“This additional funding marks a significant step forward for our reproductive health research activities in Leipzig,” says project leader Professor Bahriye Aktas, Professor of Gynaecology at Leipzig University and Director of the Department of Gynaecology at the University of Leipzig Medical Center. “This additional funding will allow us to strategically expand our research infrastructure. That includes modern equipment that allows data to be analysed in more detail and with greater precision. This will also strengthen the training and mentoring of young scientists in this essential area.”
LE-REP is an interdisciplinary joint initiative of Leipzig University’s Faculty of Medicine, the University of Leipzig Medical Center and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ). LE-REP aims to address the complex challenges of reproductive health, in particular fertility problems and the associated risks to pregnancy and babies.
Raising awareness of health risks
“We are proud that the German government is supporting our work and focusing on reproductive medicine,” says Professor Ana Zenclussen, Professor of Paediatric Environmental Immunology at Leipzig University and Director of the Department of Environmental Immunology at the UFZ. “Our research will not only improve treatment options, but also make a significant contribution to raising awareness of the health risks posed by environmental factors.”
The Leipzig project is investigating risk factors for pregnancy complications, the long-term health effects of fertility treatment on children, and the impact of environmental factors such as chemicals on reproductive health. LE-REP is part of the nationwide CERES network, which consists of five interdisciplinary centres for reproductive health and aims to translate research findings into clinical practice and improve healthcare provision in the long term.