Reparaturanleitung fürs Hören – Gentherapie im Innenohr, Pint of Science Festival 2026

Was passiert, wenn in unserer Bauanleitung fürs Hören ein Fehler steckt? Manche Formen angeborener Taubheit entstehen durch Veränderungen in nur einem einzigen Gen. Dieses Gen enthält die Bauanleitung für einen wichtigen Bestandteil der Hörsinneszellen im Innenohr. Ist diese Anleitung fehlerhaft, können Geräusche zwar noch von den Sinneszellen wahrgenommen werden, doch die Signale werden nicht mehr korrekt an das Gehirn weitergeleitet. Die Idee der Gentherapie ist daher, eine funktionierende Kopie dieser genetischen Bauanleitung in die betroffenen Zellen zu bringen, um die Signalübertragung wiederherzustellen. Als Transportmittel dienen Adeno-assoziierte Viren – kleine „Gen-Briefe“, die die DNA gezielt in die Hörsinneszellen liefern. Doch wie funktioniert dieser Gen-Brief – und wie findet er seinen Weg ins Innenohr?

Confirmed Speakers: Mara Uhl, UMG

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Tuning Light to Activate the Auditory Brain, Pint of Science Festival 2026

Can we hear light? Not yet—but we can make the auditory nerve respond to it. Using advanced genetic tools, we render the auditory nerve sensitive to light and activate it with precise light pulses. This approach aims to restore hearing through optical cochlear implants. A key challenge is determining how to deliver light in a way that produces natural patterns of activity in the auditory brain. To address this, we use computational models of brain responses to both sound and light, and optimize light patterns to mimic natural auditory activity as closely as possible.

Confirmed Speakers: Dr. Anna Vavakou, UMG

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Ideenexpo 2026

The CRC1690 together with the Cluster of Excellence MBExC and the Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Optogenetic Therapies presents selected research exhibits at the IdeenExpo in Hannover, which runs from 20 -28 June 2026. The nationwide, successful cooperation between business, science and politics aims to promote next generation careers. It combines sound knowledge transfer with a high fun factor, and invites young visitors and families with more than 720 exhibits to experiment.

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‘Have you kept your senses? ’ – A contribution to ‘Science goes City 2026’

We experience the world through our five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Together with the Multiscale Bioimaging Cluster of Excellence and the Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Optogenetic Therapies, we will use hands-on experiments to explain how sensory stimuli are perceived and processed during the "Science goes City" event on April 19th, 2026.

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Night of Science 2025

We experience the world through our 5 senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Scientists of the Collaborative Research Centre 1690 participate in the Göttingen-wide "Nacht des Wissens" and use models and hands-on experiments to explain how sensory stimuli are perceived and processed, how they are researched and what happens when our senses let us down.

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