Today, the German Research Foundation (DFG) announced the establishment of a new Research Unit (FOR 2625) on the mechanisms of lysosomal homeostasis.

The Unit is led by Thomas Braulke from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, with 13 research groups from Germany and one from The Netherlands taking part. From IBC2, Anja Bremm and Ivan Dikic are on board, bringing in their expertise in ubiqiuitin signaling and deciphering how ubiquitin regulates lysosome function.

The overall aim of the Unit is to analyze biogenesis, function and turnover of lysosomes with the ultimate goal to better understand the pathophysiology of lysosomal disorders and develop novel therapeutic strategies. Funding for the Lysosome Research Unit has been granted initially for three years with an option for prolongation.