Jena, 12.03.2026 – At the Leibniz-Institut für Alternsforschung (Fritz-Lipmann-Institut e.V.) in Jena, a new team is researching the mechanisms of brain aging. The pioneering project is funded by the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung with a million-euro sum.
- Institution: Leibniz-Institut für Alternsforschung – Fritz-Lipmann-Institut e.V. (FLI)
- Lead: Dr. Dennis de Bakker (Experimental Biologist)
- Focus: Prevention of neurodegenerative diseases
- Funding: Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung (‚Nexus‘ program)
- Funding Volume: Up to 1.5 million euros
- Duration: 5 years
Cross-species comparisons to decode aging processes
The new research group, which launched in January 2026, is dedicated to one of the central medical challenges of our time: neurodegenerative diseases. Under the leadership of experimental biologist Dr. Dennis de Bakker, the focus of the scientific work is on understanding the complex mechanisms of brain aging. The methodical approach relies on cross-species comparisons to uncover universal principles of biological aging and the degeneration of nerve cells.
Million-euro funding for interdisciplinary research
The establishment of this new group is made possible by the ‚Nexus‘ program of the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung. This specific funding format is aimed at outstanding postdocs and provides them with the financial and structural basis to build their own interdisciplinary team. With a committed funding amount of up to 1.5 million euros, spread over a period of five years, the group at the Jena institute receives long-term planning security for its basic scientific investigations.
Background: Top-level research at Beutenberg Campus
The Leibniz-Institut für Alternsforschung – Fritz-Lipmann-Institut (FLI) is a central player on the Jena Beutenberg Campus, the city’s science center under the motto ‚Life Science meets Physics‘. The FLI is the first German research institute dedicated to biomedical aging research. In view of demographic change and the associated increase in age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, basic research into brain aging is steadily gaining social importance. The overarching goal of this research work is to develop long-term strategies and therapies to prevent neurodegenerative diseases and maintain quality of life in old age.
Source:
Strategies for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.