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Life Sciences - Health - 25.11.2022

New function of the CRISPR gene scissors discovered
Protein scissors activate defense function, a study shows For several years now, the CRISPR/Cas9 gene scissors have been causing a sensation in science and medicine. This new tool of molecular biology has its origins in an ancient bacterial immune system. It protects bacteria from attack by so-called phages, i. e.

Health - Pharmacology - 25.11.2022

Fighting depression with personalised medicine
MHH psychiatry coordinates largest German study to improve depression treatment Using biomarkers to find individual diagnostic and therapeutic paths - what already works in oncology is also to become possible in psychiatry. Under the leadership of Professor Dr Helge Frieling, Vice Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Hannover Medical School (MHH), a national research network is now being launched that aims to tailor the treatment of depression more closely to the individual patient than before.

Health - Life Sciences - 24.11.2022

SARS-CoV-2 detection in 30 minutes using gene scissors
Researchers of the University of Freiburg introduce biosensor for the nucleic acid amplification-free detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA CRISPR-Cas is versatile: Besides the controversial genetically modified organisms (GMOs), created through gene editing, various new scientific studies use different orthologues of the effector protein 'Cas' to detect nucleic acids such as DNA or RNA.

Life Sciences - Health - 23.11.2022

Protein Spheres Protect the Genome of Cancer Cells
Hollow spheres made of MYC proteins open new doors in cancer research. Würzburg scientists have discovered them and report about this breakthrough in the journal "Nature". MYC genes and their proteins play a central role in the emergence and development of almost all cancers. They drive the uncontrolled growth and altered metabolism of tumour cells.

Health - Life Sciences - 22.11.2022

Unexpected cognitive deteriorations in epilepsy
Study by the University of Bonn: Surgical tissue indicates rare secondary disease In severe epilepsies, surgical intervention is often the only remedy - usually with great success. While neuropsychological performance can recover in the long term after successful surgery, on rare occasions, unexpected declines in cognitive performance occur.

Life Sciences - Health - 22.11.2022

Zombie viruses on a hijacking trip
Ancient dormant sequences in the genome impact embryonic development in unexpected ways The mammalian genome contains retroviral sequences that are in an undead but mostly "harmless" state. An international research team recently discovered how some of these retroviral gene fragments affect embryonic cells if they are unleashed.

Health - Life Sciences - 21.11.2022

Poor diet harms blood vessels
Over the last few decades, the number of obesity sufferers has continued to increase and is now one of the leading causes of death worldwide - 650 million adults are classified as obese. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as the accumulation of excess fat in the body, which poses risks to healthy living.

Health - Pharmacology - 18.11.2022

PETN reduces risk of preterm birth and hypertension in pregnancy
In about one in twenty pregnant women, ultrasound Doppler measurement in mid-pregnancy reveals that the uterus and placenta are not sufficiently supplied with blood. There is then a risk that the baby will not be adequately supplied by the mother's body and will not develop in time. In the worst case, the baby may die in the womb before birth.

Health - Life Sciences - 17.11.2022

New target for Alzheimer’s therapies found
The protein medin is deposited in the blood vessels of the brains of Alzheimer's patients along with the protein amyloid-β. DZNE Re-searchers have discovered this so-called co-aggregation. They have now published their observation in the renowned journal Na-ture. "Medin has been known for over 20 years, but its influence on diseases was previously underestimated.

Health - Life Sciences - 15.11.2022

Tumors: forecasting the risks of brain surgery
Accurately predicting possible post-surgical effects on speech Can surgeons quantify the risk of aphasia when removing a brain tumor? To find out, researchers at Klinikum rechts der Isar of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) are analyzing the brain as a network. In a current study with 60 patients, they already achieved an accuracy rate with three quarters of their predictions.

Research Management - Health - 15.11.2022

Jena’s influential researchers
Two researchers from the Friedrich Schiller University Jena are among the world's most cited scientists in their field: bioinformatician Bas E. Dutilh and medical scientist Andreas Hochhaus. This is confirmed by the "Highly Cited Researchers 2022" ranking published on 15. November 2022 by Clarivate Analytics.

Life Sciences - Health - 15.11.2022

Gene plays important role in embryonic development
Study at the University of Bonn identifies gene that can cause malformations if altered An international study led by the medical Faculty of the University of Bonn has identified a gene that plays an important role in the development of the human embryo. If it is altered, malformations of various organ systems can result.

Health - Pharmacology - 14.11.2022

Attack via byways
Increased cell proliferation is a key feature of diseases such as cancer. A research team from the University of Würzburg and two Leibniz Institutes has now succeeded in indirectly influencing this process. As differently as cancers or autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis affect people - they all have one characteristic in common: they are accompanied by increased cell proliferation.

Life Sciences - Health - 14.11.2022

Molecular monitoring of RNA regulation
New biological tool for tracking cellular processes The better we understand cellular processes such as RNA regulation, the better molecular therapies can be developed. Until now, it has been especially difficult to track the regulation of non-coding RNA, which is RNA that is not further converted into proteins.

Physics - Health - 10.11.2022

Quantum technology for cancer imaging
Applied quantum mechanics in medicine Tracing the metabolism of tumor cells using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has not been feasible in routine clinical settings hitherto. Now, an interdisciplinary research team including the Technical University of Munich (TUM) is working to advance the development of a quantum-based hyperpolarizer so that it can be deployed in clinical applications.

Health - Life Sciences - 09.11.2022

Synthetic peptides may suppress formation of harmful deposits
Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes In Alzheimer's disease, the degeneration of brain cells is linked to formation of toxic protein aggregates and deposits known as amyloid plaques. Similar processes play an important role also in type 2 diabetes. A research team under the lead of the Technical University of Munich has now developed "mini-proteins", so-called peptides, which are able to bind the proteins that form amyloids and prevent their aggregation into cytotoxic amyloids.

Health - 08.11.2022

Covid vaccination improves effectiveness of cancer treatment
Clinical study with participation of the University of Bonn on nasopharyngeal cancer with unexpected result Patients with nasopharyngeal cancer are often treated with drugs that activate their immune system against the tumor. Until now, it was feared that vaccination against Covid-19 could reduce the success of cancer treatment or cause severe side effects.

Health - Economics / Business - 04.11.2022

Covid-19: Vaccination status polarizes population
Researchers analyze association between Covid vaccination status and social cohesion People who strongly identify with their Covid vaccine status discriminate more strongly against the respective other group. This is shown by a study conducted by the team around Luca Henkel, member of the Cluster of Excellence ECONtribute at the University of Bonn, with the participation of the Universities of Erfurt and Vienna and the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine Hamburg.

Health - Life Sciences - 31.10.2022

Control hub for skin inflammation discovered
Study by the University of Bonn identifies new signaling pathway to combat UV damage and infections Inflammatory reactions in the skin can reduce damage from UV radiation or infections, but can also result in painful symptoms such as sunburn. A recent study at the University of Bonn and the University Hospital Bonn has now identified a molecular control which integrates these stress signals.

Life Sciences - Health - 27.10.2022

Inspired by nature: Making bacteria ’mute’
Nanoparticles of cerium dioxide intervene like natural enzymes in biological processes and alter signal molecules / Formation of biofilms is prevented Bacteria love moist surfaces. Once they have settled there, they do not live as solitary organisms but form larger communities that are surrounded by a protective film.