Archive

An international research team has sequenced the largest genomes of all animals – those of lungfish. The data will help to find out how the ancestors of land vertebrates managed to conquer the mainland.

In an emergency, ants bite off injured limbs of fellow ants to ensure their survival. Whether they take this radical step depends on the location of the wound.

The University of Würzburg is part of a new Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) in which innovative therapeutic strategies against cancer are being sought. Another CRC with Würzburg participation will be extended.

Christian Hof is head of the new Chair of Global Change Ecology at the University of Würzburg. His research focuses on how climate change and human activities affect species and biodiversity.

Researchers at the University of Würzburg have discovered a new function of the oncoprotein MYCN: It not only helps cancer cells to grow stronger, but also makes them more resistant to drugs.

The transition from the esophagus to the stomach is a delicate region from a medical point of view, often associated with pathological disorders leading to cancer. An international research team has now gained new insights into this region. These pave the way for new prevention and treatment options.

In their natural environment, wild bees are exposed to various pesticides that can have a potentially toxic effect. A study by the University of Würzburg has now shown that bumblebees are relatively resistant to these products.

Cancer is one of the most common causes of death in children worldwide. A research team in which the University of Würzburg is involved wants to change this – and has now received substantial funding for its work.

Desert ants find their way during an early learning phase with the help of the Earth's magnetic field. The associated learning process leaves clear traces in their nervous system. This is shown in a new study by a Würzburg research team.

More than 1,000 players are involved in a cell when genetic information is translated into proteins. A new German-Israeli research project is now working on systematically identifying their respective tasks.

The African Matabele ants are often injured in fights with termites. Their conspecifics recognise when the wounds become infected and initiate antibiotic treatment.

The colour of dragonfly communities reacts to seasonal variation in solar radiation. Over the last 30 years, however, this colour pattern has changed – probably as a result of climate change.

Using optogenetics, Würzburg researchers have detected a new acid sensor in plant cells that is addressing a cell-internal calcium store, as they report in the journal "Science".

A DFG research group led by the University of Würzburg has developed a method that makes it possible to analyse the relationship between biodiversity within and between ecosystems and the multifunctionality of entire landscapes.

How do flies and ants find their way? Neuroscientist Hannah Haberkern is investigating this question with a new Emmy Noether independent junior research group. To do this, she has moved from the USA to Würzburg.