Medizin

The development of the cation channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by Prof. Ernst Bamberg and his colleagues and its application to light-induced modulation of neurons paved the way for the field of optogenetics.
Over time the light-gated cation channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) has become an indispensable tool in neuroscience. Based on the pioneering work on ChR2 new variants have emerged, differing in their spectrum of light absorption, their kinetic ...

Natural extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid vesicles that carry a plethora of biologically active molecules including soluble and membrane proteins, nucleic acids and metabolites. They have recently been recognized as a promising cell-free alternative to cell transplantation or as a novel therapeutic tool in various diseases. Many in vitro and in vivo studies have shown beneficial effects of EVs from different cell types in diseases ranging from cardiovascular conditions to ...

Many viruses use programmed ribosome frameshifting (FS) to increase genome-coding capacity and to regulate the stoichiometric ratio between viral proteins. Among them are human-pathogenic viruses HIV-1, SARS-CoV-2 and alphaviruses such as Semliki Forest virus (SFV). Synthesis of two major HIV-1 genes, gag and pol, requires –1FS. The ratio between Gag and Gag-Pol is crucial for virus propagation and its dysregulation is detrimental for replication, particle formation and infectivity of HIV-1. ...

The development of the cation channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by Prof. Ernst Bamberg and his colleagues, and its application to light-induced modulation of neurons paved the way for the field of optogenetics.
Over time the light-gated cation channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) has become an indispensable tool in neuroscience. Based on the pioneering work on ChR2 new variants have emerged, differing in their spectrum of light absorption, their kinetic ...

The RNA-programmable DNA-endonuclease Cas9 is widely used for genome engineering, where a high degree of specificity is required. Though this is a mechanism well controlled by canonical base-pairing, there is evidence that Cas9 does accept mismatches under certain circumstances.
This might be seen as a threat to precision needed in genome engineering at least in environments where such high precision is ultimately needed and acceptance of mismatches needs to be avoided, e.g.: cellular gene ...

A Cas nuclease such as Cas9 can introduce a DNA double strand break in a sequence target that is complementary to a 20-nt spacer sequence of its bound guide RNA (gRNA) when a protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) is present. The gRNA can be provided as duplex of spacer containing CRISPR RNA (crRNA) and trans-activating crRNA (tracrRNA). Or as a single gRNA (sgRNA) where crRNA and tracrRNA are fused by an artificial loop.
Hence a gRNA consists of the target-specific spacer and a constant part typically ...

A novel tool to detect and quantify NETs using a molecular feature of NET formation that has never been proposed as a marker for NETs before

The technology, called CRISPRpad, was recently developed in  the Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens under the direction of Emmanuelle Charpentier and has now been filed for a patent. CRISPRpad enables the simultaneous insertion of DNA into various organisms—from microbes to yeast and human cells—without modifying the DNA itself. This eliminates the need for time-consuming cloning processes across different species.

HR-defective cancers are a class of malignancies characterized by impaired DNA repair mechanisms, typically resulting from mutations or deficiencies in genes involved in the Homologous Recombination (HR) pathway, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2. These cancers pose significant challenges in treatment due to their inherent resistance to standard therapies.

Poly ADP-ribose Polymerase 1 (PARP1) inhibitors represent a promising targeted therapy class designed to exploit ...

Pancreatic cancer continues to pose significant challenges in the field of oncology, with dismal survival rates and limited treatment options. Patients diagnosed with this aggressive malignancy often face an uphill battle, with a five-year relative survival rate of just 11%.

Ras proteins are well-known as pivotal regulators of cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation, with their dysfunction implicated ...

Cancer stands as the second-leading cause of human death worldwide, following closely behind cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, with a prevalence that continues to rise.

Pancreatic cancer, in particular, continues to challenge the field of oncology with a 5-years survival rate of 11% and limited treatment options. Hematologic malignancies have also seen a steady rise in incident cases since 1990, ...

The mRNA processing factor YBX1 is a novel target in Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), which in an combinatorial inhibitor treatment with JAK inhibitors completely overcomes disease persistance.

Cancer stands as the second-leading cause of human death worldwide, following closely behind cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, with a prevalence that continues to rise. In particular, hepatocellular carcinoma is a significant health concern, ranking as the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and with a rising incidence rate due to increasing levels of cirrhosis and NAFLD/NASH.

Despite recent advancements in cancer therapies, ...

The invention relates to a new, ultracompact non-invasive medical ventilation system. The BIPAP (Biphasic Positive Airway Pressure) ventilation unit, of size and weight of a tennis ball, is easy to handle and allows low-budget mass production. It can be powered by a rechargeable battery-pack – a great advantage in case of mobile use or damaged/unstable infrastructure leading to frequent blackouts. These benefits, ...