opn2EXPERTS: Our scientific questions for experts
Collaborate with us and have a chance to receive research funding
All incoming proposals will be reviewed by our scientific juries. Selected teams will benefit from a long-term, collaborative partnership, that provides open access to our expertise and the prospect of research funding for their scientific research.
Collaborate with us and have a chance to receive research funding
All questions
Eco-friendly TFA-free solid-phase peptide synthesis
How would you propose to avoid the use of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) for resin cleavage and deprotection of synthetic peptides using an alternative reagent cocktail, to advance more sustainable peptide synthesis?
IU Sustainability - More Green Medicines,
Albert Brennauer
Spatial multi-omics profiling of fibrotic diseases
How would you propose to leverage novel spatial multi-omics to investigate molecular and cellular mechanisms driving human fibrotic disease suitable for computational analyses?
Aleksandra Ivovic, Frank Li
Global Computational Biology & Data Science
Boehringer Ingelheim
Unravel the role of AGR2 in lung fibrosis
How would you propose to investigate and confirm the mechanistic roles of intracellular versus secreted anterior gradient 2 (AGR2) in the progression of lung fibrosis using disease relevant cellular models?
Heiko Stahl, Wolfgang Reindl
Immunology & Respiratory Research / Biotherapeutics Discovery
Boehringer Ingelheim
Progress sustainable drug delivery device technologies
How would you propose to overcome technological, conceptual, and economic hurdles associated with the development of a next generation drug delivery device with a more favorable ecological footprint?
Erika Mariotti, Sascha Rau
Device Development
Boehringer Ingelheim
High-concentration liquid formulation of biologics
Using biophysical techniques, how would you propose to enable early-stage screening of biologics for compatibility with high-concentration liquid formulations (HCLFs)?
Laura Kingsley
Biotherapeutics Discovery
Boehringer Ingelheim
Tumor-specific genetic dependencies
Which cancer cell-selective dependency, supported by experimental validation, would you propose to capitalize on to trigger regression in solid tumors?
Anna Koeferle, Sarah Grosche
Cancer Research
Boehringer Ingelheim
Improved tumor site penetration and retention of biologics
Utilizing protein engineering or novel formulation approaches, how would you propose to improve penetration and retention of biologics in order to increase their local concentration within the tumor?
Aleksandra Kowalczyk
Principal Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Skeletal muscle molecular mechanisms to combat obesity
Using novel targeted approaches, how would you identify and validate molecular mechanisms that regulate skeletal muscle mass and function to increase weight loss and improve cardiometabolic outcomes in patients with obesity?
Sandra Kleiner, Aaron Mercer
Cardiometabolic Diseases Research
Boehringer Ingelheim
Harness futile cycles to find new anti-obesity approaches
How would you propose to identify and characterize novel futile cycle molecular mechanisms to counteract obesity, using innovative in vitro assay systems, or in vivo models?
Rebekah Bower, Mona Löffler
Cardiometabolic Diseases Research
Boehringer Ingelheim
Stabilizing biologics for room temperature storage
How would you propose to increase the stability of antibody-derived biopharmaceuticals to enable long-term storage and distribution at room temperature without the need for a cold chain?
IU Sustainability - More Green Medicines
Szabolcs Soeroes, Anja Engela
Illuminating the GPCRome
The opnMe GPCR Route 66+ project: Which of your fluorescent ligands can shed light on the selectivity of GPCR-targeting compounds to support faster drug discovery efforts?
Benedict-Tilman Berger, Felix Schiele
High Throughput Biology
Boehringer Ingelheim
Elucidate the role of sFRP2 in lung or skin fibrosis
How would you propose to elucidate and validate the role of secreted Frizzled related protein 2 (sFRP2) in the context of lung or skin fibrosis whereby sFRP2 may either lead to disease progression or inhibition of resolution?
Franziska Elena Herrmann
Principal Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
The role of NK cells in Systemic Sclerosis
How do you propose improving the understanding of the role of natural killer cells in the progression of Systemic Sclerosis using novel disease relevant human cellular systems?
Preethi Vijayaraj
Principal Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Stabilization of protein-protein interactions for cancer treatment
Which protein-protein interaction would you propose to stabilize to target cancer cells?
Manfred Koegl
Group Leader, Cancer Research
Boehringer Ingelheim
High-throughput mechanochemistry to reduce chemical waste
Applying high-throughput experimentation (HTE), how would you propose to screen and optimize chemical reactions under controlled mechanochemical conditions to avoid using dipolar aprotic solvents?
Access funding of up to USD 80,000.
IU Sustainability - More Green Medicines,
Marco Santagostino
Reduce water and energy consumption in downstream bioprocesses
Leveraging novel technological approaches in downstream processing of biologicals, how would you propose to reduce water and/or energy consumption in future bioprocesses?
Access funding of up to USD 80,000.
IU Sustainability - More Green Medicines,
Simon Kluters
Tumor microenvironment crosstalk in mCRC
How would you propose to decipher the crosstalk between tumor-stromal-immune cells that initiate and perpetuate immune suppressive tumor microenvironment of metastatic colorectal cancer?
Kang Liu
Senior Principal Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Harness liver’s regenerative capacity for late-stage NASH
How would you propose to harness molecular mechanisms underlying the regenerative power of the liver to act as a novel intervention against late-stage NASH?
Anthony Azzara
Director, External Innovation
Boehringer Ingelheim
Half-life extension for biologics against retinopathies
Using novel types of biotherapeutics or functional assays, how would you propose to extend or validate the intravitreal half-life and retinal penetration of biologics?
Sarah Low, Holger Fuchs
Biotherapeutics Discovery Research
Boehringer Ingelheim
Decipher interactors and structure of non-canonical EZH2
How would you propose to decipher and validate the non-canonical EZH2 structure and its interacting partners in the context of lung fibrosis?
Quang Huy Le
Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Ligands for studying GPR151’s function
Could you be the first to identify a validated GPR151 specific ligand?
Roberto Arban, Serena Deiana
CNS Research
Boehringer Ingelheim
Targeting senescence in chronic liver disease
Using novel targeted approaches, how would you propose to address cellular senescence to treat chronic liver disease?
Michael Meister, Markus Werner
Cardiometabolic Research
Boehringer Ingelheim
Role of HSD17B13 in human disease beyond hepatocytes
Using novel human cellular systems, how would you propose to investigate the functional role of HSD17B13 outside hepatocytes with relevance to human disease?
Damian Matera
Senior Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Deep learning approach to study rodent behavior
Applying innovative computer vision approaches, how would you propose to detect and report subtle behavioral patterns and changes thereof in standardized video recordings of rodents?
Heike Schauerte
Principal Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Propose novel approaches to degrade ECM in fibrotic livers
How would you propose to enhance extracellular matrix degradation in the liver of NASH patients using innovative in vitro assay systems, or in vivo models?
Sevim Kahraman Dirice
Senior Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Fast onset drusen model for dry AMD
Using novel fast onset cellular models, how would you propose to recapitulate drusen formation in the early stages of dry age-related macular degeneration?
Seba Almedawar
Principal Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Characterize human hepatocyte response to NASH/fibrotic ECM
Using novel cellular systems, how would you characterize the phenotypic and functional response of human hepatocytes to pathological shifts in ECM composition in the context of NASH and liver fibrosis?
Melanie Dugas, Daniela Santos
Cardiometabolic Diseases Research
Boehringer Ingelheim
Elucidating mechanisms of equine metabolic syndrome
How would you propose to unravel the pathophysiology of the metabolic syndrome based on equine serum and plasma samples obtained during an oral glycemic challenge and supplied by us?
Tobias Warnken
Manager Translational Veterinary Science
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health
Elucidate CD73’s potential role in lung injury and repair
Using novel in vitro cellular systems utilizing human patient biopsies, how would you propose to elucidate the role by which CD73 acts on pathologic mechanisms in the context of lung injury and repair?
Quang Huy Le
Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Modeling human tertiary lymphoid structure formation
How would you propose to investigate the formation of tertiary lymphoid structures using models to characterize their role in the sustained immune response in diseases and identify actionable therapeutic strategies?
Frederik Igney
Principal Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Novel strategies to selectively target adipose tissue
How would you propose to identify and verify novel approaches to specifically target adipose tissue for delivery of anti-obesity therapeutics?
Daniel Markgraf
Principal Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Identification of novel anti-obesity peptides
How would you propose to identify and verify novel peptides that alone or in combination can lead to an unprecedented and/or sustainable weight loss?
Mona Löffler
CardioMetabolic Diseases Research
Boehringer Ingelheim
Equine insect bite hypersensitivity
Based upon serum samples supplied by us, how would you propose to improve our understanding of the pathologic mechanisms underlying equine insect bite hypersensitivity?
Ingo Lang
Head of Transl. Veterinary Sciences
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health
Deciphering molecular targets of human Myeloid-Derived Growth Factor (MYDGF)
How do you propose deciphering the molecular targets of human Myeloid-Derived Growth Factor (MYDGF)?
Anton Pekcec
Project Manager RBB
Boehringer Ingelheim
Intracellular delivery of therapeutic proteins
How would you propose to deliver therapeutic proteins such as antibodies intracellularly?
Nicolas Sabarth
Principal Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Role of GPR68 in mechanotransduction and fibrosis
How do you propose elucidating the role of GPR68-dependent mechanotransduction in the pathogenesis of fibrotic gut, skin, and lung diseases?
JangEun Lee
Senior Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Role of exosomes in the pathogenesis of fibrotic disease
How do you propose identifying the role of exosomes in the pathogenesis of IBD, SSc and ILD and their possible detection as liquid biopsies for diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression?
Elliott Klein
Sr Principal Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Endothelial cell assays that model pathogenesis of Systemic Sclerosis
How do you propose improving the understanding of the role of endothelial cells in the progression of Systemic Sclerosis using novel in vitro cellular systems?
Elliott Klein
Sr Principal Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Monitoring neuronal networks at risk for schizophrenia
How would you apply innovative and scalable readouts to monitor neuronal function and connectivity in the brain of developmental models of schizophrenia risk?
Volker Mack
Sr Principal Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim
Cellular assays that model complicated Crohn’s Disease
Using novel in vitro cellular systems, how would you propose improving the understanding of pathological mechanisms driving the progression of Crohn’s Disease?
Elliott Klein
Sr Principal Scientist
Boehringer Ingelheim