Exciting plant vacuoles
Researchers discovered that TPC1 ion channel contributes to plant excitability, enabling plants to respond to stressors. The study sheds light on plant communication and may lead to breeding more resilient crop varieties.
University of Würzburg
Living healthier with digital technologies
A research network is investigating how digital technologies affect mental and physical health, with a focus on developing training approaches for children and adolescents. The project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of media literacy skills in preventing digital stress and promoting healthy media use.
New boost for ToCoTronics
The University of Würzburg's ToCoTronics SFB has secured additional funding to continue research on topological materials. The project aims to optimize material quality, generate new interfaces with superconductors and ferromagnets, and explore spin-orbital coupling with Coulomb interaction.
Systems biology of antibiotics
Dr. Ana Rita Brochado's research focuses on gram-negative bacteria, which are difficult to treat due to their complex cellular envelope. Her work has shown that certain bacterial strains can be effectively combated using antibiotic combinations and food compounds, like vanillin.
Computing faster with quasi-particles
Scientists from the University of Würzburg and Harvard University successfully created quasi-particles called Majorana fermions in a two-dimensional system, paving the way for topological quantum computers. This breakthrough enables more powerful and efficient computing capabilities.
Plant researcher receives 1.5 million euros
Rainer Hedrich's new project aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying frequency-dependent decision making in Dionaea, using mutants with disturbed stimuli transmission. The researcher hopes to determine the cellular basis for counting and decision-making in plants.
Improving the well-being of heart-failure patients
A six-week web-based intervention has been shown to significantly improve anxiety, depression and psychosocial well-being in heart-failure patients. The program combined psychological and medical help, was found to have lasting benefits and can be integrated into routine healthcare.
Wax helps plants to survive in the desert
Researchers have discovered that desert plants like the colocynth use a special wax to prevent their leaves from drying out in extreme heat. This wax reduces water permeability, enabling plants to conserve water and survive. In contrast, date palms have a different type of wax that helps them thrive in hot conditions.
New pathways for sustainable agriculture
A new study found that small-scale land use can significantly improve biodiversity and ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes, even with minimal non-crop habitat.
ERC Advanced Grant for Thomas Rudel
Professor Thomas Rudel received a €2.5 million ERC Advanced Grant to study how Chlamydia evades the human immune system and cause chronic diseases like cervical cancer. The grant aims to develop new therapies to overcome this 'blindness' and improve treatment outcomes for Chlamydia infections.
A cellular protein as a 'gas pump attendant' of cancer development
Researchers discovered that a cellular protein acts as a 'gas pump attendant' controlling cancer cell growth, ensuring only necessary proteins are produced. This understanding may lead to new ways to inhibit cancer development.
Mount Kilimanjaro: Ecosystems in global change
A recent study on Mount Kilimanjaro reveals that land use and climate interactions significantly impact tropical mountain ecosystems, resulting in reduced biodiversity and altered ecological functions. The research found that different elevation zones exhibit varying levels of change, with the savanna zone being particularly vulnerable.
Tumor-promoting enzymes USP25 and USP28: Substantial differences identified
Scientists have discovered that USP25 is inactive in its isolated form and forms a tetramer, whereas USP28 exists as a constitutively active dimer. This knowledge provides the molecular basis for developing targeted anti-cancer drugs with low side effects.
Inert nitrogen forced to react with itself
Researchers from Germany have developed a completely new chemical reaction that uses boron-containing molecules to directly couple two molecules of N2 into a N4 chain. This breakthrough enables the direct generation of longer nitrogen chains under mild conditions, bypassing traditional methods like the Haber-Bosch process.
Protein BRCA1 as a stress coach
Researchers discovered BRCA1 protein helps neuroblastoma cells cope with stress by opening a side track for repair. This mechanism enables tumours to grow rapidly despite DNA damage.
Cool adaptations to the cold
Researchers found that icefish have evolved transparent blood, increased energy production, and specialized proteins to protect against cold damage. These adaptations enable them to thrive in Antarctica's frigid waters.
How plants learned to save water
Researchers at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg reconstructed the evolutionary history of genes controlling leaf pore movement in flowering plants. They found that most genes belong to old families present in all plant groups, including green algae, suggesting they developed before land colonization.
Fluconazole makes fungi sexually active
Researchers discovered that fluconazole treatment makes fungi sexually active, combining different resistance mechanisms and producing highly resistant offspring. This finding can help develop better drugs and overcome resistance.
New findings about anti-malaria drug
A recent study has uncovered the molecular basis for artemisinins' effect on inhibitory neurotransmission, potentially leading to new treatments for neurological diseases. The research reveals that artemisinins target gephyrin, a protein involved in regulating inhibitory neurotransmission.
Increasing skepticism against robots
A cross-European analysis of public attitudes towards robots reveals growing skepticism, particularly in areas like surgeries and autonomous cars. Men tend to view robots positively, while women are more skeptical, with blue-collar workers and older populations showing more positive views.
Longer siesta on bright days
Research by neurobiologists at the University of Würzburg reveals that high-intensity light extends sleep duration and delays evening activity in Drosophila. The study's findings suggest a molecular mechanism involving photo receptors and neuropeptides that regulate the circadian clock.
The algae's third eye
Researchers have discovered a new light sensor in green algae that inhibits cGMP production, reducing its concentration. This finding is significant as it mirrors the human eye's response to light, and could lead to breakthroughs in optogenetics.
Progress in super-resolution microscopy
Researchers at the University of Würzburg have successfully applied U-ExM to image multi-protein complexes with unprecedented molecular resolution. This breakthrough resolves long-standing doubts about the method's reliability and preserves ultrastructural details.
Molecular insights into spider silk
Researchers from the University of Würzburg have provided new insights into the molecular-level structural details responsible for spider silk's exceptional strength, extensibility, and biodegradability. The study suggests that a molecular clamp connecting protein building blocks contributes to the material's flexibility.
News about a plant hormone
Scientists have found that jasmonic acid triggers the quick closure of stomata, a crucial mechanism for plants to conserve water during drought stress. The discovery also reveals a molecular crosstalk between jasmonic acid and abscisic acid, two key plant hormones involved in regulating stomatal conductance.
Environment turns molecule into a switch
Physicists from the University of Würzburg have successfully manipulated a molecule into two stable states by controlling its environment using an electrical field. This breakthrough could enable the creation of molecular switches for spintronics applications, a promising technology for future data processing.
Vine compound starves cancer cells
Researchers have discovered a new compound, ancistrolikokine E3, from a Congolese rainforest vine that effectively targets and kills pancreatic cancer cells. The compound inhibits the Akt/mTOR pathway and autophagy pathway, leading to dramatic changes in cell morphology and preventing metastasis formation.
A leap into quantum technology
The Q.Link.X project funds a quantum repeater development to overcome transmission link limitations in optical fiber-based quantum communication, aiming for distances of up to ten or 100 kilometers.
Novel topological insulator
Researchers at the University of Würzburg and the Technion have successfully built a topological insulator operating with dual excitations, offering a novel platform for switched electronic systems and laser applications. The discovery showcases the potential of this material for advanced optoelectronic devices.
Altruism can be trained
Scientists discovered that specific mental trainings can improve prosocial behavior over several months. Affect Module, consisting of daily practices, boosted altruistic behaviors, making it a potential step towards a caring society.
A top-notch chemist
Kazunori Sugiyasu, a renowned Japanese chemist, has been awarded the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award for his groundbreaking work on supramolecular polymers. He will collaborate with Professor Frank Würthner at the University of Würzburg to develop artificial chloroplasts that harness light energy to produce fuels.
The soothing effects of strangers
A study found that pain treatment is more efficient when provided by a stranger, revealing the analgesic effect of surprise. Participants experienced reduced neural pain responses and subjective pain judgments after being treated by someone from a different social group.
A one-way street for salt
Researchers have discovered the molecular mechanism behind quinoa's ability to store salt in its bladder cells, allowing it to thrive in saline soils. This unique adaptation enables quinoa to transfer excess salt to final storage sites without harming the plant.
Viruses under the microscope
Researchers at the University of Würzburg have identified viral microRNA molecules that can serve as ideal biomarkers for detecting human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) reactivation. The discovery was made using a novel method that allows for early detection of viral activation, potentially leading to improved clinical interventions.
Heart attack: Substitute muscle thanks to stem cells
Researchers at the University of Würzburg have made a breakthrough in treating myocardial infarction, with stem cells found to exist in vascular walls and intracardiac blood vessels. These cells may be able to regenerate damaged cardiac muscle tissue in response to heart attacks.
A step ahead in pharmaceutical research
Scientists at the University of Würzburg have developed a new method called BRET that allows them to test the activity and potency of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) ligands in living cells. This breakthrough enables faster discovery of novel pharmaceutical substances with less side effects.
The evolution of carnivorous plants
Researchers are studying the genetic basis of carnivorous plant evolution, seeking to understand how similar traits emerge in different orders. Dr. Kenji Fukushima's work aims to develop new molecular tools for analyzing specific genes in carnivorous plants.
Bees need it colorful
Scientists discovered that bees' quality of life is highest in gardens and biodiverse forests, while lowest in plantations. The decline of biodiversity is linked to bee extinction due to the lack of sufficient food and resources.
Surprise finding in neurons
Researchers discovered a high infection rate of Purkinje neurons with HHV-6 in patients with bipolar disorder and/or severe depression. The study suggests viruses can cause cognitive disturbances leading to mood disorders, contradicting the belief that dormant viruses never cause disease.
Algae have land genes
Research on freshwater algae Chara braunii reveals ancient genetic traits associated with plant adaptation, including the stress hormone abscisic acid and electrical signal transmission. These findings provide insights into the evolutionary origins of land-dwelling plants.
LandKlif: Changing ecosystems in Bavaria
A new research alliance in Bavaria is investigating the impact of climate change on ecosystems, focusing on four subprojects: measuring biodiversity and ecosystem performance, simulating climate scenarios and drought stress, landscape types and adaptability, and investigating vegetation with satellite data.
New 2D spectroscopy methods
Physicists have developed two novel principles for optical spectroscopy, allowing for the direct observation of excitation-excitation interactions and energy transport in systems. This breakthrough enables the study of dynamic properties such as energy transport in natural light-harvesting systems and artificial dye aggregates.
Blockade at the receptor
Researchers found that Chlamydia trachomatis deactivates immune cells by activating a protein that cleaves key receptors, allowing the bacterium to evade detection. This discovery holds promise for developing targeted therapies against Chlamydia infections.
When muscles weaken with age
Researchers discover a causal relationship between inflammatory responses in aging nerves and degenerative aging processes. The team found that reducing macrophage activity improves nerve structure and function, increasing mobility and quality of life for those affected by age-related muscle weakness.
Targeting platelets
A new Collaborative Research Center will investigate complex interactions between platelets and inflammatory processes. The project aims to develop novel treatment concepts for diseases associated with platelet dysfunction, such as stroke and acute respiratory failure.
New technology for enzyme design
Researchers at University of Würzburg develop new technology to redesign enzyme surfaces, increasing efficiency and selectivity in biochemical reactions. The modified enzymes can convert table sugar into a fructose polymer, with potential applications in medicine and the food industry.
The big clean-up after stress
Researchers from the University of Würzburg have discovered a new role for stress granules in the formation and elimination of these structures. The study found that ZFAND1 protein is necessary for normal clearance of stress granules, which can lead to neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and FTD if not properly eliminated.
Raiding the rape field
Researchers found that incorporating flowering areas and agri-environmental schemes in agricultural landscapes increases predator species and individuals, leading to effective natural pest control. The distance between the flowering plot and the oilseed rape field is crucial for this effect.
Matabele ants: Travelling faster with detours
The Matabele ant, a species of termite-eating ant, uses detours to increase its speed while traveling back to the nest. By taking the quickest route rather than the shortest one, they reduce their travel time by an average of 35%. This navigational skill is unique to this species and allows individual ants to make decisions independently.
Why cereal is better
Researchers discovered that two amino acids in the guard cells' protein SLAC1 enable grasses to quickly close their stomata and prevent water loss. This mechanism allows grasses to adapt better to drought, making them more suitable for water-scarce regions.