Research

by Sera Guli The latest release includes protein structure predictions for thousands of viruses, which could improve the response to future outbreaks AI-predicted protein complex structures for over 2,800 viruses are now openly available in the AlphaFold Database. To better understand and protect against emerging pathogens, the dataset prioritises proteomes from viral families known to […]

It is no surprise that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risk of cancer. A large-scale analysis by researchers at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) now confirms this association across a particularly broad spectrum of cancer types. The study also provides additional insights into several rarer and previously less-studied types of cancer. Not […]

CAR-T cell therapies have proven successful in treating several types of blood and lymphoid cancers. However, their use in treating other tumors is significantly more challenging, in part because suitable target structures are lacking. A team led by scientists from the Heidelberg Faculty of Medicine at the Institute of Pathology of Heidelberg University Hospital, in […]

Scientists from Heidelberg and Freiburg identify the mechanism by which proteins assemble into stable complexes in mitochondria A tiny processing step has far-reaching consequences for mitochondrial function: The removal of a single amino acid determines whether new proteins can assemble into stable complexes within these cellular powerhouses. This process is carried out by a specific […]

New findings illuminate mechanisms of protein production, transport, and folding in bacterial cells, but also establish a new way to study cellular ‘cities’, exploring molecular ‘communities’ rather than molecules in isolation Summary Scientists have often thought of cells as small bustling cities with parts that resemble factories, power grids, and shipping systems. And while past […]

Non-communicable diseases such as neurodegeneration, metabolic disorders, and autoimmune disease are growing in incidence, highlighting the urgent need to develop new treatments and therapies. Unlike pathogen-driven diseases, which can be tackled by eliminating the infectious agent or enhancing patient immunity, non-communicable diseases often require targeting of multiple dysregulated endogenous molecules that drive chronic sterile inflammation. […]

New findings show the wide-ranging involvement of the brain when you feel sick Summary We are all familiar with that dreaded sensation: a whole-body achiness and fatigue, waves of both bone-chilling cold and acute sweating that cause one to pull cosy blankets closer and only moments later kick them away. A loss of appetite turns […]

KIT Researchers Develop Customized Enzyme Beads for Flexible Industrial Biocatalysis Thanks to biocatalysis using enzymes, an enormous range of active pharmaceutical ingredients and other complex molecules can now be synthesized in an environmentally friendly manner. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have now developed a technology that allows enzymes to be assembled into […]

Researchers at the Heidelberg Faculty of Medicine at Heidelberg University have deciphered the molecular mechanism by which the widely used chemotherapy drug doxorubicin can damage the heart. In preclinical studies, another approved cancer drug provided protection. The findings have been published in Nature Communications. The chemotherapy agent doxorubicin is used successfully to treat a range […]