Scientists Unravel Life-saving Effect of Dexamethasone in COVID-19
—Dexamethasone is one of the most important drugs in the treatment of severe COVID-19, but patients respond very differently to the therapy. Researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have now discovered how the cortisone compound influences the impaired inflammatory response and which patients benefit from it. Their method uses so-called single-cell analyses and raises hopes for a precise prediction tool for other therapies and diseases as well. The findings have been published in the scientific journal Cell.
Completion of the WANDlabor Art Project art@immunosensation
—The innovative WANDlabor project, a collaboration between the ImmunoSensation2 Cluster of Excellence at the University of Bonn at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences Alfter, has been successfully completed. This interdisciplinary project combined groundbreaking immunological research with artistic and social science perspectives to create a unique platform for science communication and public engagement.
—Monocytes, a special type of white blood cell, secrete cytokines as inflammatory messengers that are crucial for an appropriate immune response. Researchers at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn have now discovered that platelets, also known as thrombocytes, communicate with monocytes and increase their inflammatory capacity. By understanding the platelet-monocyte interaction, they hope to improve the treatment of immune disorders and associated diseases.
—The WANDlabor project represents the collaboration between Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences and the Excellence Cluster ImmunoSensation, bringing together the art and science in an innovative and inspiring way. This initiative, part of the art@immunosensation program, aims to explore the intersections of artistic expression and scientific research, fostering a dialogue that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Blood Markers Detect Rare Forms of Dementia as well as the Neurological Diseases ALS and PSP
—In a study with 991 adults, scientists at DZNE show that the most common forms of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) as well as the neurological diseases amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) can be recognised by blood testing. Their procedure is not yet ready for routine medical use, but in the long term it could facilitate disease diagnosis and advance the development of new therapies already now. The findings published in the journal “Nature Medicine” are based on the measurement of certain proteins in the blood, which serve as biomarkers.
Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Science Honors Bonn Neurobiologist
—Neurobiologist Frank Bradke, a research group leader at DZNE and professor at the University of Bonn, has been awarded the 50,000 euro Academy Prize of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. The award recognizes his outstanding scientific accomplishments in the field of neuronal development and regeneration. With his studies, the Bonn scientist, who focuses on fundamental mechanisms, aims to pave the way for a better treatment of spinal cord injuries. In recent years, Bradke has already been recognized with several awards for his exceptional research.
Award for Drug Research on River Blindness and Elephantiasis
—The A∙WOL team has been awarded the Horizon Prize 2024 by the Royal Society of Chemistry for the discovery of potentially fast-acting, highly specific anti-Wolbachia candidates for the oral treatment of human filariasis. The team is a collaboration between the University of Liverpool, the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Imperial College London, the University Hospital Bonn (UKB), and the University of Bonn, as well as industry partners AstraZeneca and Eisai Ltd, funded for many years by the Gates Foundation.
Research 'made in NRW' presented in the state parliament
—Top researchers from North Rhine-Westphalia presented their work today, June 12, in the Citizens' Hall of the Düsseldorf State Parliament. North Rhine-Westphalia is currently the most successful state in the national excellence strategy. Of the 57 already funded clusters of excellence, 14 are based in North Rhine-Westphalia.
