Basic Research

Researchers suspect that neurodegenerative diseases occur when messenger RNA (mRNA) goes astray in the neuron. With a new method, Marina Chekulaeva is able to identify “zipcodes” that assign a destination to mRNAs. She has now presented her method in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

Cephalopods like octopuses, squids and cuttlefish are highly intelligent animals with complex nervous systems. In “Science Advances”, a team led by Nikolaus Rajewsky of the Max Delbrück Center has now shown that their evolution is linked to a dramatic expansion of their microRNA repertoire.

Ubiquitin is everywhere. The protein regulates a vital cellular recycling system and plays a crucial role in health and disease. Thomas Sommer is investigating the molecular basis for its functioning, hoping to lay the scientific foundation for future therapies.

Zebrafish have played an important role in basic biomedical research for over 50 years, including research into the causes of congenital heart defects and the consequences of heart attacks. For researchers working with these fish, it's important to respect animal welfare and find ways of improving it.

The Helmholtz Association wants to support excellent female scientists reach top positions. It is now giving MDC researcher Michela Di Virgilio a million euro grant to mark her appointment to a tenured professorship at Charité.

Virchow 2.0, the only finalist from Berlin to make it to the second round of the BMBF’s Clusters4Future competition, is entering the conception phase. At a kick-off meeting on September 27, 2021, participants from the scientific, clinical, and business communities offered a preview of their cluster strategy.

Proteins are unrivalled in their diversity and complexity, says Erich Wanker, and the slightest of changes can disrupt entire networks of relationships. He wants to understand why, in brain disorders like Huntington’s disease, such disruptions cause the death of neurons – and how this process can be stopped.

MDC researchers can now induce diverse genetic mutations and track their effects on a large scale in microscopic worms. The team describe their in vivo parallel genetics approach and new analysis software called crispr-DART in the journal "Cell Reports".

All living things are built from proteins. Biologist Matthias Selbach uses the technique of mass spectrometry to understand the various functions of proteins and to systematically hunt down those that cause – or can prevent – disease.

In-depth discussions held in four countries, including in Germany at the MDC, gathered public opinion about genome editing technology in life sciences research and future applications. Most participants were unaware of CRISPR, but were supportive of fundamental research once they learned more.