Neurons receive thousands of signals via tree-like extensions called dendrites. Until now, these dendrites were thought to be relatively smooth cables that conduct electrical signals to the cell body. An international research team led by the University Hospital of Bonn (UKB), the University of Bonn, and the DZNE has now determined that this picture is incomplete. Using various advanced microscopy techniques, it has identified tiny, previously overlooked constrictions along the dendrites. These newly discovered structures, which the researchers call dendritic shaft constrictions, are only a few hundred nanometers wide – about 500 to 1,000 times thinner than a human hair – and occur in various types of neurons in both mouse and human brains. The study results have now been published in the journal Science Advances.

An international team of researchers led by the University Hospital and University of Bonn, as well as the universities of Edinburgh, Basel and Pennsylvania, has identified a previously unrecognized form of inherited retinal degeneration caused by a specific variant in the EFEMP1 gene. The disease primarily affects the peripheral retina and the rod photoreceptors responsible for vision in dim light and darkness. Importantly, rod function may already be severely impaired while the retina still appears largely normal on clinical examination. The results of the study have now been published in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology.

The European Space Agency’s FLEX mission marks the beginning of a new era of plant research from space. The satellite, which was specifically developed to observe photosynthesis, will track how plants react to drought, heat, and other environmental stresses. The insights could help to develop climate-resilient agriculture, better protect natural ecosystems, and increase food security in the long term. Forschungszentrum Jülich operates the German FLEX project office, contributes its scientific expertise to the mission, and supports researchers in using the freely available satellite data. 

25 million euros for AI-supported cancer research in Bonn: The University Hospital Bonn (UKB), the University of Bonn, and the Lamarr Institute for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence are establishing a joint research infrastructure with funding from the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. The aim is to use AI to design and optimize potential cancer drugs and then test them in the laboratory. Minister-President Hendrik Wüst and Minister of Science Ina Brandes presented the funding commitment today at the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Bonn has again prevailed in competition for funding from the European Research Council (ERC), with researchers of the University of Excellence landing two prestigious ERC Starting Grants. Neuroscientist Professor Lukas Kunz, also associated with University Hospital Bonn (UKB), conducts research on how the human brain constructs the first-person perspective of our experiences. Dr. Riccardo Pennetta is leading a research project on large-scale quantum physics. The two researchers are to each receive approximately 1.5 million euros from the ERC for their projects over a five-years period.

There has been a rapid increase in cardiovascular and metabolic conditions in sub-Saharan Africa. What is the link between sustainable diets that are nutritious, environmentally friendly, economically affordable, and socioculturally acceptable, and cardiometabolic conditions? An international research team led by Prof. Dr. Ina Danquah, Hertz Chair for Innovation for Planetary Health in the Transdisciplinary Research Area “Sustainable Futures” and Director at Center for Development Research (ZEF) at University of Bonn, investigated this question among Ghanaian adults who live in various locations.