Who's Got the Power? This is the question addressed in a new film series by the Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS) at the University of Bonn and Förderverein Filmkultur, a film funding association in Bonn. The launch of the film series marks the start of a multi-year cooperation between these two institutions. The films will examine various scenarios of human oppression and strong asymmetrical dependency relationships, beginning with the award-winning film "La Pirogue" by Moussa Touré on April 28 at 8 p.m. at the Kino in der Brotfabrik, Bonn (Kreuzstraße 16). The format “screening plus talk” will offer a space for researchers, film makers, and the public to enter into a dialogue.

Hydrocephalus in children often has completely different causes than previously assumed. This is the conclusion of an international study with a substantial participation by the University of Bonn. The researchers identified a series of mutations that cause disruption of early brain development. The characteristic enlargements of the fluid-filled cavities in the brain are a consequence of this. The study was led by Yale, Harvard and Bonn Universities; its findings also have implications for the diagnosis and treatment of this serious condition. The results are published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

As of April 3, 2022, the previous Corona Protection Ordinance has lost its validity. As a result, a large part of the Corona regulations will cease to apply in North Rhine-Westphalia. Nevertheless, the University of Bonn continues to take precautions to ensure infection protection for its members and visitors.

The University of Bonn has once again received excellent reinforcement: Dominik Bach now fills a so-called Hertz Chair, which is designed to combine disciplines in a unique way. The internationally renowned psychologist, physician and mathematician will establish a new focus at the interface between neuroscience, psychiatry and computer science in the Transdisciplinary Research Area "Life and Health". He and his team want to use mathematical methods to decipher how the brain works. To this end, they analyze human behavior in extreme situations.

In patients with metabolic diseases, elevated fat levels in the blood create stress in muscle cells - a reaction to changes outside the cell which damage their structure and function. An international research team led by the University of Leeds and with participation of the University of Bonn has discovered that these stressed-out cells give off a signal which can be passed on to other cells. The signals, known as ceramides, may have a protective benefit in the short-term, because they are part of a mechanism designed to reduce stress in the cell. But in metabolic diseases, which are long term conditions, the signals can kill the cells, make symptoms more severe, and worsen the illness. The study has been published in the journal Nature Communications.

Cichlids and stingrays can perform simple addition and subtraction in the number range of one to five. This has been shown in a recent study by the University of Bonn, which has now been published in the journal Scientific Reports. It is not known what the animals need their mathematical abilities for.

The North Rhine-Westphalian state government is supporting five outstanding research networks in pioneering research fields with a total of 81.2 million euros. Among them is "iBehave" under the leadership of the University of Bonn, which is being funded with around 20 million euros. The University of Excellence is involved in two other collaborative projects: NRW-FAIR and NRW-CANTAR. 

Professor Dr. Thomas Puhl, Rector of the University of Mannheim, has received the "Rector of the Year" award, presented by the German University Association (DHV) for the fourteenth time. This was announced at the "Gala of German Science" of the DHV and the German University Foundation, which took place online due to the pandemic. The Rector of the University of Bonn, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Michael Hoch, the "Rector of the Year" of the two previous years, came in 2nd place.