GRK 2098: Biomedicine of the acid sphingomyelinase/acid ceramidase system

过去的25年完全改变了我们对鞘脂的看法，鞘脂以前被认为是细胞膜的主要结构元素。我们现在知道鞘脂是许多基本细胞过程的核心。最近的努力将这些见解转化为针对治疗例如多发性硬化症、癌症、囊性纤维化、肺炎、重度抑郁症、神经变性疾病或黄斑变性的临床应用。RTG旨在为博士，医学博士/博士，医学博士和高中学生提供鞘脂生物医学新兴领域的培训。拟议的论文项目严格集中在酸性鞘磷脂酶（Asm）/神经酰胺/酸性神经酰胺酶（Ac）/鞘氨醇/鞘氨醇激酶（SPK）/鞘氨醇1-磷酸（S1 P）途径，并将调查这一途径在炎症性疾病，如炎症性肠病和格雷夫斯眼眶病;在感染性疾病，如全身性和肺部分枝杆菌和铜绿假单胞菌感染;在囊性纤维化;在癌症中，特别是在该途径在抵抗辐射和成功治疗恶性肿瘤中的作用;以及在心血管疾病中，包括动脉硬化、缺血性梗塞和动脉瘤形成。所有项目都将基础科学通过临床前项目转化为临床应用。为了实现我们的目标，我们制定了11个真正协同增效的项目，将由合作伙伴在埃森和纽约共同开展。因此，学生将能够在两个小组中完成自己的项目。大量的教学元素，从定期研讨会和演讲，务虚会，暑期学校和会议，将提供博士生在这两个伙伴国家的良好培训机会。

The past 25 years have completely changed our view of sphingolipids, which were previously considered to be primarily structural elements of cellular membranes. We now know that sphingolipids are central to many fundamental cellular processes. Very recent efforts translated these insights into clinical applications directed at treating, for example, multiple sclerosis, cancer, cystic fibrosis, pneumonia, major depression, neuro-degenerative diseases, or macular degeneration. The RTG aims to provide training for PhD, MD/PhD, MD, and high school students in the emerging field of the biomedicine of sphingolipids. The proposed dissertation projects focus strictly on the acid sphingomyelinase (Asm)/ceramide/acid ceramidase (Ac)/sphingosine/sphingosine kinase (SPK)/sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) pathway and will investigate the significance of this pathway in inflammatory disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease and Graves' Orbitopathy; in infectious diseases, for example in systemic and pulmonary mycobacterial and P. aeruginosa infection; in cystic fibrosis; in cancer, in particular in the role of this pathway in both resistance to radiation and successful treatment of malignancy; and in cardiovascular disease, including arteriosclerosis, ischemic infarct, and aneurysm formation. All projects translate basic science through pre-clinical projects into clinical applications. To achieve our goals, we have developed 11 truly synergistic projects that will be conducted by partners working together in Essen and New York. Thus, students will be able to work on their own projects in both groups. A plethora of teaching elements, ranging from regular seminars and presentations, to retreats, summer schools, and conferences, will provide doctoral students with excellent training opportunities in both partner countries.