When our innate immune system detects a pathogen it mounts a potent inflammatory response that has the capacity to contain and eliminate the infection, but typically also causes significant damage to the inflamed tissue.…
Hearing loss eventually affects almost everyone: Loud noises or simple aging gradually cause the auditory sensory cells and their synapses in the inner ear to degenerate and die off. The only treatment option is a hearing…
Breast cancer is by far the most frequent type of cancer affecting women and a leading cause of death, despite advances in its detection and treatment. There are different forms of breast cancer and the causes are just as…
The inside of a cell provides as a hiding place for various pathogens. By residing in the cell, the bacteria can evade the immune response and spread within the body. Among these invaders are Burkholderia bacteria, including…
In the past, amyloids have mainly been associated with neurodegenerative diseases. These solid, insoluble protein clumps damage the nerve cells. The research group led by Prof. Martin Spiess at the Biozentrum of the…
Tularemia is an infectious disease that mostly affects rabbits and rodents, but also humans can become infected. The cause of this serious disease is the bacterium Francisella tularensis . The infection biologists led by…
If a cell encounters a stress situation, whether it is due to nutrient restriction or osmotic shock, the cell reacts immediately to ensure its survival. Prof. Anne Spang’s research group at the Biozentrum of the University…
Cholesterol-lowering agents, antihypertensives or malaria medications, cancer drugs and antibiotics - many of our current drugs are based on natural products. Bacteria and fungi actually produce these chemical substances in…
The arms and legs tremble incessantly, the muscles become weaker and the movements slower − these are typical symptoms that many Parkinson's patients suffer from. More than six million people are affected worldwide. In these…
Santhera Pharmaceuticals has started a collaboration with Prof. Markus Rüegg, who pioneered a novel gene therapy approach for the treatment of type 1 congenital muscular dystrophy (MDC1A). MDC1A is a severe form of…
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