Research

Sugar compounds from the glycan group have an important role to play in a number of biological processes in our bodies. By forming a chemical compound with protein and fats and altering these substances in the process, they regulate the maturation of kidneys, form connections between nerve pathways in the brain and contribute to the working of the immune system. A DFG research group is investigating these biochemical processes and has received follow-up funding from DFG worth 4.6 million euros.

What role do female IS returnees play within the “Islamic State” system, why are they rarely referred to as war criminals in public discourse and which aspects should be considered more closely in future? A conversation with Prof. Dr. Christoph Safferling and Jana Trapp, a legal trainee at the Kammergericht (court of appeal) in Berlin and a doctoral candidate at FAU.

Huntington’s disease is caused by repeated toxic changes in the protein huntingtin. An interdisciplinary team at Universitätsklinikum Erlangen and FAU has now discovered a treatment that is currently undergoing clinical trials. With this groundbreaking study, the team was able to demonstrate for the first time how nerve cells of Huntington patients can be cured.

Catalysts are of utmost relevance for the production of chemicals and energy storage with hydrogen. Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (HI ERN) and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) have now discovered that the formation of bubbles in ...

Acceptor layers made of oligomers can increase the performance of organic solar cells and ensure a long operating life at the same time. This is the result of laboratory experiments conducted by materials scientists at FAU. Organic solar cells are less complex to manufacture than silicon modules and are considerably more versatile as they can be flexible and transparent.

A star in the Columba constellation, approximately 900 light years away, has been hiding a dark past, as has now been revealed by an international team of researchers led by FAU. The star, that was once the heart of a binary star system, lost its envelope when it engulfed its companion.