Research

Prof. Zapperi is an expert in statistical physics of complex systems and researches in the fields of materials science, biophysics and systems biology. Among his most notable contributions is the theory of the Barkhausen noise in magnets, the statistical physics of plasticity and fracture, as well as recent work on the physics of cancer and protein aggregation. As a guest researcher, he does research on mechanical metamaterials at FAU´s Institute of Materials Simulations.

The research of biochemist Prof. Dr. Berezovski focuses on understanding molecular processes in the development of cancer and immune diseases. In his projects he explores fundamental biomolecular interactions and uses this knowledge to develop new biosensors and bioanalytical methods. He was awarded the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award and uses it to continue his research on so-called "synthetic antibodies" at the FAU.

In Germany, approximately 35,000 people suffer from an acute brain haemorrhage every year. Cerebellar haemorrhages account for only ten percent of all instances of bleeding in the brain. Experts from Germany and the USA have collaborated to investigate for the first time what effect surgical haematoma evacuation has on case fatality rates and the functional outcome in the long term.

The periodic table turns 150 this year. We took this as an opportunity to ask our scientists about their favorite element. Today: Dr. Katrin Hurle on phosphor.

For the first time, researchers at Universitätsklinikum Erlangen have discovered that dysfunctions in blood vessels play a significant role in the development of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. In experimental model systems, the progression of the disease slowed down significantly by eliminating these dysfunctions.

We know all too well from fairy tales that stones in your stomach generally aren’t good for your health. However, while the stones in these stories are placed in the wolf’s belly, the human body can cunningly produce stones by itself. How these stones form was previously unknown. The secret behind gallstones has now been revealed by a team of researchers at FAU.

The speed at which tropical glaciers in the Peruvian Andes are retreating is alarming

Around 60 to 90 percent of all adults carry the human cytomegalovirus, or human betaherpesvirus 5. Teams of researchers have now discovered how the virus’ genome manages to reproduce in human cells and why it is not stopped by the body’s immune system.

Just under five years ago, an international team led by FAU undertook to significantly increase the yield of the tropical cassava plant. The researchers in the ‘Cassava Source-Sink’ project are supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Recently, the Foundation has decided to provide a further 15 million dollars in funding for the researchers’ work over the next five years.

FAU is a flourishing site where significant breakthroughs in AI, machine learning and pattern recognition are achieved. It is no wonder that our scientists represented FAU at Digital Summit 2018 organized by the German government. Among other things, our researchers had a booth on their pioneering AI research in the health segment.