Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres

Smoking affects allergy-relevant stem cells, study finds

Environmental contaminants, such as smoking, are harmful to the human organism in relation to the occurrence of allergies. This is known. Until now, researchers had never investigated whether and to what ...

Immunology created Nov 14, 2012 | popularity 1 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Feel-good hormone helps to jog the memory

The feel-good hormone dopamine improves long-term memory. This is the finding of a team lead by Emrah Düzel, neuroscientist at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the University of Magdeburg. The researchers ...

Neuroscience created Nov 08, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Scientists find Achilles' heel of cancer cells

Several substances inhibiting so-called HDAC enzymes have been studied in trials searching for new anti-cancer drugs in recent years. "Trials have shown that HDAC inhibitors are very effective in arresting growth of cultured ...

Cancer created Nov 05, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (6) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

New findings on gene regulation and bone development

The patients have single short fingers (metacarpals) and toes (metatarsals) and can be restricted in growth due to a shortened skeleton. This hereditary disease is called brachydactyly type E (Greek for short ...

Genetics created Nov 05, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Immune cells of the blood might replace dysfunctional brain cells

Blood-circulating immune cells can take over the essential immune surveillance of the brain, this is shown by scientists of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research ...

Medical research created Oct 22, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Researchers elucidate transport pathway of immune system substances

To transport substances from the site of their production to their destination, the body needs a sophisticated transport and sorting system. Various receptors in and on the cells recognize certain molecules, pack them and ...

Immunology created Oct 18, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Team finds 14 new biomarkers for type 2 diabetes

A research team led by Anna Floegel of the German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE) and Tobias Pischon of the Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) has identified 14 novel biomarkers for type ...

Diabetes created Oct 04, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Solving puzzle of B-cell lymphoma development

Germinal centers are sites in the organs of the lymphatic system, formed during the course of an immune response to infection, where B cells intensely proliferate and modify their DNA in order to produce ...

Immunology created Sep 23, 2012 | popularity 4.9 / 5 (7) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

New findings on protein misfolding

Misfolded proteins can cause various neurodegenerative diseases such as spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) or Huntington's disease, which are characterized by a progressive loss of neurons in the brain. Researchers of the Max ...

Genetics created Sep 18, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

At the right place at the right time—new insights into muscle stem cells

Muscles have a pool of stem cells which provides a source for muscle growth and for regeneration of injured muscles. The stem cells must reside in special niches of the muscle for efficient growth and repair.

Medical research created Sep 17, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Tracing the molecular causes of preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is one of the most dangerous conditions for the expectant mother and the unborn child and is characterized by elevated blood pressure and protein in the urine in the last trimester of pregnancy. The cause for ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created Sep 10, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Researchers discover surprising new roles for a key regulatory enzyme of blood pressure

At the 1st ECRC "Franz-Volhard" Symposium on September 7, 2012 at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in Berlin-Buch, Professor Ken Bernstein reported that in mice an excess of ACE led to a much stronger ...

Medical research created Sep 08, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Skin and immune system influence salt storage and regulate blood pressure

High blood pressure is responsible for many cardiovascular diseases that are the leading cause of death in industrialized countries. High salt intake has long been considered a risk factor, but not every type of high blood ...

Medical research created Sep 08, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

A brain filter for clear information transmission

Every activity in the brain involves the transfer of signals between neurons. Frequently, as many as one thousand signals rain down on a single neuron simultaneously. To ensure that precise signals are delivered, ...

Neuroscience created Sep 06, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 1

Cancer survival in Germany after the fall of the Iron Curtain

Data from the 1970s and 1980s show that people affected by cancer survived significantly longer in West Germany than cancer patients behind the Iron Curtain. Looking at a diagnosis period from 1984 to 1985 in the former German ...

Cancer created Aug 23, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0