Research

Bacteria that are sensitive to drugs can become resilient when part of communities, with the help of cross-protection strategies Summary Many human medications can directly inhibit the growth and alter the function of the bacteria that constitute our gut microbiome. EMBL Heidelberg researchers have now discovered that this effect is reduced when bacteria form communities. […]

Heidelberg researchers identify biological mechanism that protects against, but can also trigger, errors in the genome Certain developmental signals shape not only the human embryo but also play a significant role in maintaining our genetic blueprints. They prevent alterations in the genome, known as mosaicism. An international research team led by scientists of the Centre […]

Personalized medicine with individually tailored therapies is becoming more and more a reality in cancer. This requires a precise look into the genetic material of tumors, a molecular diagnostic tumor profile. A research group from the German Network for Personalized Medicine (DNPM) has recorded the quality standards according to which genome analyses are carried out […]

Researchers have identified key cellular control sites that regulate gene expression and prevent the activation of ‘cryptic’ genomic regions, including ancient viral sequences Summary For any organism to survive and thrive, its cells must strictly control which genes are active when and where. New research from EMBL Heidelberg’s Noh Group and their collaborators from EMBL […]

Scientists collaborate to customise top-of-the-line microscopy method with AI to better understand glioblastoma brain tumours Summary Imagine building a traffic surveillance camera that could detect trouble-making cells speeding around in your brain before their cellular gang could commit ‘crimes’. Most importantly, this camera could catch some of the biggest interlopers of all – cancer cells. […]

Interdisciplinary research team uses DNA microbeads to control the development of cultivated tissue A new molecular engineering technique can precisely influence the development of organoids. Microbeads made of specifically folded DNA are used to release growth factors or other signal molecules inside the tissue structures. This gives rise to considerably more complex organoids that imitate […]

Connecting structure to function in five decades of research By Julia Mahamid, Kristina Djinovic-Carugo, Janet Thornton Structural biology investigates the three-dimensional structure of biological molecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids, and tries to understand their function through this lens. The journey of structural biology in the last five decades has been one of continuous […]

The German Cystic Fibrosis Association (Bundesverband Mukoviszidose e.V.) is providing 148,330 euros to fund a project by Dr. Andrew Tony-Odigie’s working group (Heidelberg University Hospital) on the use of commensal (beneficial) bacteria and their metabolic products to improve therapy with CFTR modulators. The scientists are investigating previously unknown interactions between modulator therapy and commensals and […]