Dear EV researchers in and near Hamburg,
dear colleagues and friends,

You are all aware of the fact that scientific interest in and basic, translational and applied research on extracellu-lar vesicles (EVs) has grown tremendously in recent years. EVs are linked with important roles in intercellular and even interorganismal communication. Understanding EV release and target specificity, their complex biomolecu-lar cargo, their uptake and destiny as well as their signals and other consequences in recipient cells, offers novel insights ranging from key biological principles across cell types, species and kingdoms, to biophysics, biomedical science and engineering. Finally, they hold (bio)technological, diagnostic and therapeutic potential and promise.

Interest in EVs likewise increased rapidly in the Hamburg research landscape, which is evidenced by an ever-in-creasing list of publications and other research outputs by groups and institutions located in the city and its near surrounding. In fact, Hamburg has recently emerged as a real hub for EV research in Germany (https://doi.org/10.47184/tev.2023.01.02), which was further showcased, for instance, by (i) successfully hosting the 2024 Autumn Meeting of the German Society for Extracellular Vesicles (GSEV; www.gsev.org), (ii) the 42nd edition of the internationally recognized Blankenese Conference in 2025 fully dedicated to this topic, or (iii) the interna-tional meeting on exRNA Research and Innovation to Improve Human and Plant Health, organized by the COST-Action exRNA-PATH in 2025 (https://exrnapath.eu/).

We would now like to bring this positive development to the next level by locally fostering scientific exchange, sharing of expertise, protocols and infrastructure/technology and -ideally- fruitful collaboration between groups and, importantly, across disciplines and institutions in Hamburg. As a first step, we would launch a webpage providing an overview on research groups, activities, existing (or planned) infrastructure and contact information. An online forum for scientific exchange, experimental support and troubleshooting will also be considered. More-over, we aim to organize in-person meetings with scientific content and ample opportunity for face-to-face ex-change at least once a year. This initiative is not at all intended to compete with existing (inter)national “EV infra-structures”, such as activities or platforms of the GSEV, the Intl. Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV), other or-ganisations, and respective guidelines or public data repositories. In contrast, we envision a complementary, strong and dynamic local network to support researchers in Hamburg, whether already established in the EV field or just (considering) entering this exciting and challenging arena – you are all very welcome to join!

To get this whole thing started, we strongly hope for your will to participate and support us by filling the attached form with contact information/affiliation, a brief research background, existing expertise and technology/tools related to EVs etc.. We suggest this to be filled per research group/PI – but team members/staff might be listed as well. Please note that this information will be posted on the webpage – so only return this to us on the form below in case you (and everybody listed by you) agrees with this information being publicly available (online). Thank you so much! We are very much looking forward to hearing from you.

And please feel free to spread this information to everyone working on (or interested in) EVs in the Hamburg area. Best wishes and kind regards!

Prof. Dr. Julia Kehr
(Molecular Plant Genetics, MIN Faculty, Department of Biology, University of Hamburg)

PD Dr. Berta Puig
(ERSI Group, Dept. of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE))

Prof. Dr. Arne Weiberg
(RNA Infection Biology of Plants, MIN Faculty, Dept. of Biology, University of Hamburg)

Dr. Hermann Cl. Altmeppen
(Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE))