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Tag: Microbiology

On the road

5 December 2022

Environmental research in Leipzig

Von Petra Till

Neues Umfeld, neues Forschungsthema, ein Unfall mit Folgen: Das Auslandsstipendium von Petra Till hatte es in sich. Die Molekularbiologin arbeitete am Helmholtz-Zentrum in Leipzig an Cyanobakterien, die großes Potenzial für die biotechnologische Nutzung bergen. Ihr neu erworbenes Wissen setzt sie nun an ihrer heimischen Forschungsstätte in Wien um. Continue reading “Environmental research in Leipzig”

Projects

4 July 2022

How we age and what helps us along with that

During a research stay at ETH Zurich, the biochemist Corina Madreiter-Sokolowski investigated the role played by mitochondria, the centres of energy production in the cells. There she tested ingredients from red wine and green tea for their life-prolonging potential in a cellular ageing model and in nematode worms. Back in Graz, she is now exploring […] Continue reading “How we age and what helps us along with that”

Interview & Opinion

22 June 2022

A cell protein like a bull in a china shop

Interview: Alois Pumhösel

If the protein legumain is not in its proper place in the human cell, the likely result is cancer or Alzheimer’s disease. Molecular biologist and START prize winner Elfriede Dall from the University of Salzburg is investigating how this protein functions outside of its usual environment.    Continue reading “A cell protein like a bull in a china shop”
Microbiologist Florentine Marx-Ladurner and her team looking at fungal probes in their lab at Medical University of Innsbruck.

Projects

14 September 2020

A new way of combating fungal infections

In agriculture, fungicides are used to combat fungal infections, and in medicine, antimycotics – both of which have their drawbacks. The microbiologist Florentine Marx-Ladurner is working on a new, more natural active substance. The antifungal compounds she is developing in her laboratory in Innsbruck are based on proteins that originate from moulds. Continue reading “A new way of combating fungal infections”

Portrait

19 December 2019

Exploring the miracle of life

Over the last 25 years, the microbiologist Michael Wagner has developed methods that make it possible to examine bacteria and archaea directly in medical or environmental samples without growing them. Today he watches them eat, sorts them by function, and in 2015 discovered “Comammox”, a new bacterial species that can help reduce the production of […] Continue reading “Exploring the miracle of life”

Projects

10 September 2018

Time-switch for immune cells

Supported by funding from the Austrian Science Fund FWF, a team from the Max F. Perutz Laboratories deciphered the mechanism of the TTP protein as a time-switch for the programmed cell death of white blood cells. A targeted death of these cells prevents an excessive immune reaction, but could also be used as a therapeutic […] Continue reading “Time-switch for immune cells”

Projects

29 May 2017

Tracking microbial faecal pollution in water

In a project supported by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, the microbiologist Andreas Farnleitner is looking at new methods for analysing faecal pollution in water. Using DNA analytics, the scientist aims to develop comprehensive and simple methods to determine the extent and origin of faecal pollution. Continue reading “Tracking microbial faecal pollution in water”

Projects

27 March 2017

Bacteria, deadwood and climate change

With the support of the Austrian Science Fund FWF, an international group of researchers is investigating to what extent the forest floor serves as a carbon sink and how bacteria and fungi interact in this context. The researchers have found deadwood to be populated by a great diversity of life. Continue reading “Bacteria, deadwood and climate change”

Projects

14 November 2016

Small and extremely resilient: the secrets of black fungi

Highly resistant to stresses, black fungi are real champions among microorganisms. With the support of the Austrian Science Fund FWF, a research team in Vienna discovered that the fungi owe their qualities to hitherto unknown proteins and special processes at cellular level. Continue reading “Small and extremely resilient: the secrets of black fungi”

Projects

17 August 2015

Clever feedback system regulates immune responses

A feedback mechanism in the body is responsible for keeping immune responses from getting out of hand. It works at the level of certain genes, linking the inactivation of those genes to the progress made in transcribing them: This clever mechanism was discovered as part of an Austrian Science Fund FWF project and was recently […] Continue reading “Clever feedback system regulates immune responses”

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