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Goethe University Frankfurt


News from the diamond nursery

Scientists have recreated the conditions of the Earth's mantle, where diamonds form, by simulating extreme pressure and heat. They found that the sediments represent a plausible source of potassium for the saline fluid inclusions in diamonds.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalScience Advances·DateJun 19, 2019

Construction kit for custom-designed products

Researchers at Goethe University have developed a novel method for producing new peptide drugs, using fragments of natural NRPS systems as building blocks. The approach enables the easy production of peptides in excellent yield, with applications for modifying clinically relevant drugs and producing peptide libraries.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalNature Chemistry·DateJun 12, 2019

Strengthening fundamental research in Africa

The project aims to deepen early career researchers' understanding of the value of science for its own sake and foster their interest in conceptual fundamental research. The PAPA programme will provide an educational programme, intensive education and supervision, workshops, and a mentoring programme to support the scholars.

Drug diversity in bacteria

Bacteria can create a wide range of derivatives from simple basic structures through mechanisms similar to pharmaceutical research. This diversification allows them to counteract unknown competitors and exhibit a wide range of biological activity.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalNature Chemical Biology·DateMar 25, 2019

How heavy elements come about in the universe

A research team at Goethe University Frankfurt has successfully simulated the capture of protons by heavy elements in the universe. By using an ion storage ring, they were able to create conditions similar to those found in stellar explosions and neutron stars, allowing them to study the formation of heavy elements in detail.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMar 18, 2019

Duplicate or mirror?

Scientists have discovered that the direction of laser light hitting a molecule determines its chiral form. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient production of molecules with uniform chirality for pharmaceuticals. The research was conducted using the planar formic acid molecule and the reaction microscope method.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalScience Advances·DateMar 14, 2019

Choosy amphipods

In a study by Goethe University Frankfurt researchers, male amphipods demonstrated choosiness in their mating behavior. The degree of choosiness was found to be influenced by population density in their natural environments.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalBiological Journal of the Linnean Society·DateFeb 7, 2019

Environmental protection in outer space

The protection of extraterrestrial life is not stipulated in international space research agreements. However, launching miniature interstellar probes poses a risk to habitable but sterile oxygen planets. Research suggests that these planets are unlikely to support life due to the corrosive effect of free oxygen.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalActa Astronautica·DateJan 24, 2019

What happened 4,000 years ago in the Urals?

Researchers are studying Bronze Age activity in the Urals to understand demographic processes and settlement structures. They are analyzing palaeogenetic techniques, archaeological excavations, geophysical surveys, material culture, and archaeobotany to find answers about population genetics, cultural transformation, and demography.

How does potassium enter cells?

A team of scientists has identified a previously unknown protein structure that enables the controlled intake of potassium ions into cells. The discovery, published in Nature Communications, reveals a complex mechanism involving two inter-subunit half-channels and challenges existing theories on potassium transport.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 26, 2018

En route to custom-designed natural products

Scientists have successfully explained the structure and function of docking domains in peptide natural products. This breakthrough allows researchers to redesign docking domain interactions, modulating the product spectrum of a rhabdopeptide-synthesizing NRPS. The discovery has promising implications for creating new substances.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 19, 2018

Elucidating cuttlefish camouflage

Cuttlefish control camouflage by directly acting on skin cells called chromatophores, producing local changes in contrast. Through statistical analysis of chromatophore output, researchers inferred motor neuron activity and higher levels of control, peering into the brain's camouflage system.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalNature·DateOct 19, 2018

Patient-friendly and accurate

Researchers developed an imaging signature to detect subclinical cardiac injury in lupus patients, revealing inflammation as the underlying pathophysiological mechanism. The new diagnostic method using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) improves detection and monitoring of heart involvement without radiation or contrast agents.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalAnnals of the Rheumatic Diseases·DateSep 6, 2018

My counterpart determines my behavior

A social-psychological study at Goethe University Frankfurt reveals that while social class influences behavior, the communication situation plays a more significant role in shaping behavior towards counterparts from different social classes. The study found that individuals exhibit solidarity with those from lower social classes and a...

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalSocial Psychological and Personality Science·DateAug 15, 2018

New hope for rare disorder

Researchers have made significant breakthroughs in treating hereditary angioedema with the new drug BCX7353. The medication has been shown to significantly reduce attack frequency and improve quality of life by up to 75% compared to placebo, offering a convenient oral administration without severe side effects.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateJul 26, 2018

Made-to-measure silicon building blocks

Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt have created a new process to produce highly functionalized organochlorosilanes, ideal crosslinkers for various applications. The process enables the production of inorganic-organic hybrid materials with unique properties.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateJul 24, 2018

Thorny life of newborn neurons

Researchers found that frequent nerve signals strengthen dendritic spines in adult-born neurons, allowing them to connect with the existing neural network. This process is crucial for learning and memory formation in the hippocampus.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 8, 2018

Black holes from an exacomputer

Scientists from Goethe University Frankfurt and the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies have developed a novel simulation code, ExaHyPE, to calculate gravitational waves on exascale supercomputers. This breakthrough allows for more accurate simulations of black hole mergers and other astrophysical phenomena.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalPhysical Review D·DateMay 28, 2018

Clouds like a semi-transparent parasol

Dr. Anna Possner will join the Goethe University in Frankfurt to investigate the impact of low-level clouds on Earth's surface temperature. Her research focuses on semi-transparent parasols that reflect sunlight but have a minimal effect on heat emission, and she aims to improve understanding of their influence.

New insights into blood vessel growth

Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt found that single cells in the innermost layer of blood vessels proliferate after injury and contribute to the formation of new vessels. This process, known as clonal expansion, is thought to play a significant role in tissue damage repair, such as in diabetes or heart attacks.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalCirculation Research·DateMay 7, 2018

Can we tell black holes apart?

Astronomers used computer simulations to create images of accreting supermassive black holes in different gravity theories. They found that even highly non-Einsteinian black holes could mimic the appearance of standard black holes, highlighting the need for new techniques to distinguish them.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalNature Astronomy·DateApr 17, 2018