Revolutionary research: 1 million euros for decoding synapses!

Revolutionary research: 1 million euros for decoding synapses!

On October 7, 2025 it was announced that Prof. Dr. Volker Haucke once again receives the prestigious Reinhart Koselleck funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG). This funding of 1 million euros will be provided over a period of five years and supports Haucke's latest research project, which deals with the formation of presynapses from small transport packages in the axon. Communication between nerve cells at synapses is crucial for fundamental processes such as movement, thinking, feeling and remembering. With this project, Haucke aims to close existing knowledge gaps about the formation and change of synapses in the brain.

What is particularly noteworthy is that this research project is intended to decipher the nanoscale structure and molecular composition of the transport packages for the first time. Haucke and his team focus on synaptic vesicle proteins and voltage-gated calcium channels, the findings of which could potentially offer new perspectives for the treatment of neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases. To achieve this, the team takes a multidisciplinary approach that combines structural biology, proteomics, cell biology and computer-based models. This methodology has already been used successfully in previous research on the stability of nerve cell connections.

Research context and relevance

Haucke is an experienced biochemist and molecular pharmacologist who works intensively on the mechanisms of neuronal communication. Synapses, which represent special contacts between nerve cells, are crucial for the transmission of chemical signals. The goal of Haucke's research is to elucidate the quality control mechanisms that ensure the function of nerve cells and their synaptic contacts over decades. Failure of this stability can lead to serious neurodegenerative diseases and dementia, underscoring the urgency of his studies.

In this program, the DFG supports particularly innovative and high-risk projects. Up to ten Reinhart Koselleck projects are awarded annually, with funding amounting to up to 1.25 million euros. The award now given to Haucke is the second for a researcher at the research center (FMP) within a year, which underlines the great importance of the research there.

Interaction between research and technology

A research project currently underway at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt am Main complements Haucke's work in an important aspect. In a study published under the title “The proteomic landscape of synaptic diversity across brain regions and cell types,” over 1,800 different proteins were identified that support the diversity of synapses in the brain. These findings could also be important for Haucke's research projects, as they point to the respective roles of proteins in cell function. Synapses are crucial for communication between nerve cells and have diverse functions, including controlling brain rhythms and releasing neurotransmitters.

The quantitative mass spectrometry used in this study could also be used in Haucke's studies on the molecular structure of presynapses. Future studies could provide the basis for targeted therapeutic interventions aimed at treating neurological disorders more efficiently.

Haucke, who studied biochemistry at the Free University of Berlin and received his doctorate at the University of Basel, has headed the Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology since 2012. His previous achievements, including the Avanti Award, the ERC Advanced Grant and the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, underline his commitment to neurobiological research. As an active part of the NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence at the Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Haucke will continue to play a central role in research on neuronal communication and its mechanisms.

The results of his work could have a decisive impact on the future therapy of neurological diseases and help to significantly expand the understanding of the underlying biological processes.

FU Berlin reports that Volker Haucke will receive the Reinhart Koselleck funding again. Further details about the project description can be found on the website FMP. The current study provides further information on the synaptic mechanisms Max Planck Institute for Brain Research.