Age determines the genes that regulate our internal body clock. Intrigued by this biological function, the University Medical Center Halle published a study on the circadian rhythm linked to our aging process in the journalAging Cell. The analysis examined mice’s gene activity of different ages using artificial intelligence. This research could result in novel therapeutic concepts to counteract the aging process. The way you age is influenced by your environment, lifestyle, and inherited genes, along with how those genes work….

New research has shown how the quantum mechanical principle of strong coupling opens unrivalled possibilities for designing optical filters: So-called ‘polariton filters’ break new ground in imaging / publication in ‘Nature Communications’ A team of researchers from the University of Cologne, Hasselt University (Belgium) and the University of St Andrews (Scotland) has succeeded in using the quantum mechanical principle of strong light-matter coupling for a groundbreaking optical technology that overcomes the long-standing problem of angular dependence in optical systems. The…

ECM1 Inhibits Liver Fibrosis by Targeting Mediators That Convert TGF-β from Its Biologically Inactive Form to Its Active Form. The research group “Molecular Hepatology” from the Dept. of Medicine II., of the University Medical Faculty Mannheim at Heidelberg University, led by Professor Dr. Steven Dooley, has uncovered a significant mechanism involved in liver fibrosis. Their findings have been published in the renowned gastroenterology journal Gut. The study highlights the extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) as a central component of potential…

Desert ants of the Cataglyphis nodus species use the Earth’s magnetic field for spatial orientation, but rely on a different component of the field than other insects. This is the result of a survey published in the journal Current Biology by a research team led by Pauline Fleischmann from the University of Oldenburg, Germany. It suggests that the ants use a different mechanism for magnetoreception than most insects studied to date, including the famous monarch butterflies. The researchers suspect that…

For the first time, researchers used lab-grown organoids created from tumors of individuals with glioblastoma (GBM) to accurately model a patient’s response to CAR T cell therapy in real time. The organoid’s response to therapy mirrored the response of the actual tumor in the patient’s brain. That is, if the tumor-derived organoid shrunk after treatment, so did the patient’s actual tumor, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, published today in Cell…

Ninety percent of cancer deaths are due to the spread of cancer, not complications from the original tumor. Thus, for over 50 years now, scientists have been on a quest to identify which malignant mutations within the tumor allow rogue cells to break away from the primary tumor and travel through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to metastasize throughout the body. But new research suggests an alternative mechanism has been overlooked—elusive mutations driving metastasis may not be developing within the…

New discovery finds simple metabolites combine to form a powerful antioxidant. Dubbed “Conan the Bacterium” for its extraordinary ability to tolerate the harshest of conditions, Deinococcus radiodurans can withstand radiation doses thousands of times higher than what would kill a human — and every other organism for that matter. The secret behind this impressive resistance is the presence of a collection of simple metabolites, which combine with manganese to form a powerful antioxidant. Now, chemists at Northwestern University and the Uniformed Services…

Diversity and metabolic potential of globally distributed endosymbionts. Scientists from Bremen, Germany, find peculiar mitochondria-like symbionts all over the world, and unveil their surprising metabolic capacities. Their results are now published in Nature Communications. In 2021, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany, reported an astonishing new form of symbiosis: They found a unique bacterium that lives inside a ciliate – a unicellular eukaryote – and provides it with energy. The symbiont’s role is thus strongly reminiscent…

… new targeted drug gives them an offer they can’t refuse. A group of scientists at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center has revealed a new genetic code that recruits and deploys tumor cells to invade healthy organs and overpower normal cells. A group of scientists at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center has revealed a new genetic code that acts like a cancer ringleader, recruiting and deploying a gang of tumor cells to incite a biological turf war by invading healthy…

Broadly effective innovative vaccine design. Globally, approximately 58 million people are chronically infected with HCV, resulting in 290,000 annual deaths due to complications such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Although modern antiviral treatments achieve high cure rates, the global elimination of HCV remains a difficult goal due to inadequate early detection and limited treatment options. Indeed, HCV has been identified as one of the globally prioritized endemic pathogens for vaccine research and development in the World Health Organization’s “Immunization…

MHH gastroenterologist Dr Bernd Heinrich is investigating how bacteria and immune cells exchange information in the tumour environment. The Else Kröner Fresenius Foundation has honoured him with a Memorial Fellowship worth 250,000 euros for his work. Bile duct cancer is a rare but serious disease that is usually fatal. Known technically as cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), it can affect the bile ducts inside and outside the liver. The frequency of cases is increasing worldwide and the chances of recovery are considered poor….

Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago’s milestone achievement tracks protein levels in real time, enabling monitoring of inflammation at the cellular level. Proteins are the building blocks of life, and changes in protein levels can indicate improving health or impending illness, including signs of inflammation. While protein levels can be measured in periodic blood or urine tests, it has been an uphill challenge to figure out how to continuously monitor protein levels in the human body in real time. Now, a team…

MHH physician Dr Stephan Traidl is investigating the effects of systemic therapies for atopic dermatitis. The Else Kröner Fresenius Foundation honours him with the Memorial Scholarship worth 250,000 euros. Unbearable itching and dry, flaky skin are among the typical signs of atopic dermatitis. It is one of the most common chronic inflammatory skin diseases. In Germany, up to 2.5 million people are affected every year, of which around 1.3 million are children and adolescents. The disease usually begins in infancy…

Circadian clocks control physiological processes and behavior in virtually all living organisms. Now an international research team led by researchers from the University of Würzburg has created a detailed map of the internal clock in the brain of the fruit fly. All animals including humans are subject to daily rhythms in their activity and sleep, hunger, metabolism, and reproduction. The system that regulates these biological rhythms is known as the circadian clock. It controls all processes in the body within…

Microbial communities, such as those found in the gut microbiome or other body regions, are crucial for the health and development of hosts. However, understanding how these microbes interact with each other – whether they compete, cooperate, or influence each other indirectly – has been difficult to decipher. A new method now sheds more light on this issue: an innovative stochastic approach that allows for more precise analysis of interactions between microbes. Traditional models for analyzing microbial communities often rely…

A Path to Innovative Vaccines and Therapies. A research team led by Prof. Julia Esser-von Bieren from the Center of Allergy and Environment (ZAUM) at Helmholtz Munich and the Technical University of Munich, as well as the University of Lausanne (UNIL) has uncovered a molecular strategy employed by worm parasites (helminths) to evade host immune defenses. This discovery opens new avenues for the development of innovative vaccines and therapies. Published in Science Immunology, the study offers promising solutions for addressing…