According to the WHO, more than one million people worldwide die of pneumococcal infections every year. Young children, elderly and immunocompromised persons are particularly affected. After the introduction of…

The cell envelope is covered with a wide variety of receptor proteins. They are the sensors to the environment, perceive signals such as the availability of nutrients and transmit this information to the inside of the cell.…

We now live longer than at any point in human history, but to enjoy those extra years, we need to remain healthy, mobile and independent. With age, however, our muscles inevitably lose mass and strength. This age-related…

Although cells are separated from the outside world by a membrane, they can still sense well what is happening around them. They capture hormones and nutrients such as sugar, iron or cholesterol and bring them packed in…

Bacteria are masters of survival. Pathogens, for example, produce a range of molecules enabling them to infect their hosts and to evade the immune defense. The entero-pathogenic bacterium Salmonella enterica Typhimurium uses…

No matter where you go, you always find someone there already. This is true for many living creatures but especially for bacteria. In order to be able to stand their ground and eliminate unwanted rivals, many bacteria rely…

Millions of tiny microbes on leaves, stones or our skin jostle for space. And almost everywhere they have to compete for resources and nutrients. In the course of evolution, some bacteria have therefore developed a weapon to…

The origin of every cell of our body is a single cell, the fertilized egg. On the way to become a specialized cell, whether blood, heart or nerve cells, its descendants follow a genetic program. This program determines the…

The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most common and dangerous pathogens in hospitals causing severe infections in patients, such as wound infections, pneumonia or meningitis. During the first stage of…

The W. Alden Spencer Award is presented annually by the Department of Neuroscience and the Kavli Institute for Brain Science at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, in recognition of outstanding…