in vivo using super resolution microscopy techniques
      Principal investigators: Cristina Mauri, Georgii Nosov
      Project term: 11/2016 - 10/2017
    • PP-2016-20 – Analysis of translational control mechanisms during neuronal development of Drosophila melanogaster
      Principal investigators: Sandra Rode, Olga Sin
      Project term: 11/2016 - 10/2017
    • PP-2016-23 – The role of the NMDA receptor subunit 2B (GluN2B) in the regulation of autoimmune neuroinflammation and characterization of novel selective antagonists
      Principal investigators: Julian Schreiber, Sarah Glumm, Tobias Ruck   
      Project term: 11/2016 - 10/2017
    • PP-2016-25 – Electrostatic targeting of light-triggered antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant bacteria
      Principal investigators: Sebastian Wilde, Hélène Van de Vyver
      Project term: 11/2016 - 10/2017
    • PP-2016-03 – In-vivo imaging of ATP levels using a FRET based approach in Drosophila larval and pupal sensory neurons
      Principal investigators: Svende Herzmann, Jan Bandemer, Katsiaryna Tarbashevich
      Project term: 06/2016 - 05/2017
    • PP-2016-04 – Linking nuclear architecture dynamics to transcriptional regulation and translation in a eukaryotic stress-response
      Principal investigators: Kai Kruse, Sandra Kienast
      Project term: 06/2016 - 05/2017
    • PP-2016-05 – Delivery of a CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system for use in antiviral therapy by bacteria-derived CPPs
      Principal investigators: Marie-Luise Lubos, Inci Aydin
      Project term: 06/2016 - 05/2017
    • PP-2016-10 – Identification of features in the environment influencing single-cell migration in vivo
      Principal investigators: Sargon Yigit, Łukasz Truszkowski, Lena Frerking, Daniel Tenbrinck
      Project term: 06/2016 - 05/2017
    • PP-2016-11 – Non-Invasive Imaging Methods for Molecular Monitoring of Phagocyte Activity in Experimental Rheumatoid Arthritis
      Principal investigators: Stefanie Zenker, Mitchell Duffy
      Project term: 06/2016 - 05/2017
    • PP-2015-11 – Development and study of new radiolabeled ligands and fluorescent/photoacoustic probes for noninvasive imaging and quantification of matrix metalloproteinase activity in vivo
      Principal investigators: Dmitrii Kalinin, Viktoria Butsch
      Project term: 11/2015 - 10/2016
    • PP-2015-12 – EphB4-mediated endothelium/myocardium interaction in the postnatal heart
      Principal investigators: Guillermo de Luxán, Noelia Diaz
      Project term: 11/2015 - 10/2016
    • PP-2015-13 – Generation of a functional 3D in vitro myelination model using human cerebral organoids
      Principal investigators: Marc Ehrlich, Michael Glatza, Lydia Wagner
      Project term: 11/2015 - 10/2016
    • PP-2015-16 – Studying membrane protein dynamics in living bacteria by combined holographic optical tweezers and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy
      Principal investigators: Marcos Nieves, Álvaro Barroso
      Project term: 11/2015 - 10/2016
    • PP-2015-05 – Characterization of autotaxin in the development and progression of atherosclerosis
      Principal investigators: Jens Hausmann, Lisa Honold
      Project term: 06/2015 - 05/2016
    • PP-2015-06 – Identification of the Pitstop-2 target protein within the nuclear pore complex
      Principal investigators: Ivan Liashkovich, Reshma Vidyadharan
      Project term: 06/2015 - 05/2016
    • PP-2015-08 – Nanostraws to investigate glial engulfing of neuronal axons in vitro
      Principal investigators: Johanna Petri, Abhiyan Viplav
      Project term: 06/2015 - 05/2016
    • PP-2015-09 – Hypothesis-based phenotype analysis of Myo10 knockout mice: single cells to whole embryo imaging
      Principal investigators: Anne-Christina Bachg, Tim Klasen
      Project term: 06/2015 - 05/2016
    • PP-2014-02 – Analysis of age-dependent changes in lipid composition on curvature-dependent signaling via holographic optical tweezers and live cell microscopy
      Principal investigators: Álvaro Barroso, Isabell Begemann
      Project term: 12/2014 - 11/2015
    • PP-2014-03 – Elucidating the routes of Merkel cell polyomavirus infection
      Principal investigators: Miriam Becker, Sonja Schelhaas
      Project term: 06/2015 - 05/2016
    • PP-2014-04 – Artificial deformation of model and biological membranes to investigate protein-lipid interactions
      Principal investigators: Isabell Begemann, David Grill, Oliver Roling
      Project term: 12/2014 - 11/2015
    • PP-2014-05 – FIM4D (FIM for Days; High-throughput and fully automatic FIM-based activity monitoring, tracking, and supervision of crawling animals during rearing)
      Principal investigators: Dimitri Berh, Nils Otto, Benjamin Risse
      Project term: 12/2014 - 11/2015
    • PP-2014-06 – A molecular view on curvature-induced protein recruitment
      Principal investigators: Djurre H. de Jong, Philipp Selenschik
      Project term: 12/2014 - 11/2015
    • PP-2014-07 – Label-free tracking of protein-induced lipid clustering by Dispersive Fourier Transformation Femtosecond Stimulated Raman Scattering
      Principal investigators: Sven Dobner, Milena Pejic
      Project term: 12/2014 - 11/2015
    • PP-2014-08 – Development and evaluation of novel polysaccharide targeting photoprobes for optical imaging and photodynamic therapy of cancer
      Principal investigators: Anzhela Galstyan, Dominik Gonissen
      Project term: 12/2014 - 11/2015
    • PP-2014-11 – The impact of vessel caliber on biomechanical properties of blood flow
      Principal investigators: Robert Meissner, Wade Sugden
      Project term: 12/2014 - 11/2015
    • PP-2014-12 – Functional analysis of the glycocalyx in leukocyte extravasation
      Principal investigators: Nico Santschi, Jana Zimmermann
      Project term: 12/2014 - 11/2015