Digital bone twin by OSORA medical - 04/05/2026

Fractures in focus: predicting rather than waiting

Bone fractures are generally healed by the body without any issues. However, there are hundreds of thousands of cases each year in which a fracture either fails to heal or only does so slowly. To reduce the number of cases where this happens, a start-up called OSORA medical has developed methods to predict the healing process and, if necessary, make preventative adjustments.

Ulm University held an awards ceremony to recognise the outstanding achievements in research and teaching of its early-career researchers. The event, held at the end of April at Villa Eberhardt, focused on researchers who had received seed funding for their own research projects.

From May 15–16, 2026, the 3rd International Symposium “Frontiers in Skin Immunity” will bring leading experts in dermatology and immunology to Heidelberg. Organized by the SFB Transregio 156 “The Skin as Sensor and Initiator of Local and Systemic Immunity” and the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University the meeting highlights advances in understanding skin immune responses and marks the conclusion of the consortium’s third funding period.

SPT Labtech, a global leader in the design and development of laboratory automation and liquid handling solutions, and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory’s Genomics Core Facility (EMBL GeneCore), today announced a collaboration to advance fully walkaway automated genomics workflows.

MRI analysis of fat and muscle distribution in more than 66,000 people provides a more accurate assessment of health risks / Poor muscle quality poses an additional risk / Study provides reference values based on age, sex, and height

The ability of cancer cells to change their identity makes tumors such as glioblastoma particularly aggressive and resistant to treatment. Moritz Mall, of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Hector Institute for Translational Brain Research (HITBR), is investigating how this plasticity can be specifically restricted. His approach focuses on genetic “guardians” that suppress alternative cell programs.

Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the HI-STEM* Stem Cell Institute have deciphered a key mechanism that contributes to treatment failure in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). They show that there are not just one, but four different subtypes of leukemia stem cells. This diversity could explain why one of the most important AML drugs does not work sufficiently in some patients or loses its effectiveness over time.

The Athletin-D project combines the universities of Bochum, Freiburg, Wuppertal and the Technical University of Munich on research into how the performance and health of female athletes could be improved in Olympic and paralympic sports. At the University of Freiburg, the sports psychologist Professor Jana Strahler is studying the interaction of hormonal processes, stress, lifestyle factors and mental health.

The University of Stuttgart has become a new Cooperation Partner of the European University Alliance EULiST. By signing the cooperation agreement in Lappeenranta, Finland, the university is further expanding its European network and contributing its expertise at the intersection of technology, science, and society to the alliance.

Whether people try to quit smoking depends heavily on public health policies in their respective countries – whether they are successful, however, depends primarily on their personal environment and behavior. This was the finding of researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in an international study.

Until now, it has been technically nearly impossible to rotate highly sensitive samples in all directions under a microscope without making contact. Researchers at the KIT have developed a new laser-based technique that allows microscopic samples such as cells to be rotated contact-free in all three spatial directions. The laser creates tiny temperature differences in the liquid, which trigger gentle fluid flows that move the sample.

Prof. Dr Simon Elsässer will be awarded one of this year’s Alexander von Humboldt Professorships in Berlin on 12 May 2026. With funding of five million euros, Elsässer will strengthen Freiburg’s research focus ‘Signals of Life’ over the next five years. In this interview, he discusses complex decision-making processes in cells, the significance of signals and what makes the research environment in Freiburg so special.

Konstanz molecular biologist Elke Deuerling has been admitted to the German National Academy of Sciences, the "Leopoldina". By selecting Elke Deuerling as a member, the Academy recognizes her outstanding contributions to the field of life sciences, particularly to proteostasis research.

Cancer prevention with a single jab - 20/05/2026

Therapeutic vaccine against HPV-induced tumours

Persistent infections with human papillomaviruses (HPV) are the primary cause of cervical cancer. Researchers from Heidelberg have developed a promising therapeutic vaccine consisting of immunogenic virus peptides linked to silica nanoparticles, which is currently being investigated in preclinical studies. The vaccine activates specific cytotoxic T cells and is usable regardless of HLA type.

AI is transforming science and does not stop at neuroscience. In this interview, we speak to Gabriele Lohmann about her research at the intersection of the brain and algorithms. She talks about the use of artificial intelligence as a research tool, the decoding of brain activity, and why large language models do not understand what they are doing.