So far, it has not been possible to explain the causes of around half of all rare hereditary diseases. A Munich research team has developed an algorithm that predicts the effects of genetic mutations on RNA formation six times more precisely than previous models. As a result, the genetic causes of rare hereditary diseases and cancer can be identified more precisely. Variations of genetic sequence occur relatively frequently – on average, one in a thousand nucleotide of a person’s genome…
Stephanie Lacour’s specialty is the development of flexible electrodes that adapt to a moving body, providing more reliable connections with the nervous system. Her work is inherently interdisciplinary. So when a neurosurgeon asked Lacour and her team to come up with minimally invasive electrodes for inserting through a human skull, they came up with an elegant solution that takes full advantage of their expertise in compliant electrodes, and inspired by soft robotics actuation. The results are published in Science Robotics….
Interdisciplinary research team unlocks the mechanism for inhibiting inflammation of the joints. Immunoglobulin G antibodies (IgB) play an important role as drivers of inflammation in infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases. However, if the same immunoglobulin antibodies from the blood plasma of healthy donors are cleansed and injected into a patient’s bloodstream, they exhibit anti-inflammatory effects and have a positive effect on the immune system. The cause of this was unknown to a large extent up to now. An interdisciplinary team…
Increasing heat and drought are changing forests faster than expected. Researchers at the University of Würzburg want to keep a better eye on these dynamics. The Bavarian Research Institute for Digital Transformation (bidt) of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities is funding their project with 1.2 million euros. “Alarming data: Five percent of the forest area is gone.” This news made its way through the German media landscape in February 2022. The basis of the news was a satellite-based…
Researchers from Dresden and Bangalore discover a unique two-component molecular motor that uses a kind of renewable chemical energy to pull vesicles toward membrane-bound organelles. Cells have a fascinating feature to neatly organize their interior by using tiny protein machines called molecular motors that generate directed movements. Most of them use a common type of fuel, a kind of chemical energy, called ATP to operate. Now researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), the…
… that can traverse difficult landscapes. Centipedes are known for their wiggly walk. With tens to hundreds of legs, they can traverse any terrain without stopping. “When you see a scurrying centipede, you’re basically seeing an animal that inhabits a world that is very different than our world of movement,” said Daniel Goldman, the Dunn Family Professor in the School of Physics. “Our movement is largely dominated by inertia. If I swing my leg, I land on my foot and…
Scientists Design New Bio-Inspired Molecules to Promote Bone Regeneration. An interdisciplinary team of scientists in Dresden developed novel bio-inspired sugar-based molecules that show potential to improve bone regeneration. People’s ability to regenerate bones declines with age and is further decreased by diseases such as osteoporosis. To help the aging population, researchers are looking for new therapies that improve bone regeneration. Now, an interdisciplinary team of researchers from the Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC) and the Medical Faculty of TU Dresden along with…
Predicting extinction vulnerability during a modern-day biodiversity crisis is a key objective for scientists. One approach is to use evidence from the past to make forecasts for the future. A team of researchers led by William Foster from Hamburg University used fossils from past mass extinctions to see if AI-generated models can accurately predict extinction vulnerability. Despite expectations, this research found that mass extinctions could not be used to generate predictive models for other biodiversity crises, indicating a lack of…
New method simultaneously monitors clumps and the mixing intensity in a single step. Water is a vital resource, and clean water is a necessity. Texas A&M University researchers have developed a new technique to monitor one of the key processes of purifying water in real time. Raw water contains microscopic pathogens that are too small to remove during water and wastewater treatment easily. Chemicals are added to form large clumps called flocs, which are easily filtered out. Flocculation is the…
Modern quantum technology opens up many new areas of application. But it also harbors risks. Due to their enormous computing power, quantum computers, could undermine even the most modern data encryption methods. To forestall this scenario, several partners led by KEEQuant GmbH are developing a new approach to secure optical data transmission in wireless networks using light and quantum keys. The “QuINSiDa” project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research BMBF with a sum of 2…
Brain-computer interfaces are able to restore some mobility to paralyzed people by controlling exoskeletons. However, more complex control signals cannot yet be read from the head surface because conventional sensors are not sensitive enough. A collaboration of Fraunhofer IAF, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, University of Stuttgart and other industrial partners has taken up this challenge: In the recently launched NeuroQ lighthouse project, the project partners develop highly sensitive diamond-based quantum sensors that will enable paralyzed people to control neural exoskeletons…
Jena cooperation project “INTACT” develops new innovative approach for therapy and diagnostics in premature babies with intestinal disorders. In Germany, doctors have to feed some 200 out of 800 very premature babies every year – mostly due to an infection – by diverting stool out of the body through an artificial intestinal stoma and returning the intestinal contents (chyme) at another stoma, in order to relieve the intestine. Currently, this can only be done manually, which does not guarantee a…
Interdisciplinary team at the University of Freiburg studies freely moving individuals using 3D tracking Key indicators about the respective roles of the premotor, motor, and sensory domains Findings may be helpful for further development and use of neuroprostheses An interdisciplinary research team at the University of Freiburg has found important clues about the functioning of the sensorimotor cortex. The new findings on neuronal activities in this brain area could be helpful for the further development and use of so-called neuroprostheses….
EU funds innovation project from technology, agricultural science and business studies with around 2.5 million euros. According to a report by the EU Commission, over 60 percent of agricultural soils in the European Union are overfertilised. The consequences are soil acidification, polluted waters, reduced biodiversity, and declining soil yields. The upcoming soil health law and associated fertiliser requirements aim at improving soil quality, but for the farmers, this poses severe challenges. Daily variability of nutrient values and time-consuming laboratory analyses…
Successful approval of the 2nd funding period of the DFG Research Training Group 2430. Researchers based in Dresden are going to develop a completely new class of materials in which actuators and sensors are integrated directly into flexible fibre composites – contrary to the state of the art. To this end, the German Research Foundation (DFG) approved the 2nd phase of Research Training Group 2430 “Interactive Fibre-Elastomer Composites” at TU Dresden in cooperation with the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research…
Compact and flexible fiber design ensures efficient focusing and razor-sharp images thanks to 3D printing. An interdisciplinary team of researchers from Korea, Australia, Great Britain, and Germany – with participation of Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz IPHT) – were able for the first time to optimize an optical glass fiber in such a way that light of different wavelengths can be focused extremely precisely. The level of accuracy is achieved by 3D nanoprinting of an optical lens applied to…
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