A research group from Graz is investigating the complex interaction between the intestine and the brain. In a project funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, the team has gained new insights into how intestinal bacteria, the immune system and obesity can lead to mental illnesses. Continue reading “How intestinal bacteria can cause depression”
In order for a tumour to grow, it needs cholesterol to build new cell walls. At the same time, the so-called “good” cholesterol or high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is regarded as a protective factor against cancer. Schrödinger fellow Raimund Bauer investigated the effect of HDL on tumours more closely and was able to show that a […] Continue reading “How “good cholesterol” gets to do even more good work”
Tests commonly used to examine creativity rarely relate to daily life, which is why they have only limited suitability for exploring creative processes in everyday situations. Researchers from Graz and Cologne have now developed special test tasks for soccer players that can also be applied in a neuroscience laboratory. Continue reading “Creativity in soccer now measurable”
Calcium deposits in the abdominal and leg arteries – so-called media calcification – are a frequent complication of kidney failure or diabetes mellitus. With the support of the Austrian Science Fund FWF, researchers explored how cell cultures and mice react to inadequate blood purification and how to prevent the ossification of vascular walls. Continue reading “Cell recycling to fight atherosclerosis”
Armed with a Schrödinger fellowship and her cat, Corina Madreiter-Sokolowski moved to Switzerland. At ETH Zurich, the pharmacist investigates ageing processes at molecular level. The research environment of this top-notch university made the young scientist realise the importance of networking and exchanges, as she reveals in her report for scilog. Continue reading “Grüezi, Hoi and Salü – Greetings from Zurich!”
In a project supported by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, the biologist Jitka Polechová created a theoretical model to describe the spreading of animal and plant species. She was able to show that the underlying mechanisms are simpler than previously thought, which has important consequences for species conservation. Continue reading “A new model for the geographic ranges of species”
In a project funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, a research group led by biophysicist Tobias Bollenbach is investigating the effect of antibiotic combinations on bacteria. Their aim is to develop new strategies against antibiotic resistance. Continue reading “How different antibiotics work together”
As studies have shown, higher biodiversity enhances the benefits derived from the vineyard ecosystem. Within the context of a project funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, researchers investigated the interaction of soil cultivation and landscape structure in European wine regions. Continue reading “More life between vine rows”
The aim of a European project (TRANSCAN) is to identify metabolite signatures that are associated with all stages in the development of colorectal cancer. Metabolomic analysis was performed on more than 2,000 plasma samples from individuals with colorectal cancer, colorectal adenoma and a control group. Continue reading “From metabolite profiles to molecular biomarkers for colorectal cancer”
In the context of a project funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, the microbiologist Franz Radner was able to identify an important mechanism of skin metabolism and develop new treatment options for the skin disease ichthyosis. The therapy could also be effective against ageing of the skin. Continue reading “New therapeutic approach for severe skin disease”