News Schambony group

A team led by Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) has made a significant breakthrough in the fight against global hunger. The researchers have succeeded in genetically modifying the tropical cassava plant (Manihot esculenta) to provide significantly greater yields and also to become more resistant to drought. The researchers have published their findings in the journal Nature Plants.

The newly established Junior Research Group for Bacterial Interface Dynamics led by Dr. Cláudia Vilhena and hosted by the Chair of Pharmaceutical Biology, has recently received support from two foundations to advance and sediment the research on bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs).

The German Research Foundation (DFG) has approved funding for the research project: „Unraveling the Membrane-Selective Mechanism of Lugdunin: Insights into Specificity for Gram-Positive Bacteria and Antimicrobial Activity.“ This study is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Computational Biology group at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, led by Prof. Dr. Rainer Böckmann, and the group of Prof. Dr. Claudia Steinem at the University of Göttingen.

When we think about bacteria, we may imagine single cells swimming in solution. However, similarly to humans, bacterial cells often socialize, using surfaces to coalesce into complex heterogeneous communities called biofilms. Within a group, bacteria in the biofilm are extremely robust in resisting various environmental stresses – a crucial feature making biofilm-associated infections extremely difficult to treat with antibiotics.

On March 20, 2024, we hosted the 5th EBM Harmonisation Workshop with the topic "Early Neural Development".     Twelve participants of the EBM Integrated Research Training Group delved into hands-on experiences on early neural patterning, microinjection and preparation of neural pl...

The canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a crucial role in embryonic development by regulating various processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and tissue patterning. Axin is a central protein in Wnt/β-catenin signaling. I aim to further unravel Axin’s mode of action in t...

The central nervous system (CNS) arises from the so-called neurogenic ectoderm, which is specified in embryonic development around the time of gastrulation. From this tissue, both the central nervous system with all its neuronal and non-neuronal cells, as well as the neural crest and its derivatives...

Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations (Gates Ag One) is providing approximately 25.8 million euros (28 million US dollars) in funding for an international research project led by FAU: The non-profit organization will support the cassava source-sink (CASS) project in the next five years to improve the productivity of one of the most important food crops in sub-Saharan Africa. The project unites researchers from 11 institutions around the world to optimize cassava physiology to significantly increase the yield of high-quality cassava storage roots under low-input farming conditions in smallholder farmer fields.

We investigate the role of mechanics in early brain development as part of CRC 1540 - Exploring Brain Mechanics....

In a collaborative project the research groups of Prof. Henry Dube (Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy) and Prof. Esther Zanin (Department of Biology) established a new class of light responsive molecules, based on (oxo-)rhodanine, and demonstrated that their activity can be controlled with light in cancer cells.