Physicians, nursing staff, medical technical assistants, and pastoral workers in hospitals: they have all been placed under severe strain by the Covid-19 pandemic. A study by the University of Bonn is now highlighting which protective factors can help people cope with this strain. It is based on a large joint online survey at the University Hospitals Bonn, Erlangen, Ulm, Dresden, and Cologne, which also involves many other hospitals in Germany. Perceived coherence was found to be particularly important – in simple terms: the feeling that life has meaning and challenges can be classified in an understandable way. The results are being published in the journal PLOS ONE.

In the past, many discoveries have been made because better, more accurate measurement methods have become available, making it possible to obtain data from previously unexplored phenomena. For example, high-resolution microscopy has begun to dramatically change our perspectives of cell function and dynamics. Researchers at the ImmunoSensation2 Cluster of Excellence at the University of Bonn, the University Hospital and the research center caesar have now develop a method that allows using multi-focal images to reconstruct the movement of fast biological processes in 3D. The study has been recently published in the journal Nature Communications.

Anyone who has ever failed to throw a beer mat into a hat should take note: physicists at the University of Bonn have discovered why this task is so difficult. However, their study also suggests how to significantly increase accuracy and range. The results are being publishing in the European Physical Journal Plus.

In a festive presentation of certificates at the Rector's Office, 14 lecturers of the University of Bonn were awarded the University's teaching awards for their services. The award winners were selected by the students themselves.

On the “Kinder IPSTA Bonn” interprofessional training ward at University Hospital Bonn’s Center of Pediatric Medicine, student physicians and trainee healthcare specialists and pediatric nurses are responsible for looking after up to four children with heart conditions. They are being given intensive support from experienced doctors and nurses who are supervising their learning. Constant communication and cooperation in interprofessional teams of two is increasing each member’s understanding of their teammate’s profession. An article from forsch 2021/01.      

Since last year, any 16- to 26-year-olds who are interested have had the opportunity for the first time to complete a Voluntary Ecological Year (FÖJ) at the University of Bonn’s Wiesengut or Frankenforst teaching and research units. Amongst other things, they help researchers set up and conduct their field tests and assist with various agroecological projects. As a result of the positive feedback from everyone involved, FÖJ places are set to be offered this year too. An article from forsch 2021/01.

The Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology at the University of Bonn is the recipient of a $1.48 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Together with the international IT consultancy Capgemini and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) in Geneva, researchers are developing technology to better combat river blindness, which is caused by parasitic worms. Artificial intelligence will be used to machine-read sections of worm nodules in tissue, enabling drug testing to be standardized and significantly accelerated.