Research

Binary stars are well known to astrophysicists. One stellar double-act in particular has drawn their attention, as part of the X-ray radiation that binary star systems usually emit is missing, and the x-rays it did emit seemed to have strange properties. A research team led by FAU observed a binary star system using X-ray satellites to find some answers.

A team of researchers at Universitätsklinikum Erlangen and FAU has demonstrated that anti-tumour mechanisms can also be activated by sport therapy in cancer patients at advanced stages of the disease.

In an interview, Prof. Dr. Peter Dabrock explains the work of the German Ethics Council and the challenges he faced during his time as chairman.

Organisms often react to extreme environmental conditions with defence mechanisms which allow them to survive. In a work recently published in the journal Aging Cell, a team of researchers from FAU, the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) in Dresden and the TU Dresden together with the Max Planck Centre for Physics and Medicine (MPZPM) in Erlangen discovered that alcohol can double the lifespan of nematode larvae.

One third of all epilepsy patients do not respond to drug-based treatments. In the case of focal epilepsy, where the cause is located in a certain area of the brain, brain surgery can be beneficial and can even act as a cure.

When the immune system attacks intestinal microbiota, this leads to chronic intestinal inflammation and considerable pain and discomfort. A team of researchers have investigated a new treatment approach.

Dr. Eva Odzuck is researching the challenges of liberal democracy. In particular, Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher of state, is of great importance to them.

Three young researchers at FAU have succeeded in securing research funding in one of the toughest European selection processes. Over the next five years, the European Research Council (ERC) will provide ERC Starting Grants to support the outstanding research projects of Dr. Johannes Fürst, PD Dr. Benoit Merle and Prof. Dr. Dominik Munz.

Sustainable energy is hard to imagine without photovoltaic technology. Prof. Dr. Christoph Brabec, Chair of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology is conducting fundamental photovoltaic research at FAU. He explains in the following interview how his findings are transferred to industrial applications.

After a stroke, the chances of survival and the risk of recurrence in the following years vary greatly depending on what caused the stroke in the first place.