At the beginning of the year, a new research project was launched at the Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) and Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. The joint “KreDiT RNA” research group is investigating the regulation of genes that code for ribosomal RNA (rRNA) in relation to cancer and aging processes. The aim is to identify mechanisms of cancer development that are closely linked to aging. To this end, the group investigates whether regulatory RNA molecules, including those from the rRNA region of the genome, can function as diagnostic biomarkers and, if so, how new RNA-based therapeutic approaches can be developed. For this purpose, cellular cancer models as well as the short-lived fish Nothobranchius furzeri are used. The project is funded by the Thüringer Aufbaubank (TAB) with 1 million Euro for a period of three years.
Jena. According to recent statistics from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of cancer cases in the world will increase up to 77% by 2050, especially in industrialized countries. Increasing life expectancy is considered as a major driver of this trend.
Considering this, the new research project “KreDiT RNA” was launched in January 2026 to investigate the relationship between aging, rRNA-coding genes, and cancer in detail. The jointly led research group, which currently has five employees at two locations, is supervised by Prof. Christoph Englert from the Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) and Dr. Holger Bierhoff (Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics) from the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena.
The activity of rRNA genes controls the production of ribosomes, the cell's “factories” for protein production. Overactive rRNA genes lead to increased cell growth and can promote tumor formation, while their inhibition can slow down aging processes, at least in simple model organisms such as nematodes. Specific inhibition of rRNA synthesis could therefore be a promising cancer therapy, but suitable inhibitors have not yet been clinically established. RNA-based treatment approaches could offer new possibilities here.
A particularly innovative approach of the “KreDiT RNA” project is the use of short-lived fish species Nothobranchius furzeri as a model for age-dependent cancer development. Through targeted genetic manipulation of rRNA synthesis, the project aims to investigate how changes in this system can influence cancer development over the lifetime of the organism.
The research group will be supported by both clinical partners and Thuringian biotech companies. In addition, SPARK@FLI, a special funding program at the FLI, will help researchers to translate their findings into clinical practice. A particular concern of “KreDiT RNA” is to make research more sustainable and environment friendly. For this purpose, the participants will receive training and certification from My Green Lab.
The project will be funded by the Thüringer Aufbaubank (TAB) with 1 million Euro over the next three years. With this integrative approach, “KreDiT RNA” combines basic research, innovative animal models, clinical relevance, and sustainability to open new paths in cancer diagnostics and therapy.
Contact
Dr. Kerstin Wagner
Press & Public Relations
Phone: 03641-656378, Email: presse@leibniz-fli.de
