Collaborative Research Center 655

The scientific vision of the SFB 655 is to understand the basic biology of somatic stem and progenitor cells in the context of tissue formation and, eventually, clinical application. Towards this goal, the SFB 655, founded by the DFG since 2005, has brought together the traditionally separate disciplines of cell biology, developmental biology, molecular bioengineering and medicine.

During the 2. funding period the research efforts will remain focused on two systems, the nervous system and the hematopoietic system, but the future investigations will increase in breadth and depth. Thus, the studies addressing the nervous system go up from 6 funded projects during the first period to 12 projects in the second, and those addressing the hematopoietic system from 7 to 9. This increase in critical mass, achieved without thematic diversification, reflects the opportunities that have arisen from the recently established CRTD and Excellence Cluster. As a result, the SFB 655 is endowed with a research profile that in terms of topical concentration and synergies is unique.

The concept of integrating research on human cells and tissues with that on various vertebrate model organisms (zebrafish, axolotl, mouse), each of which offer distinct advantages, has been instrumental for uncovering common principles of tissue formation. Discoveries made in the SFB 655 during its first funding period range from the identification of novel cell biological processes in stem cells to the in vitro reconstitution of 3-dimensional stem cell niches, from the functional analysis of key molecular players to the in vivo analysis of the complex behaviour of stem and progenitor cells in tissues. These interdisciplinary approaches will be further intensified in the second funding period, which places the SFB 655 in a superior position to further dissect basic cellular processes not just in cell culture, but in cells as they form, maintain, and regenerate tissues.