They are underestimated genetic control elements: it is known that changes in the genome can trigger diabetes. But now researchers at the University Hospital Ulm and the INSERM Cochin Institute in Paris have shown that a previously under-researched region of the genome also plays a crucial role in the development of this disease.

An important enzyme helps the body produce selenium proteins – this discovery could open up new strategies for treating cancer in children. This has been published by scientists from the University of Würzburg, the University Sao Paolo, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Heidelberg Stem Cell Institute HI-STEM*.

Greener NHS - 18/11/2024

National Health Service working towards climate neutrality

The National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland is taking steps to become more environmentally sustainable. The NHS has committed to the ambitious goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040, aiming to significantly reduce its climate impact in the coming years.

PURA syndrome is a rare developmental disorder of the brain for which there is currently no cure. The patient association PURA Syndrome Germany was founded last year. Since then, the affected families have been collecting donations with great dedication – and have decided to donate the majority of this money to research into the syndrome at Ulm University.

Making existing cancer therapy more efficient while significantly reducing the side effects on healthy tissue - this is the aim of a project at Aalen University. It is being funded with one million euros from the Carl Zeiss Foundation. The biophysicist and his team are developing innovative nanoparticles made of gold. The particles use radiotherapy and chemotherapy simultaneously and kill the cancer cells in a targeted manner.

The reproducible and precise production of complex organoid models to simulate human organ malfunctions is the focus of an interdisciplinary research project at Heidelberg University. A research team from the life and engineering sciences is looking to combine the engineering of molecular systems with machine learning and automated production methods.

The challenge: if conventional speaking valves are used improperly, dangerous overpressure can occur, which can cause serious complications and even death. In a collaboration at the University of Freiburg, researchers developed a speaking valve with an integrated pressure release valve and an acoustic warning signal, inspired by the trapping mechanism of the carnivorous bladderwort plant Utricularia vulgaris.

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is currently funding a project at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Heidelberg University Hospital with around 1.2 million euros. The aim is to use 3D printing technology to produce individualized implants directly in the clinic, thus enabling faster, more efficient and more precise patient-specific care. To this end, the UKHD is working with an industrial partner.

Chromosomal instability plays a role in the progression of cancer: it shapes the properties of tumor cells and drives the development of therapy resistance. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the Heidelberg Stem Cell Institute HI-STEM* and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) used state-of-the-art single-cell analysis methods to analyze the cellular heterogeneity of a specific form of acute myeloid leukemia.

Researchers at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg and the University’s CIBSS Cluster of Excellence discover how mitochondria not only produce energy but also influence inflammation.

Cell division, cell differentiation, cell repair and cell death play fundamental roles in the human organism, its development, health and reproduction. Cellular transformation processes are governed by two regulatory mechanisms: chromatin modifications and cell signaling networks. The EpiSignal Research Training Group sheds light on the hitherto little-researched interplay between these two complex systems.