New graduate school in Göttingen: genetic research of the future!

New graduate school in Göttingen: genetic research of the future!

The German Research Foundation (DFG) announced today that it is funding a new graduate school at the University of Göttingen. The graduate school is entitled “New genetic model systems: Cross-species comparison of the function of developmental genes and gene networks (GönomiX)” and aims to expand the understanding of genes and their functions in the evolution of the animal world. As part of this initiative, researchers will collect comparable data on gene regulation from different groups of animals, including beetles, annelids, flatworms, snails and jellyfish. This approach marks a paradigm shift, as previous research has focused primarily on a few model organisms such as the fruit fly or the mouse.

Funding of up to six million euros will be made available to the graduate college over the next five years to support comparative studies in animal evolution. The GönomiX team will particularly analyze the development processes of a large number of animal species, especially their heads, and shed light on changes in the gene network during the evolution of head shapes. A particular focus is on the Wnt signaling pathway, which plays a crucial role in cell communication. Additional studies will examine genetic changes that have led to new body features such as horns in beetles or snail shells.

Innovative technologies and methods

In order to achieve the research goals, the graduate college combines the expertise of researchers on the Göttingen campus. The faculties of biology and psychology, earth sciences and geography, the Göttingen University Medical Center and the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Natural Sciences are involved. The methods used in this context are diverse and include targeted gene silencing using RNA interference, single-cell gene sequencing and genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9.

Another innovative aspect of the project will be the development of new computer programs and AI methods. These will serve to compare genetic networks across evolutionary distances and to examine the spatial arrangement of chromosomes in the cell nucleus and their influence on gene activity. The graduate school not only offers doctoral students access to the most modern technologies, but also a wide range of methods for training in molecular biology techniques, advanced imaging and bioinformatics analysis.

Goal and social relevance

The overarching goal of the graduate school is to make genomics usable for various scientific areas of application. These include, among other things, basic research, pest control and social applications. By expanding research into genetic model systems, a deeper understanding of evolutionary processes and their influence on biological diversity is sought.

In addition to the GönomiX project, the Faculty of Life Sciences at the Technical University of Munich is working intensively on fundamental concepts of genetics and cell biology. A compulsory module for bachelor's degree programs in the field of life sciences offered in the summer semester covers a wide range of topics, ranging from the structure of genes and genomes to mutations and recombinant DNA technology. In the lecture, which was given by renowned lecturers such as Prof. Schneitz and Dr. Led by Denninger, advanced techniques for genetic analysis will also be discussed.

Registered study at the Technical University of Munich is required for the exam, and extensive resources, including presentations and video recordings, are available to students on Moodle. These integrative educational approaches are designed to deepen the understanding of genetic principles and the molecular basis of inheritance.