When infecting a host, pathogens not only need to evade the immune defense but also to survive diverse living conditions, such as the acidic conditions in the stomach or the salty intestinal environment. Gram negative…

When pathogens invade our body the immune system is put on alert. The body’s immune cells are recruited to the site of infection and an inflammatory reaction is initiated to rapidly eliminate the invaders. Some pathogens,…

Whether they are pathogens, deep-sea microbes or soil-dwelling organisms, in order to survive, microorganisms must be able to adapt rapidly to diverse changes in their environment, including nutrient depletion. Bacteria owe…

Misfolded proteins are non-functional and cause cell damage. In order to prevent this, there is a whole arsenal of proteins – called chaperones – that assist with folding and carry out quality control. In the bacterium…

When someone is confronted with ‘foreign’ material, be it viruses, bacteria, fungi, but also donor organs following transplantation, immune cells called T cells come into action to inactivate and destroy the ”foreign”…

The blood vessels form a widely ramified supply system that passes through our body from head to toe. They serve as pathways for blood cells and transport oxygen as well as nutrients into each individual organ. In the…

The protein complex mTORC1 promotes muscle growth and is important for the self-cleaning process of the muscle cells. The role of mTORC1 in skeletal muscle fibers in response to nerve injury has so far not been studied in…

Every single cell of our body contains hundreds of tiny power plants, the mitochondria, which produce the energy required by the body, whether it be for walking, digesting or to ponder ideas. This inevitably generates…

Cells are the building blocks of all living creatures. In order to form a complex organism and stay healthy, cells need to communicate with each other and integrate the response within themselves. A group of enzymes,…

The 2019 Nakasone Award was announced during the World Conference of Science Journalists in Lausanne, on Tuesday 2th July. “Michael Hall’s groundbreaking work expands the frontiers of science and enables us to begin to…