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International research project gets high level of funding
Antibodies are protein molecules that are produced by the body to fight pathogens. Their formation basically follows the principle of evolution. The best candidates are selected and optimised further in multiple rounds of competition. Some aspects of antibody formation…
More than just a mechanical barrier – epithelial cells actively combat the flu virus
Every year, we see new flu epidemics all over the world, which vary greatly in terms of their magnitude. Once it has entered the body, the influenza virus multiplies in the epithelial cells on the surfaces of the airways. Nevertheless, this does not go unnoticed and the…
Cpf1: CRISPR-enzyme scissors cutting both RNA and DNA
Only a few years after its discovery, it is difficult to conceive of genetics without the CRISPR-Cas9 enzyme scissors, which allow for a very simple, versatile and reliable modification of DNA of various organisms. Since its discovery, scientists throughout the world…
Protein production made easier
Proteins are involved in all vital processes in the body. In infections, they assume a range of crucial functions, not only during the penetration of the pathogen, but also in the body's defence. To be able to research proteins and to utilise them specifically for…
Flexibility, rather than perfection, helps in the fight against pathogens
When a foreign substance invades a body, the body produces antibodies that recognise and fight the intruder by means of antibodies that bind to a specific portion of the intruder - the antigen. Memory cells are then formed in the course of the defence reaction. These…
Killer T-cells are effective against viruses only through teamwork
Cells of the immune system must work together closely to protect our body from pathogens. Various types of immune cells are facing bacteria and Viruses "eye-to-eye". And none do their jobs more precisely and elegantly than the cytotoxic T-Lymphocytes, which are killer…
Virus attack viewed at atomic level
When bacteria and Viruses infest a body, they are recognised as foreign matter by the immune system. This leads to a corresponding immune response in an attempt to control these pathogens. In order to understand the mechanisms of attack of the pathogens in detail and to…
A natural antibiotic and potential cancer drug
Natural products have been a source of new drugs for thousands of years, but even if their use has a long-standing tradition, the exact mechanisms of their action is often unknown. The natural product carolacton belongs to the substance class of polyketides and has been…
New epidemic management system combats monkeypox outbreak in Nigeria
Johanna Wanka, German Federal Minister of Research, said: "The dramatic experience of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa has made it very clear that the national and international emergency planning for epidemics of this type was insufficient. SORMAS shows, in an…
Detection of bacterial biofilms using covalent lectin binders
Bacteria of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa species are hospital germs and are resistant to many common antibiotics. They can infect all organs and implants and form so-called biofilms, in which they are protected and survive for long periods of time. This results in a…