Research
Researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the HI-STEM* Stem Cell Institute have identified a previously unknown mechanism by which a particularly aggressive form of colon cancer evades the immune system. The findings show that the activation of a key signaling pathway helps cancer cells suppress the immune system, thereby promoting the development […]
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Immune Cells in Bone Marrow Cancer: Limited Defense Readiness
A team led by researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the HI-STEM* Stem Cell Institute, and Medical Clinic V at Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) has characterized T cells in the bone marrow in cases of multiple myeloma and acute myeloid leukemia: A specific group of tumor-reactive T cells can recognize and, in principle, […]
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Overlooked Molecules in Metabolism
KIT researchers offer a new perspective on N-acetylated amino acids as potential buffers in cellular energy and metabolic balance When muscles work intensively or brown adipose tissue produces heat in response to cold, metabolism shifts into high gear. Under these conditions, levels of so-called N-acetylated amino acids increase. These are chemically modified amino acids to […]
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A local barrier against respiratory viruses
Fraunhofer IGB News Brief / August 18, 2026 How can a respiratory virus be stopped before it spreads throughout the body? In the MucoShield project, Prime Vector Technologies, the NMI Tübingen, and Fraunhofer IGB are developing an intranasal vaccine candidate against human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which causes hundreds of thousands of cases of severe respiratory disease […]
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Protein degradation rate helps explain why humans develop more slowly than mice
EMBL researchers have uncovered differences in protein degradation rates between humans and mice that could underlie their different developmental tempos Humans develop at a slower rate than other mammalian species, like mice, but scientists are still trying to understand the molecular basis of these differences. Now, researchers from the Ebisuya Group at EMBL Barcelona and […]
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A viral ‘loose cannon’ enzyme helps phages shut down bacterial defences
Scientists have found how phages, viruses that infect bacteria, orchestrate an explosion of protein modifications inside host cells that helps them evade the bacteria’s immune systems Summary As antimicrobial resistance grows around the world, novel therapies to counter it become increasingly more important. Phages – viruses that infect bacteria – are an exciting avenue of […]
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PRAME-specific T-cell therapy in an adolescent with metastatic kidney tumor
Researchers and physicians at the Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ) and other leading cancer centers report an exceptional treatment success in an adolescent with an advanced, therapy-resistant kidney tumor. Using a novel, personalized T-cell therapy, they succeeded in completely pushing back the tumor disease despite multiple metastases. The individual compassionate-use treatment has now been […]
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Electrospinning in regenerative medicine
Electrospun fibers open up a wide range of possibilities in regenerative medicine and for in vitro testing. A key factor in ensuring success is replicating the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) as closely as possible. Electrospun fibers play a significant role in this regard due to their nanofiber structure. In a recent review article, Julia Schütz, […]
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Combating the pandemic: Diagnostic chips ten times more sensitive
A team at KIT has developed a solution that significantly improves novel biosensors for medical use and enables faster diagnosis of infectious diseases Rapid, straightforward and, at the same time, accurate diagnosis of highly contagious pathogens such as the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which caused the coronavirus pandemic, is crucial to curbing the spread of disease. This […]
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