SFB 1607

Sonderforschungsbereiche (SFB)/Collaborative Research Centers (CRC) in Germany are large and long-term research institutions at universities that run for up to twelve years in which scientists work together as part of an interdisciplinary research program. Collaborative Research Centers are funded exclusively by the German Research Foundation (DFG) from federal and state funds. In contrast to other research funding instruments, CRCs are aimed at a long-term research perspective. CRCs have existed since 1968. CRC 1607/SFB 1607 on age-related blinding eye diseases is only the second ophthalmological CRC in the history of DFG (the first one being SFB 539 on Glaucoma in Erlangen 1997-2009). The „EYE-CRC“ in Cologne consists of 16 individual projects usually led by two project leaders and 5 additional core units.