Healthcare industry

Mitochondria are considered to be the power plants of cells and are essential for human metabolism. Dysfunction in 40 percent of mitochondrial proteins are associated with human diseases, which is why mitochondria also play an important role in medical research. A previously unexplained process in the complex mitochondria was the formation of their barrel pores.

Mitochondria are the power plants of cells, and they contain their own genetic material and RNA molecules. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have now discovered that certain modifications in mitochondrial RNA boost the invasive spread of cancer cells by supporting protein synthesis in mitochondria.

Gene regulation - 20/07/2021

The many faces of the epigenetic regulator MOF

Epigenetic modifications play a crucial role in coordinated gene transcription, and are required for a fertilised egg cell to be able to develop into an organism with different cell types. Dr. Asifa Akhtar from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg has been studying the essential epigenetic regulator protein MOF for 20 years.

International study in which Freiburg scientists are participating maps molecular targets for possible therapy for MERS, SARS-CoV1, and SARS-CoV2.

Article - 21/08/2018

Parkinson's disease: vitamin B3 has a positive effect on nerve cells

Parkinson's disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases in the world. There are around 4.1 million sufferers worldwide. It is characterised by motor impairments that result from the death of certain nerve cells in the brain. Researchers at the University of Tübingen have now discovered that vitamin B3 has a positive effect on damaged nerve cells and can boost their energy metabolism.

Article - 11/07/2016

The toxin of natural killer cells

Natural killer cells kill tumour cells by injecting the protein HMGB1, which blocks the production of cellular energy by aerobic respiration. Researchers from Heidelberg have elucidated this previously unknown cancer defence mechanism and are now in the process of developing a new immunotherapy for treating cancer patients.

Article - 08/12/2015

Programmed cell death targets discovered

Apoptotic processes, i.e. cell death mediated by intracellular programmes, have been implicated in a variety of diseases. Apoptotic processes eliminate superfluous or irreparably damaged cells from the body; however, defective apoptotic processes harm the organism. New research results show that processes at the mitochondrial membrane might be excellent targets for pharmaceutical interference with apoptosis.

Article - 01/06/2015

A protein complex that maintains order in the cell

Researchers believe that the defective transport of proteins can be linked with diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Prof. Dr. Elke Deuerling and Dr. Martin Gamerdinger, molecular biologists from the University of Konstanz, have now discovered what is necessary to prevent erroneous protein transport.

Article - 10/11/2014

Alzheimer: amyloid-beta triggers mitochondrial dysfunction

Neurons are very sensitive to disturbances and many different functions are no longer able to work efficiently when the power supply is impaired. Prof. Dr. Chris Meisinger and his team at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Freiburg have found that amyloid-beta peptides block important enzymes in the mitochondria resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction.

Article - 14/04/2014

New insights into apoptotic signalling networks

Apoptosis, i.e. programmed cell death, is a precisely regulated process that leads to the elimination of surplus or damaged cells. The proteins of the Bcl-2 family play a key role in apoptosis. However, their complex interactions are not yet known in detail. A group of researchers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland is now trying to get to the bottom of this issue. Coordinated by the University of Konstanz, the researchers are jointly…

Article - 13/01/2014

Mechanisms of membrane protein insertion

Prof. Dr. Irmgard Sinning, biochemist and structural biologist at the University of Heidelberg, will be awarded the 2014 Leibniz Prize from the German Research Foundation (DFG) for her work on the structure and function of complexes that transport different membrane proteins to the correct cellular compartments in the appropriate target membranes. Her research is primarily focussed on the co-translational SRP pathway mediated by signal…

Article - 24/06/2013

Cloned human beings are not to be feared

An international team of scientists led by Dr. Shoukhrat Mitalipov at the Oregon Health & Science University, USA, succeeded for the first time ever in cloning human embryonic stem cells by somatic cell nuclear transfer. This breakthrough raises questions about the potentials and dangers of creating human stem cells by cloning. Prof. Dr. Marcel Leist from the University of Konstanz, who uses human embryonic stem cells for his research, gives…

Article - 27/05/2013

Autophagy – a stupid idea?

The term autophagy or autophagocytosis comes from the Greek and means something like to eat oneself. During normal cell operation waste accumulates that needs to be disposed of in some way as it would otherwise impair crucial cellular processes. But even in times of starvation cells behave just as the body as a whole does the system does not become inoperative immediately and die but draws on its reserves. On the cellular level this happens by…

Dossier - 13/05/2013

The human proteome – the next major goal

The “Human Proteome Project”, a ten-year global initiative that is making a systematic effort to map all human proteins, has moved from the planning to the experimental stage. How significant and how effective the project will be depends on how much the resources offered are used by proteome researchers and on the data that the researchers bring into the project.

Article - 03/12/2012

Differences between white, brown and “brite” fat tissue

The latest results on the different metabolic pathways used by white and brown fat cells and potential transformations between the two cell types were discussed at the conference “Metabolism 2012: From Signalling to Disease” held on 15th and 16th November 2012 in Heidelberg. A special cell type, so-called “brite” adipocytes, may have the potential to be used in the treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

Article - 26/11/2012

Membrane proteins in the mitochondria do more than just generate cellular energy

The proteins in the membranes of the mitochondria are complex machines in the nanoworld that mediate the oxygen-coupled generation of energy in cells. Their role in this process is not yet understood in detail. However, the proteins’ intractability has not discouraged Prof. Dr. Carola Hunte’s research group at the University of Freiburg. The group is using state-of-the-art methods to look deep into the proteins’ active centres and decipher the…

Press release - 17/08/2012

Max Planck scientist investigates the evolutionary model of Muller’s ratchet

Especially in small asexual populations unfavourable mutations can accumulate. This process is known as Mullers ratchet in evolutionary biology. The ratchet predicts that the genome deteriorates irreversibly leaving populations on a one-way street to extinction. In collaboration with colleagues from the US Richard Neher from the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology has shown mathematically how Mullers ratchet operates and he has…

Article - 16/04/2012

Endosymbiosis and horizontal gene transfer

Mitochondria and plastids, which evolved by way of symbiogenesis, have over time come under the control of nuclear genes. It is still not known how the expression of genes encoded in the nucleus and mitochondrion is coordinated to make them functional. Model systems such as highly specialized plastid-incorporating marine slugs can be used to help clarify such issues.

Press release - 07/12/2011

Oxidative stress: Less harmful than suspected?

Oxidative stress is considered to be involved in a multitude of pathogenic processes and is also implicated in the proces of aging. For the first time, scientists of the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) have been able to directly observe oxidative changes in a living organism. Their findings in fruit flies raise doubts about the validity of some widely held hypotheses: The research team has found no evidence…

Article - 07/11/2011

Martin van der Laan and the labyrinth inside mitochondria

Mitochondria contain an intertwined membrane system that is necessary for the production of energy. Errors in the inner mitochondrial membrane architecture prevent energy from being produced. A group of researchers led by Dr. Martin van der Laan at the University of Freiburg in cooperation with partners has identified a protein complex that plays a key role in the architecture and functioning of the mitochondria.

Article - 07/11/2011

Daniel Gebhard – a new chapter in the mitochondrial theory of aging

It has been known for quite some time that skin aging and skin cancer are connected with UV radiation. It is believed that mutations in the mitochondrial DNA are major contributors to aging and cancer, which is why in-depth knowledge about the repair mechanisms of skin cells is essential. Daniel Gebhard, doctoral student at Albstadt-Sigmaringen University, is investigating the repair capacity of mtDNA in different human skin cell types. He is…

Article - 06/06/2011

Review: “DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance Forum on Aging & Cancer” in Heidelberg

At the DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance Forum 2011 recently held in Heidelberg internationally leading molecular and cell biologists cancer researchers and epidemiologists presented their latest results on the ageing of cells and organisms and the development of cancer.

Article - 16/05/2011

Autophagy - recycling and survival

Cells degrade components that are no longer needed and return them to the cellular metabolism. Dr. Jörn Dengjel and his team from the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies FRIAS are aiming to decipher the molecular and cell biological mechanisms of this recycling process which is also known as autophagy or autophagocytosis. Detailed insights into these mechanisms will also help to improve the researchers understanding of diseases such as cancer…

Press release - 03/02/2011

A Possible Cause of Parkinson’s Disease Discovered

When a person has Parkinsons disease the dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain die which leads to the characteristic symptoms of this neurological disorder. Scientists of the German Cancer Research Center Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum DKFZ have discovered that this group of nerve cells of patients with Parkinsons contains defective nucleoli.

Article - 20/12/2010

Michael Reth – Immunobiological discoveries that meet resistance

Dr Michael Reth professor at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and the University of Freiburg and some of his colleagues have recently uncovered the mechanism that foreign substances use to activate B cells of the immune system. The researchers were using synthetic biology methods long before this particular branch of science existed in its present form. Their results require a paradigm change and a revision of the reference books.