Being able to observe micro-organisms and their cellular components is key to understanding fundamental processes that go on inside cells—and thus potentially developing new medical treatments. Microbiologists and biophysicists from the University of Bonn have now developed a method that makes the high-throughput process for observing molecules five times faster, enabling insights to be gained into hitherto unknown cellular functions. If our skin spends too long exposed to UV rays, e.g. from the sun, it can cause mutations in our…

The Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz-Lipmann Institute (FLI) developed an assessment system for fish health. Jena. The welfare of fish – that is what drives Dr. Beate Hoppe and her team every day. The animal keepers, scientists and veterinarians at the Leibniz Institute for Ageing Research (FLI) in Jena have spent six years meticulously collecting and evaluating data and have now published their findings in the Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (JAALAS). What has long…

In a study, researchers found a clear link between pupil response and loss of pleasure. This discovery contributes to a better understanding of the physiological mechanisms behind depression. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry measured the pupillary reaction of participants while they were solving a task. In healthy participants, the pupils dilated during the task in anticipation of a reward, but this reaction was less pronounced in participants with depression: “The reduced pupil reaction was particularly noticeable in…

Preclinical findings reported in the journal Cell could lead to a new type of immunotherapy. According to preclinical research published online on Jan. 10 in Cell, one of the world’s premier scientific journals, researchers with City of Hope, one of the largest cancer treatment and research organizations in the United States, have discovered that a type of immune cell in the human body known to be important for allergy and other immune responses can also attack cancer. Furthermore, these cells, called…

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a neural implant that provides information about activity deep inside the brain while sitting on its surface. The implant is made up of a thin, transparent and flexible polymer strip that is packed with a dense array of graphene electrodes. The technology, tested in transgenic mice, brings the researchers a step closer to building a minimally invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) that provides high-resolution data about deep neural activity by using…

Current study reveals how machine learning, data integration and AI contribute to better strategies in the fight against pathogens. To combat viruses, bacteria and other pathogens, synthetic biology offers new technological approaches whose performance is being validated in experiments. Researchers from the Würzburg Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research and the Helmholtz AI Cooperative applied data integration and artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a machine learning approach that can predict the efficacy of CRISPR technologies more accurately than before. The…

The world’s first prototype for real-time tracking of moving tumors using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during proton therapy goes into scientific application. On January 9th, 2024, a scientific prototype for MRI-guided proton therapy was inaugurated in Dresden. With this installation, experts from the fields of medicine, medical physics, biology and engineering are embarking on the scientific testing of a new form of radiotherapy for treating cancer. For the first time globally, a full-body MRI device for real-time imaging is combined…

The widely used dry-cleaning and degreasing solvent perc can be converted to useful chemicals by a new clean, safe and inexpensive procedure. The Kobe University discovery using on-demand UV activation may open the path to upcycling perc and thus contribute to a more sustainable society. Organic synthesis is the production of useful chemicals, such as drugs, from other available chemicals. In general, chemists use source materials to create simple building blocks, such as carbonate esters, and combine them to increasingly…

… augment infection of lung cells. The virus has rediscovered an entry pathway into lung cells that has been used by earlier variants and that is important for the development of pneumonia. Despite the end of the pandemic, COVID-19 continues to pose a serious health threat. Most individuals have established robust immune protection and do not develop severe disease but the infection can still lead to marked and sometimes long-lasting disease symptoms. In the late summer of 2023 a new…

Protein identified that increases the formation of good brown fat. Brown fat cells convert energy into heat – a key to eliminating unwanted fat deposits. In addition, they also protect against cardiovascular diseases. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the Transdisciplinary Research Area “Life & Health” at the University of Bonn have now identified the protein EPAC1 as a new pharmacological target to increase brown fat mass and activity. The long-term aim is to find medicines that support…

A combination of only 11 proteins can predict long-term disability outcomes in multiple sclerosis (MS) for different individuals. The identified proteins could be used to tailor treatments to the individual based on the expected severity of the disease. The study, led by researchers at Linköping University in Sweden, has been published in the journal Nature Communications. “A combination of 11 proteins predicted both short and long-term disease activity and disability outcomes. We also concluded that it’s important to measure these…

In collaboration with 12 partners from 6 countries, Jena University Hospital is establishing the Antivirus Pandemic Preparedness EuropeAn pLatform (APPEAL), a European research initiative aimed at enhancing preparedness for future pandemics. This EU funded collaboration will establish a comprehensive program for the development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs within a five year time frame ensuring drug affordability and accessibility to low income countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the profound impact of the emergence of dangerous viruses. While the World Health…

A new microscopic technique zeroes in on the poorly explored world of nanoplastics, which can pass into blood, cells and your brain. In recent years, there has been rising concern that tiny particles known as microplastics are showing up basically everywhere on Earth, from polar ice to soil, drinking water and food. Formed when plastics break down into progressively smaller bits, these particles are being consumed by humans and other creatures, with unknown potential health and ecosystem effects. One big…

Fraunhofer Austria and the AULSS2 Marca Trevigiana Institute in Treviso have developed a method based on artificial intelligence that can reduce the workload of laboratories. Urinary tract infections are usually diagnosed by means of urine culture: an extract of the urine sample is applied to a plate and examined for bacterial growth under a microscope for the following 24 to 48 hours. After this time-consuming procedure, however, more than two thirds of samples turn out to be negative. Being able…

Important Membrane transport mechanism in pathogenic bacteria researched. Some bacterial membrane transporters work almost like freight elevators to transport substances through the cell membrane into the interior of the cell. The transporter itself spans the bacterial membrane. Like a forklift, a soluble protein outside the bacterium transports the substance to the “elevator” and unloads its cargo there. The freight elevator transports it to the inside of the cell, in other words to another floor. Researchers at the University Hospital Bonn…

Scientists examine how friction forces propel development in a marine organism. As the potter works the spinning wheel, the friction between their hands and the soft clay helps them shape it into all kinds of forms and creations. In a fascinating parallel, sea squirt oocytes (immature egg cells) harness friction within various compartments in their interior to undergo developmental changes after conception. A study from the Heisenberg group at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), published in Nature…