Establishment of a Long-term, Sustainable Collaboration Between Vanderbilt & Leipzig Universities (Category A)

PI: Jens Meiler, Assistant Professor

Department/School: Chemistry, College of Arts and Science

Partner: Leipzig University, Germany

 

Description: This grant supported workshops at Leipzig University (LU) and Vanderbilt involving 5-7 visiting faculty from each institution. Proposed research topics included the development of small molecule modulators of the Human Neuropeptide Y 4 receptor as a novel strategy for the treatment of obesity and study of the structure, dynamics and interactions of the Human Neuropeptide Y 2 receptor.

 

LU and VU share common research interests in structural and chemical biology, chemistry, pharmacology, and biomedicine. Both institutions have invested in complementary technologies, and built complementary expertise. Over the past five years a series of faculty and student exchange visits have jump-started a number of collaborative projects that demonstrate the fertile ground for a joint program in research and education.

 

Currently, there are more than 20 collaborative research projects underway or planned embracing the fields of structural and chemical biology, chemistry, pharmacology, and biomedicine. Based on the tremendous successes the collaboration has seen to date, plans are underway to formalize future VU-LU partnerships. Graduate students from both universities are now actively working on joint international projects as part of their dissertation research. Short research stays in LU laboratories allow these students to gain hands-on experience with techniques they will then implement in their VU labs.

A joint website detailing all efforts is currently available: www.leipzig.vanderbilt.edu.

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