—The district of Heinsberg in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia is considered a hot spot for the novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Following a carnival celebration, the district became one of the first areas in Germany where the pathogen spread and infected large quantities of people. As part of the study, a research team led by Prof. Dr. Hendrik Streeck and Prof. Dr. Gunther Hartmann from the University of Bonn and members of the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation carried out a…
—Until now, the immune sensor TLR8 has remained in the shadows of science. A research team led by members of the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation from the University of Bonn has now discovered how this sensor plays an important role in defending human cells against intruders. The enzymes RNaseT2 and RNase2 cut ribonucleic acids (RNAs) of bacteria into small fragments that are as characteristic as a thumbprint.
Special diet against asthma - publication in Immunity
—Can a special diet help in certain cases of asthma? A new study at the University of Bonn at least points to this conclusion. According to the study, mice that were switched to a so-called ketogenic diet showed significantly reduced inflammation of the respiratory tract. The results are now published in the renowned journal "Immunity".
Study shows: Too much salt weakens the immune defense
—A high-salt diet is not only bad for one's blood pressure, but also for the immune system. This is the conclusion of a current study under the leadership of the University Hospital Bonn conducted by the Cluster member Prof. Christian Kurts.
Mice fed a high-salt diet were found to suffer from much more severe bacterial infections. Human volunteers who consumed an additional six grams of salt per day also showed pronounced immune deficiencies.
—University of Bonn study proves disastrous contribution of an ancient immune mechanism
An immune reaction in the brain seems to play a major role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. In a way, it "adds fuel to the fire" and apparently causes an inflammation that, in a sense, keeps kindling itself. The study has now been published in the journal Cell Reports. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by clumps of the protein Aß (amyloid beta), which form large plaques in the brain.
Elvira Mass receives Heinz Maier-Leibnitz-Price 2020
—This year, four scientists will receive the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize, the most important award for young scientists in Germany. This was decided by a selection committee in Bonn set up by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The award ceremony, each endowed with 20,000 euros, will take place on May 5 in Berlin.
Congratulations to our cluster member Prof. Elvira Mass from the LIMES Institute for receiving this prestigious award.
—Our PhD Students representative Amir Hossein Kayvanjoo organized a visit to the UN on February 14th. The visit was focused on the career and internship opportunities in the UN organization! It was great to see many PhD students were interested and more than 20 participants took part. During the tour we were presented with the career options that one can have and also different tracks to enter into the UN. In addition we were also given a brief introduction into the structure of the UN. The visit ended with a walk in the last floor of the UN Campus tower.
—Molecular switch in bone marrow stem cells helps research into inflammatory processes in the brain.
Macrophages are part of the innate immune system and essential for brain development and function. Using a novel method, scientists from Jena University Hospital, the Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York (USA) succeeded in visualizing macrophages that were formed in the bone marrow.
