PROXIDRUGS Zukunftscluster

Yesterday our BMBF-funded Cluster4Future #PROXIDRUGS had the pleasure of meeting future life science graduates at the "Academia meets Industry – Bridge the Gap" event by Initiative Gesundheitsindustrie Hessen (IGH) in #Marburg. We introduced the cluster in a career workshop focussing on proximity-inducing drugs. A big shout-out goes to our partners Paul Gehrtz, Principal Scientist MedChem at Merck Gruppe and spin-off CEO & Co-Founder of CrystalsFirst Serghei Glinca, who came and spoke about their exciting postgraduate journeys. They gave insights into what working on proximity-inducing drugs looks like on a daily basis and how decisions and processes in the field are driven. The workshop setting was a great open platform for face-to-face exchanges and we hope to have encouraged attendees to pursue a research career that inspires them. Thanks to everyone who joined us!  Thank you also to the IGH for organizing the event and the Philipps-Universität Marburg for hosting us in such a great historic setting (our workshop was held in the original lecture hall of Hans Meerwein)! Goethe-Universität Frankfurt Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung

🎉 Congratulations to the teams around our PROXIDRUGS members Ramachandra M Bhaskara, Ivan Đikić and Gerhard Hummer for their exciting publication on how intrinsically disordered regions of membrane proteins remodel cellular membranes.  Institute of Biochemistry II (IBC2), Goethe-Universität Frankfurt a. Main, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics

🎉 We are thrilled to announce that #PROXIDRUGS speaker Ivan Đikić has been awarded the prestigious #LOEWE-Spitzenprofessur by the Hessian Ministry of Science, Research, the Arts and Culture (#HMWK). The funding of around € 3 M over five years will support his groundbreaking research in developing novel therapeutics to degrade disease-relevant proteins to combat cancer. Ivan has dedicated his career to uncovering mechanisms that regulate cellular quality control. He has pioneered the concept of #ubiquitin as a versatile cellular signal. His recent work focuses on reprogramming the body’s natural degradation pathways – such as the ubiquitin and #autophagy systems – to target harmful proteins or organelles in conditions like cancer, neurodegeneration and infections. Together with partners in the Rhine Main area, he has initiated the LOEWE Center Frankfurt Cancer Institute (#FCI) besides the #Cluster4Future PROXIDRUGS, which he leads since 2020. He also is a speaker of the DFG-funded network SFB 1177 on selective autophagy and a co-speaker of the Hessian cluster #ENABLE . Complementary to the Cluster4Future, this funding will significantly advance the further development of proximity-induced drugs in the Dikic group – offering new hope for diseases that were previously considered untreatable. Congratulations, Ivan! 👏👏👏 Goethe-Universität Frankfurt Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung ProLOEWE Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - German Research Foundation #ResearchExcellence, #CancerResearch, #ProteinDegradation, #LOEWE, #Biochemistry, #DrugDevelopment, #Innovation, #Clusters4Future https://lnkd.in/ekJ6N29w

It's inspiring to see PROXIDRUGS – Cluster4Future project leader Daniela Krause as a guest on ZDF Nano to comment on the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Her insights on mircoRNA highlight groundbreaking research, brilliantly representing the scientific community.    Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung #NobelPrize2024 #Science #Inspiration

🌟 Exciting news, our PROXIDRUGS – Cluster4Future innovation hub FCET – already initiated during the cluster`s conception phase – is now operating! It gives scientist access to many exciting technology platforms. 💡If you are looking for collaborations get in touch! 🤝 Congratulations to the first directors and we wish a successful start of the center.   Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, #innovationhub #collaborations #innovation #proxidrugs

🔜 Registration is still open for this SLAS TIG virtual event focusing on proximity induction (happening this Wednesday, 9th October!)

📣 🇩🇪 Das erste #ScienceFestivalFrankfurt hatte am Samstag für alle Altersgruppen etwas zu bieten! Die Atmosphäre auf dem sonnigen #Roßmarkt war großartig. Besonders gefreut haben wir uns über die vielen neugierigen Gesichter und das Interesse an unserem Thema – wie die Zelle eigentlich „aufräumt“. Am Stand von PROXIDRUGS Zukunftscluster, SFB 1177 und #ENABLE im Zelt der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt konnten die großen und kleinen Gäste 3D-Zellmodelle, Fluoreszenzbilder aus unseren Laboren und beeindruckende Videoanimationen von Autophagie-Prozessen sehen (ein großes Dankeschön an Fulvio Reggiori und das #DRIVEAutophagy-Konsortium!). Auf einem Poster wurden die komplizierten Abbauwege der Zelle anschaulich dargestellt – das #Ubiquitin-Proteasom-Systems und das #Autophagie-Lysosom-System – und in vielen Gesprächen haben wir erklärt, was diese Systeme mit Erkrankungen wir Krebs, Alzheimer, Parkinson und Infektionen zu tun haben. Das Beste waren natürlich die vielen großartigen Fragen – ein Dankeschön an alle, die da waren 😍 Es war ein sehr kurzweiliger Nachmittag und zeigt (einmal wieder), wie wertvoll und bereichernd der Austausch mit der Öffentlichkeit ist! Ein großes Dankeschön geht auch an die Organisatoren von der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt und der #FrankfurtAlliance – wir hoffen, dies war der Start zu einer Serie 🚀 📣 🇬🇧 The first #ScienceFestivalFrankfurt on Saturday was a hit for all ages! The mood was great on sunny #Rossmarkt. We loved seeing so many curious faces and were happy about the big interest in our topic - how the cell „tidies up“!  Visitors to our #PROXIDRUGS, SFB 1177 and #ENABLE stall in the tent of Goethe-Universität Frankfurt were able to look at 3D cell models, fluorescent images from our lab and brilliant video animations that showed autophagy processes (a big thanks to Fulvio Reggiori and the #DRIVEAutophagy consortium!). A poster illustrated the complicated degradation pathways of the cell - the #ubiquitin-proteasome system and the #autophagy-lysosome system - and we explained what this has to do with diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and infections. The best part were, of course, all the brilliant questions - a big thank you to everyone who came along 😍 A fun afternoon & great reminder of the value of public outreach! A big thank you also goes to the organizers from Goethe-Universität Frankfurt and the #FrankfurtAlliance - we hope this was the start of a series 🚀 Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Institute of Biochemistry II (IBC2)

Fancy to join the fantastic collaborative environment of PROXIDRUGS? ➡️ see below for current job openings within the Medicinal Chemistry & Drug Discovery department at our partner Merck Gruppe!

📢 Am kommenden Samstag (28.9. von 10-19h) findet das erste Frankfurt Science Festival statt! Ein Event für die ganze Familie mit Science Slams, Streitgesprächen, Mitmach-Shows, musikalische Auftritte und vielem mehr. PROXIDRUGS – Cluster4Future, SFB 1177 und ENABLE präsentieren sich von 12-14h im Goethe University Frankfurt Zelt. Gemeinsam werden wir entdecken, wie die Zelle aufräumt und warum es so wichtig ist, diese Prozesse besser zu verstehen! https://lnkd.in/ecCjHVBT 📢 The first Frankfurt Science Festival is taking place this coming Saturday (28.9. from 10-19h). An event for the whole family with science slams, musical performances, shows to take part in & so much more. PROXIDRUGS – Cluster4Future, SFB 1177 and ENABLE will be presented from 12-14h in the Goethe University Frankfurt tent - we will explore how the cell tidies up and why it is so important to understand these processes better! Hope to see many of you there! https://lnkd.in/ecCjHVBT Goethe University Frankfurt, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Institute of Biochemistry II (IBC2)

On 20th September, it was World Children’s Day in Germany – #Weltkindertag – and Institute of Biochemistry II (IBC2) group leader Anja Bremm took the opportunity to transfer her enthusiasm for science to young children. It was an exciting afternoon on the banks of beautiful river Mosel in Traben-Trarbach, with many very early-career scientists gaining first pipetting experience, being amazed at how little a microliter is. 3D models and fluorescent images provided an illustration of what cells look like, and craft lovers were in their element by cutting out cell organelles. World Children’s Day is dedicated for advocating children’s rights and well-being, and this year’s theme adopted by Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk e.V. and UNICEF Deutschland was „Into the future with children’s rights“. As scientists, we are passionate about inspiring young minds in science and nurturing their curiosity. We aim to make a meaningful contribution, even if small, to ensure that all children have access to quality education and are encouraged to explore their interests in science and beyond. Don’t hesitate to reach out to learn more about our early education programs! Goethe University Frankfurt, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, #WorldChildrensDay, #ChildrensRights