Helmholtz - Press Releases shown on Homepage

Helmholtz - Press Releases shown on HomepagePress Releases shown on Homepage issued by the Helmholtz Association and its Helmholtz Research CentresHelmholtz-Associationhttp://www.helmholtz.de/atom10/en/press/press_releases/?tx_a21feeds_pi1%5Buid%5D=17&cHash=e63839089e2421d4805ec1eb046c07b92013-06-12T01:09:41+02:00Thomas Gazligpresse@helmholtz.dehttp://www.helmholtz.de/uploads/tx_a21feeds/HG_LOGO_HELMHOLTZ_140x55_05.gifhttp://www.helmholtz.de/uploads/tx_a21feeds/tx_libfeedcreatorLuminous Bacterial Proteins Detect Chemicals in Water2013-06-12T00:00:00+02:002013-06-12T00:00:00+02:00http://www.hzdr.de/db/Cms?pNid=99&pOid=39238Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Medikamentenreste haben im Wasser nichts zu suchen, Spurenmetalle in Prozesswässern der Recyclingindustrie sind dagegen wertvoll. Wissenschaftler am Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) haben ein einfaches Farbsensor-Prinzip entwickelt, mit dem man beide Stoffe sowie viele weitere Substanzen leicht nachweisen kann. Die Idee: Leuchtet die untersuchte Probe rot, ist das Wasser ‚sauber‘; färbt es sich dagegen grün, sind die gesuchten Stoffe enthalten. Die Forscher veröffentlichten ihr Konzept kürzlich in der Fachzeitschrift Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical (DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2013.05.051).

Algae instead of oil – this is the goal for the aviation fuels of the future. In the collaborative AUFWIND project involving twelve partners from research and industry, Jülich researchers are investigating the suitability of biomass made from microalgae as a basis for the production of kerosene. Key questions addressed are the economic and ecological feasibility of the process. The Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) is funding the project with € 5.75 million via its project management organization FNR (Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe). Total funding for the project amounts to some € 7.4 million.

Proteins transport oxygen, fight pathogens, and act as building blocks for muscles and tendons. To be able to fulfil these functions, they must adopt a complex spatial structure. They are assisted in this by helper proteins known as chaperones. An international team of researchers has succeeded for the first time in analysing the intermediate stage of folding in the cavity of the common chaperone GroEL. Their findings have been published in the renowned journal Cell.A new research programme to achieve an improved understanding of the Earth system for the Baltic Sea region2013-06-06T21:38:48+02:002013-06-06T21:38:48+02:00http://www.hzg.de/cms01/public_relations/press_releases/038166/index_0038166.html.enHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

On June 10th, 2013, at the 7th Study Conference on BALTEX, a new international and interdisciplinary research programme, Baltic Earth, will be launched. The aim of Baltic Earth is to achieve an improved understanding of the Earth system for the Baltic Sea region, focusing on physical and biogeochemical processes which interact in the atmosphere, in the sea including sea ice, and on land. Human interactions with the environment are recognized as an important part of the regional Earth system.Successful premiere – STEREX video shows ATV-4 in orbit2013-06-06T17:20:00+02:002013-06-06T17:20:00+02:00http://www.dlr.de/dlr/presse/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10172/213_read-7278/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

A special passenger was on board during the launch of ESA’s fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), ‘Albert Einstein’, on 5 June 2013 at 23:52 CEST – the STEREX experiment, funded by the DLR Space Administration and the European Space Agency (ESA).Rechargeable Endurance Runners2013-06-06T15:01:00+02:002013-06-06T15:01:00+02:00http://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/UK/EN/2013/13-06-06brennstoffzellen.htmlHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

With a new world record of over 20,000 hours in continuous operation, Forschungszentrum Jülich’s direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) have once again demonstrated their practical applicability. This type of fuel cell is particularly suited to powering small vehicles, but for a long time they were considered unreliable. DMFCs work with liquid methanol, which is much easier to store than pure hydrogen. The Jülich system that passed the long-term test is specifically designed for use in electric forklifts that are used, for example, in large transport hubs, which are at the centre of the global flows of goods

The Senate of the Helmholtz Association approved the establishment of a new Helmholtz institute for renewable energy research at Erlangen and Nuremberg at its meeting yesterday. The new institute will be jointly run by Forschungszentrum Jülich, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB), and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU). The Free State of Bavaria intends to fund a new research building for the Helmholtz institute and provide additional funding for its operation in the initial phase for five years. The Helmholtz Association will fund the new institute with € 5.5 million annually for staff, operation, and investments.Polarstern expedition team departs for the wintery Antarctic – focus on sea ice and living organisms of the Southern Ocean2013-06-06T11:37:56+02:002013-06-06T11:37:56+02:00http://www.awi.de/en/news/press_releases/detail/item/winter_experiment_rv_polarstern/?cHash=ffc7c15386c7e11ab7372a22c508aae4Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

A group of researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research is flying to South Africa today. However this trip south is no summer holiday, but rather the start of a special journey: on Saturday, 8 June 2013 the research vessel Polarstern will be embarking on an expedition to the Antarctic winter. 49 researchers from institutes in twelve countries together with 44 crew members will spend a good two months in the Southern Ocean. They will be exploring the sea ice, the atmosphere and the ocean, until the expedition comes to an end on 12 August in Punta Arenas, Chile.Always looking to the sky – DLR and CIEMAT commission a meteorological station for solar power plants2013-06-06T10:40:00+02:002013-06-06T10:40:00+02:00http://www.dlr.de/dlr/presse/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10172/213_read-7240/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

How much solar energy reaches a power plant? Is the Sun often obscured by dust or other atmospheric particles? Power station operators need a great deal of meteorological data before deciding on the location of a new power plant.Back to the Future with HERA2013-06-05T00:00:00+02:002013-06-05T00:00:00+02:00http://www.desy.de/news/@@news-view?id=5381&lang=engHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Over a time span of 15 years, DESY’s particle accelerator HERA served the international particle physics community as the world’s most precise electron microscope for studies of the proton’s inner structure. Although HERA experiments ended in 2007, ongoing data analyses continue to point the way for future particle physics experiments.Finding and treating tumours with protons2013-06-03T09:00:00+02:002013-06-03T09:00:00+02:00https://www.gsi.de/en/start/news/detailseite/datum/2013/06/03/tumoren-erkennen-und-behandeln-mit-protonen.htmHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Is it possible to diagnose a tumour and treat it at the same time? This idea might become reality in the near future. In a joint experiment of GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH and the Technical University in Darmstadt (TUD) with the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), USA, researchers showed in December 2012 that beams of fast protons could do the trick. Scientists call the combination of therapy and diagnosis "theranostics".Scientists from Kiel and Berlin Identify New Genetic Risk Loci for Atopic Dermatitis2013-06-03T02:00:00+02:002013-06-03T02:00:00+02:00https://www.mdc-berlin.de/41130310/en/news/2013/20130610-scientists_from_kiel_and_berlin_identify_nHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

In collaboration with researchers from England, Ireland and Switzerland as well as the U.S., Japan and China, scientists in Kiel and Berlin have identified variants in four gene regions which strongly increase the risk for atopic dermatitis. The results of the study conducted by the Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology (IKMB) of the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, Kiel University (CAU), the Cluster of Excellence Inflammation at Interfaces, the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, and the Department of Pediatric Allergology of the Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC) of the Charité and the MDC have now been published in the journal Nature Genetics (http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ng.2642.html).

Bonn. A new study reveals that SE-Asian monitor lizards representing the worlds? largest lizards are being harvested (in spite of existing legislation) and traded for their skins and as pets in imperceptible volumes ? and much of this trade is illegal. Germany plays a major role in the international trade with live reptiles. On June 8, 2013, the world?s largest reptile fair will take place in Germany (Hamm, Westphalia).On board Mars Express, in orbit around the Red Planet2013-05-31T10:30:00+02:002013-05-31T10:30:00+02:00http://www.dlr.de/dlr/presse/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10172/213_read-7208/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Grabens, dendritic valleys, lava flows and the highest known mountain in the Solar System – in the images from the German stereo camera on board the Mars Express spacecraft, the topography of the Red Planet appears so three-dimensional that you could walk through it.Live and let die2013-05-31T10:00:00+02:002013-05-31T10:00:00+02:00http://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/news_events/news/view/article/complete/live_and_let_die/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

A protein called c-FLIP-R is critical to immune cell survival: If this molecule is missing, the cells kill themselves – and are thus no longer able to perform their job fighting off invaders. Now, scientists at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) Braunschweig and at the Otto von Guericke University (OvGU) Magdeburg have published their findings in the renowned European Journal of Immunology.Discovery of how a key enzyme of the spliceosome exerts its controlling function2013-05-31T10:00:00+02:002013-05-31T10:00:00+02:00http://www.helmholtz-berlin.de/pubbin/news_seite?nid=13731;sprache=en;typoid=3228Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

To sustain life, processes in biological cells have to be strictly controlled both in time and in space. By using the MX-Beamline of synchrotron radiation source BESSY II research workers at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen and the Free University of Berlin have elucidated a previously unknown mechanism that regulates one of the essential processes accompanying gene expression in higher organisms. In humans, errors in this control mechanism can lead to blindness. This discovery has been published in the renowned scientific journal Science (23th may 2013).

Vom 3. bis 5. Juni 2013 treffen sich am Hamburger Beschleunigerzentrum DESY rund 150 Experten aus aller Welt. Gemeinsam verfolgen sie das Ziel, eine neue Experimentierstation aufzubauen, an der das Röntgenlicht vom Freie-Elektronen-Laser XFEL mit den intensiven Lichtblitzen eines kompakten und äußerst leistungsstarken Lasersystems gekoppelt werden soll. Die Leitung des internationalen Nutzerkonsortiums liegt beim HZDR, das Projekt selbst ist ein Gemeinschaftsprojekt zwischen DESY und HZDR.New light source at X-ray laser XFEL2013-05-31T00:00:00+02:002013-05-31T00:00:00+02:00http://www.hzdr.de/db/Cms?pNid=99&pOid=39216Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Vom 3. bis 5. Juni 2013 treffen sich am Hamburger Beschleunigerzentrum DESY rund 150 Experten aus aller Welt. Gemeinsam verfolgen sie das Ziel, eine neue Experimentierstation aufzubauen, an der das Röntgenlicht vom Freie-Elektronen-Laser XFEL mit den intensiven Lichtblitzen eines kompakten und äußerst leistungsstarken Lasersystems gekoppelt werden soll. Die Leitung des internationalen Nutzerkonsortiums liegt beim HZDR, das Projekt selbst ist ein Gemeinschaftsprojekt zwischen DESY und HZDR.Experts on Interferon meet in Braunschweig2013-05-29T09:46:00+02:002013-05-29T09:46:00+02:00http://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/news_events/news/view/article/complete/experts_on_interferon_meet_in_braunschweig/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Vitally important and always ready for action: Interferons are essential components of the immune system. These proteins and their role in viral defense will be the focus of the 6th International Workshop “Interferon and Infection” at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI). The participants can expect an intensive meeting with much exchange of information and discussion.The 'Volare' mission begins2013-05-28T10:30:00+02:002013-05-28T10:30:00+02:00http://www.dlr.de/dlr/presse/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10172/213_read-7182/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

His muscles are of interest to the scientists, as is his internal clock and the radiation dose to which he will be exposed during his work in the European Columbus research laboratory. On 28 May 2013 at 22:31 CEST, the European Astronaut Luca Parmitano will depart from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on board the Soyuz TMA-09M spacecraft, beginning his journey to the International Space Station (ISS), as part of the Expedition 36/37 crew.Crystal-clear method for distinguishing between glass and fluids2013-05-28T10:00:00+02:002013-05-28T10:00:00+02:00http://www.helmholtz-berlin.de/pubbin/news_seite?nid=13727;sprache=en;typoid=3228Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Many solids are produced from melting. Depending on how quickly they cool off, invariably, internal tensile stresses begin to build up. One example are Prince Rupert's Drops, or Dutch tears: you can hit their thick end with a hammer without breaking them while a slight pressure applied to their thin end is enough to shatter the entire tear. The properties of safety or even gorilla glass are determined to a large extent by their internal tensile stresses. However, until now, our understanding of the unique characteristics exhibited by the condition of the glass as compared with a tough molten mass was spotty at best. Now, a collaboration of several German and Cretian research teams has offered a surprisingly simple model to explain the difference between glass and molten materials.

Tomorrow, at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), in Barcelona, directors and staff from ten top European research institutes will kick off a new alliance, called EU-LIFE, that will promote European research (www.eulife.eu). The mission of EU-LIFE is to foster excellence, share knowledge, and influence policies in life sciences. Partners in EU-LIFE are renowned research centers that operate with similar principles of excellence, external reviews, independence, competiveness, and internationality. During difficult economic times and within a highly competitive international research landscape, they believe that they can join forces to better address complex questions, thereby contributing to pushing European science forward.

Aachen/Jülich, 27 May 2013 – A favourable outcome for the Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), which is the largest research cluster for a sustainable bioeconomy in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) involving RWTH Aachen University, Forschungszentrum Jülich and the universities in Bonn and Düsseldorf: it has been granted more than € 58 million to explore ways of establishing an integrated bioeconomy over the next ten years. A joint goal of the federal republic of Germany and the federal state of NRW is research for a sustainable bioeconomy and its implementation. NRW Science Minister Svenja Schulze and Thomas Rachel, Member of the Bundestag and Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Education and Research, have now agreed that Jülich biotechnology will be permanently incorporated into the Helmholtz Association, and that NRW will fund a unique European project on the integrated bioeconomy at BioSC.

Tests for hidden traces of blood (“occult blood”) in the stool provide clues to colon cancer or precancerous lesions. For over 40 years, an enzymatic detection method has been used to detect the diseases. Now immunological tests have also become available. Epidemiologists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) compared the two methods and have proven the superiority of immunological tests. They detect more than twice as many cancer cases and deliver fewer false positive results."A certain level of stress is necessary"2013-05-27T09:40:00+02:002013-05-27T09:40:00+02:00http://www.dlr.de/dlr/presse/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10172/213_read-7113/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

European astronaut Luca Parmitano's 'Volare' mission will begin on 28 May 2013 with the launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The International Space Station will be his place of work and home for the next six months.From the Oxide Cluster to Computers of the Future2013-05-24T14:01:00+02:002013-05-24T14:01:00+02:00http://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/UK/EN/2013/13-05-24Oxid-Cluster.htmlHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Thomas Rachel, Member of the Bundestag and Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Education and Research, officially opened the new Oxide Cluster at Forschungszentrum Jülich today. The new laboratory at the Peter Grünberg Institute provides scientists with unique opportunities to investigate electronic materials for a new generation of memories and processors. Jülich project leader Prof. Regina Dittmann coordinated the three-year construction of the Oxide Cluster, in which funds totalling some € 3.7 million were invested, including dedicated funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research worth € 940,000.German and Israeli Scientists Gain New Insights into Protein Disposal2013-05-24T02:00:00+02:002013-05-24T02:00:00+02:00https://www.mdc-berlin.de/41041085/en/news/2013/20130528-german_and_israeli_scientists_gain_new_insHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Cells have a sophisticated system to control and dispose of defective, superfluous proteins and thus to prevent damage to the body. Dr. Katrin Bagola and Professor Thomas Sommer of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch as well as Professor Michael Glickman and Professor Aaron Ciechanover of Technion, the Technical University of Israel in Haifa, have now discovered a new function of an enzyme that is involved in this vital process. Using yeast cells as a model organism, the researchers showed that a specific factor, abbreviated Cue1, is not only a receptor and activator for a component of the degradation apparatus, but also contributes to ensuring that the defective protein is marked with a molecular tag for degradation (Molecular Cell, doi: org/10.1016/j.molcel.2013.04.005)*.

In Parkinson’s disease, the protein “alpha-synuclein” aggregates and accumulates within neurons. Specific areas of the brain become progressively affected as the disease develops and advances. The mechanism underlying this pathological progression is poorly understood but could result from spreading of the protein (or abnormal forms of it) along nerve projections connecting lower to upper brain regions. Scientists at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn have developed a novel experimental model that reproduces for the first time this pattern of alpha-synuclein brain spreading and provides important clues on the mechanisms underlying this pathological process. They triggered the production of human alpha-synuclein in the lower rat brain and were able to trace the spreading of this protein toward higher brain regions. The new experimental paradigm could promote the development of ways to halt or slow down disease development in humans. The research team headed by Prof. Donato Di Monte presents these results in the scientific journal “EMBO Molecular Medicine”.

The German Aerospace Centre (DLR) is devising plans for a solar power research and test centre in Morocco on behalf of the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen).

The German Aerospace Centre (DLR) is devising plans for a solar power research and test centre in Morocco on behalf of the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen).Microwaves reveal mirror molecules2013-05-23T00:00:00+02:002013-05-23T00:00:00+02:00http://www.desy.de/information__services/press/pressreleases/@@news-view?id=5321&lang=engHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

The chemistry of life is built on left-handed and right-handed molecules that can have completely different functions. A novel technique, developed by researchers from the US and Germany, can reliably tell these mirror molecules apart. The new method can in principle even detect the two variants in mixtures of substances, as the team report in the current cover story of the scientific journal “Nature”. The procedure also holds promise for the development of a technique to separate left- from right-handed variants of a molecule, write David Patterson and John Doyle of Harvard University together with Melanie Schnell of the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL in Hamburg, Germany, and the Max Planck Institute for nuclear physics in Heidelberg, Germany. CFEL is a joint venture of DESY, the Max Planck society and the University of Hamburg.

The American stem cell researcher Professor Irving Weissman of Stanford University School of Medicine, California, USA, has received the Max Delbrück Medal of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin-Buch, Germany on the evening of May 21, 2013. With this medal the MDC honors the stem cell research of Professor Weissman, who has been at the forefront of this field for decades.Inauguration of CTA gamma telescope prototype2013-05-22T00:00:00+02:002013-05-22T00:00:00+02:00http://www.desy.de/information__services/press/pressreleases/@@news-view?id=5281&lang=engHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Today, at the Berlin Science Park Adlershof, DESY commissioned the first telescope prototype of the Cherenkov Telescope Array CTA. In an inauguration ceremony, Professor Sabine Kunst, science minister of the German federal state of Brandenburg, Dr. Karl Eugen Huthmacher, head of department at the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research BMBF, Professor Helmut Dosch, chair of the DESY board of directors, and Professor Christian Stegmann, head of the DESY institute in Zeuthen, jointly commissioned the prototype. In the coming months, the fully functional full-scale model of the medium-sized of the planned three CTA telescope types will be used to test all functions for future operation at the CTA facility.

It is known that signs of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease can appear years before the disease becomes manifest; these signs take the form of subtle changes in the brain and behavior of individuals affected. For the first time, an international group of researchers led by the DZNE and the Bonn University Hospital has proven the existence of such signatures for motor disorders belonging to the group of “spinocerebellar ataxias”. The scientists report these findings in the current online edition of “The Lancet Neurology”. This pan-European study could open up new possibilities of early diagnosis and smooth the way for treatments which tackle diseases before the patient’s nervous system is irreparably damaged.Public research organisations support the European Commission’s initiative to strengthen coordination of activities to promote strategic energy technologies2013-05-21T16:00:00+02:002013-05-21T16:00:00+02:00http://www.eera-set.eu/lw_resource/datapool/_items/item_770/eera_press_release_ec_energy_tech_comm_final.pdfHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

The European Energy Research Alliance supports the European Commission's proposal to strengthen coordination of activities in the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) as proposed in the recent communication on Energy Technologies and Innovation.DZNE Researcher Elected to the European Science Organization EMBO2013-05-21T00:00:00+02:002013-05-21T00:00:00+02:00http://www.dzne.de/en/about-us/public-relations/meldungen/2013/press-release-no-15.htmlHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) has elected biochemist Frank Bradke of the DZNE as one of its new members. According to the EMBO, 52 scientists joined the organization as new members this year along with Prof. Bradke. Members of the EMBO are considered the world’s most renowned molecular biologists.GPS solution provides three-minute tsunami alerts2013-05-17T00:00:00+02:002013-05-17T00:00:00+02:00http://www.gfz-potsdam.de/portal/gfz/Public+Relations/Pressemitteilungen/aktuell/130517_GPSsolutionHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

GFZ researchers have shown that, by using global positioning systems (GPS) to measure ground deformation caused by a large underwater earthquake, they can provide accurate warning of the resulting tsunami in just a few minutes after the earthquake onset. For the devastating Japan 2011 event, the team reveals that the analysis of the GPS data and issue of a detailed tsunami alert would have taken no more than three minutes.Glowing Bacteria Make the Unknown Visible2013-05-16T09:45:00+02:002013-05-16T09:45:00+02:00http://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/UK/EN/2013/13-05-15enzyme.htmlHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Jülich/Stuttgart, 16 May 2013 – Two biotechnologists from Forschungszentrum Jülich were presented with one of three Innovation Awards of the German BioRegions in Stuttgart yesterday. Georg Schendzielorz and Stephan Binder from the Institute of Bio- and Geosciences (IBG-1) received the award, which is endowed with € 2000, for their application-oriented idea on the topic of sensors for efficient biocatalysis.DZNE and Charité work together: with joined forces against neurodegenerative diseases2013-05-16T00:00:00+02:002013-05-16T00:00:00+02:00http://www.dzne.de/en/about-us/public-relations/meldungen/2013/press-release-no-14.htmlHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

The DZNE and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin are internationally leading institutions for research in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. Now, both have signed a cooperation agreement to seal their close scientific collaboration. The objective is to combine existing expertise and to bring new outstanding researchers to Berlin. Together, the scientists want to decode processes in the brain and in nerve cells that are not only relevant for some diseases, but relate to various neurodegenerative diseases. The cooperation will also foster the translation of results from fundamental into clinical research.

Photosynthetic water-oxidation is one of the central processes of life on Earth but remains incompletely understood. Now, a German-American team of scientists has set out to observe the intermediate stages of this complex catalytic reaction using ultrashort snap shots taken at light sources including BESSY II in Berlin and the Linac Coherent Light Source at Stanford. To support their efforts, the Human Frontier Science Program has now pledged funding of approximately 900,000 US Dollars for a total three-year period. The team includes HZB physicist Dr. Philippe Wernet, chemist Prof. Dr. Athina Zouni of Humboldt University of Berlin, Dr. Uwe Bergmann of the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Dr. Junko Yano of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, who is in charge of the project.

The High Energy and Particle Physics Prize 2013 of the European Physical Society goes to the research teams of the ATLAS and CMS particle physics experiments.Together with the three experimental physicists, Michel Della Negra (Imperial College London), Peter Jenni (CERN and University of Freiburg) and Tejinder Virdee (Imperial College London) the collaborations are awarded for the discovery of a new heavy particle with the properties of the long-sought Higgs particle.Uni Düsseldorf Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Opened at Jülich2013-05-14T15:07:38+02:002013-05-14T15:07:38+02:00http://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/UK/EN/2013/13-05-15IBOC.htmlHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf has invested more than € 1.8 million in new teaching facilities on the campus of Forschungszentrum Jülich, thus considerably expanding the space available at the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry – an institute of the University of Düsseldorf. This will especially benefit students from Düsseldorf. The new facilities were officially opened on 15 May.Electronic Cigarettes - An Uncontrolled Experiment with Consumers2013-05-14T00:00:00+02:002013-05-14T00:00:00+02:00http://www.dkfz.de/en/presse/pressemitteilungen/2013/dkfz-pm-13-31-Electronic-Cigarettes-An-Uncontrolled-Experiment-with-Consumers.phpHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Unlike conventional cigarettes, electronic cigarettes do not produce thousands of toxic and carcinogenic substances. Nevertheless, they are not harmless. They contain, as their main ingredient, a substance that irritates the airways, usually along with toxic, addictive nicotine and some carcinogenic substances. In addition, they frequently have various technical flaws. Nevertheless, electronic cigarettes are currently sold unregulated as lifestyle products without any appropriate quality control, turning consumers into involuntary experimental subjects. The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) has compiled and analyzed available scientific data on product characteristics, potential health risks and prevalence of the products as well as their potential usefulness in smoking cessation in its latest report entitled “Electronic Cigarettes – An Overview”. According to this report, the electronic cigarette is not a safe product.

A group of anticancer drugs known as HDAC inhibitors has shown effectiveness in preclinical trials against neuroblastoma, an aggressive type of cancer in children. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Heidelberg University Hospital have now found out that the drugs slow down tumor cell growth by promoting production of a cancer-inhibiting RNA molecule in tumor cells.Serotonin Mediates Exercise-Induced Generation of New Neurons2013-05-13T02:00:00+02:002013-05-13T02:00:00+02:00https://www.mdc-berlin.de/40955177/en/news/2013/20130513-serotonin_mediates_exercise-induced_generaHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Mice that exercise in running wheels exhibit increased neurogenesis in the brain. Crucial to this process is serotonin signaling. These are the findings of a study by Dr. Friederike Klempin, Daniel Beis and Dr. Natalia Alenina from the research group led by Professor Michael Bader at the Max Delbrück Center (MDC) Berlin-Buch. Surprisingly, mice lacking brain serotonin due to a genetic mutation exhibited normal baseline neurogenesis. However, in these serotonin-deficient mice, activity-induced proliferation was impaired, and wheel running did not induce increased generation of new neurons. (Journal of Neuroscience, Doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5855-12.2013)*.

Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) discovered a previously unknown switch controlling how much of a protein a cell produces. The hairpin-shaped structure lies in the messenger RNA – the copy of a gene serving as a template for protein synthesis. As soon the hairpin is forming, various cellular components bind to and degrade the messenger RNA. This is to prevent producing too much of a harmful protein. The researchers headed by Georg Stoecklin published their results in the journal “Cell”.Disrupted Lipid Metabolism: Young DKFZ Researcher Honored with Two Awards2013-05-08T15:12:00+02:002013-05-08T15:12:00+02:00http://www.dkfz.de/en/presse/pressemitteilungen/2013/dkfz-pm-13-28-Disrupted-Lipid-Metabolism.phpHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Molecular biologist Dr. Maria Rohm pursues research on fat decomposition in the human body. Now she has won two prestigious awards at once for her research: the Novartis Young Endocrinologist Award, worth €10,000, of the German Society of Endocrinology (DGE), and the €7,500 sponsorship award of the German Diabetes Association (DDG), donated by Sanofi-Aventis Germany. Maria Rohm works as a scientist at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), where she is studying the molecular foundations of a disrupted lipid metabolism.A Taste of Technology2013-05-08T13:28:28+02:002013-05-08T13:28:28+02:00http://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/UK/EN/2013/13-05-08maedchentechniktag.htmlHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Getting to grips with a hammer, soldering iron or the computer: this year's Girls and Technology Day gave secondary school girls a taste of what awaits trainees in the areas of technology and IT. The girls who performed most competently during the day will be invited to come back to Jülich for work placements in the autumn.Searching for Ideal Heat Protection2013-05-08T10:18:00+02:002013-05-08T10:18:00+02:00http://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/UK/EN/2013/13-05-07PFMC.htmlHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Choosing suitable wall materials is one of the key challenges in constructing future fusion reactors. More than 200 scientists will meet in Jülich on 13–17 May to discuss which materials are best able to withstand the extreme conditions in vacuum vessels. The results of the conference organized by Forschungszentrum Jülich will be incorporated into the planning of the ITER fusion reactor, for example, which represents the next big step in fusion research. A decision is due to be made this year on lining the ITER vacuum vessel.HZI to award young infection researchers2013-05-07T00:00:00+02:002013-05-07T00:00:00+02:00http://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/news_events/news/view/article/complete/hzi_to_award_young_infection_researchers/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Jürgen Wehland Prize announced for the third time / Prize money 5 000 €, application until 1 August. As in the previous years, the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and the Friends of the HZI are going to honour an excellent young researcher in the field of infection biology. The award was established in 2011 in memory of the former Scientific Director of the HZI, Professor Jürgen Wehland. The Jürgen Wehland Prize includes prize money of 5,000 Euros and will ...Science on the Move2013-05-06T09:30:32+02:002013-05-06T09:30:32+02:00http://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/UK/EN/2013/13-05-06basigo.htmlHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Forschungszentrum Jülich will be conducting experiments from 19 to 22 June that will be the largest of their kind in the world – and is still looking for participants. The movements of up to 1,000 pedestrians will be recorded each day on the grounds of Messe Düsseldorf. The aim of the experiment is to achieve a better understanding of the internal dynamics of large groups of people in order to improve safety at large public events.Scientists decode molecule dynamics of benzene double molecule2013-05-06T00:00:00+02:002013-05-06T00:00:00+02:00http://www.desy.de/news/@@news-view?id=5161&lang=engHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

A team of Dutch and German scientists decoded the inner dynamics of an important model system of organic chemistry. The investigation of the benzene dimer solves a 20-year old mystery, reported the group headed by Melanie Schnell from the Hamburg Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL). Her study was selected as cover story of the scientific journal “Angewandte Chemie International Edition”and categorised as “very important paper”(VIP) by the evaluators and publishers. CFEL is a joint enterprise from DESY, the Max Planck Society and the University of Hamburg.

Three-dimensional magnetic vortices were discovered by scientists from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) together with colleagues from the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) within the scope of an international cooperation. The results were published in the scientific journal Physical Review Letters. Vortex states are potential antennas for the ultrafast, wireless data transmission of tomorrow.Tracking aircraft from space2013-05-03T11:40:00+02:002013-05-03T11:40:00+02:00http://www.dlr.de/dlr/presse/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10172/213_read-6967/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

On 4 May 2013 at 04:06 (CEST), when the European Proba-V satellite lifts off on a Vega launcher with the primary mission of observing vegetation from space, it will be carrying another instrument on board – one that will be keeping an 'eye' on aircraft.Volcanoes can damage the ozone layer2013-05-03T00:00:00+02:002013-05-03T00:00:00+02:00http://www.desy.de/news/@@news-view?id=5141&lang=engHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

The in some areas extremely thin ozone layer discovered in the 1980s was clearly due to manmade emissions. However, there are ozone killing sources also in nature. Scientists from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and DESY in Hamburg found that giant volcanic eruptions may have large amounts of ozone depleting gases. Their study is published in the internationally renowned scientific journal “Geology”.Feasibility Study: Test Stand for Next Generation of Wind Turbines2013-05-02T00:00:00+02:002013-05-02T00:00:00+02:00http://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/UK/EN/2013/13-05-02machbarkeitsstudie.htmlHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Jülich, 2 May 2013 – The trend in wind power is moving towards increasingly higher and larger rotors, as they use the available wind energy more effectively. Moreover, increasingly larger turbines with higher output are being constructed. With a power of 10 to 20 MW, they are capable of generating almost ten times as much electricity as systems commonly used today, but also pose greater technical challenges. In order to support enterprises and research institutions in the development of suitable drive trains, Forschungszentrum Jülich is assessing the construction and operation of a large-scale test stand for wind turbine components, in particular their transmission.

2 May 2013 – Five young scientists from Germany, Iran, Malaysia and Russia will have the opportunity to pursue their PhDs at Forschungszentrum Jülich and its partner universities in research areas related to energy and climate as part of the Helmholtz Graduate School HITEC. They were selected from a total of eleven candidates at the first HITEC symposium on Friday. Four of the five new HITEC fellows are women.The many faces of the bacterial defense system2013-05-01T08:00:00+02:002013-05-01T08:00:00+02:00http://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/news_events/news/view/article/complete/the_many_faces_of_the_bacterial_defense_system/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

HZI researchers discover multiple versions of microbial defense genes that lend themselves to being exploited by biotechnology. Even bacteria have a kind of "immune system" they use to defend themselves against unwanted intruders – in their case, viruses. Scientists at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig, Germany, were now able to show that this defense system is much more diverse than previously thought and that it comes in multiple versions. Their goal is to use the various newly ...Delegation visit to South America: Directors of Materials and Coastal Research intend to expand cooperation2013-04-30T16:47:52+02:002013-04-30T16:47:52+02:00http://www.hzg.de/cms01/public_relations/press_releases/037797/index_0037797.html.enHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Since several years, the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG) has maintained good relations with universities and companies in South America. Therefore, the HZG-Directors Prof. Norbert Huber and Professor Hans von Storch accompanied the Hamburg representatives during the official visit of Hamburg´s governing mayor Olaf Scholz from April 15th to 19th.Reducing turbulence near airports - DLR tests new procedures to mitigate wake vortices2013-04-30T09:50:00+02:002013-04-30T09:50:00+02:00http://www.dlr.de/dlr/presse/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10172/213_read-6937/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Currently, safety considerations related to wake vortices force pilots of small and medium-sized aircraft to maintain a separation of about 10 kilometres from heavier planes flying ahead of them.

Currently, safety considerations related to wake vortices force pilots of small and medium-sized aircraft to maintain a separation of about 10 kilometres from heavier planes flying ahead of them.New Findings on the Brain’s Immune Cells during Alzheimer’s Disease Progression2013-04-30T02:00:00+02:002013-04-30T02:00:00+02:00https://www.mdc-berlin.de/40766477/en/news/2013/20130411-new_findings_on_the_brain_s_immune_cells_dHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

The plaque deposits in the brain of Alzheimer’s patients are surrounded by the brain’s own immune cells, the microglia. This was already recognized by Alois Alzheimer more than one hundred years ago. But until today it still remains unclear what role microglia play in Alzheimer’s disease. Do they help to break down the plaque deposit? A study by researchers of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin has now shed light on these mysterious microglia during the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. (PLoS One, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0060921)*.

Jülich, 29 April 2013 – Since mid-April, Jülich environmental researchers have been determining soil moisture in the Rur catchment area from an aircraft. The measurements above the Jülich area and the Eifel will record the water content at the soil surface. It influences the exchange of energy and water between the soil and the atmosphere, and is a parameter that will help to improve weather forecasts and flood predictions. The campaign is part of the Helmholtz Association’s long-term nationwide TERENO project (TERrestrial ENvironmental Observatories), which investigates the long-term ramifications of climate change on a regional level.

29 April 2013 – Jülich’s environmental research infrastructure IAGOS is one of three German large-scale research projects included by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in its national roadmap for research infrastructures today after receiving an excellent evaluation from the German Council of Science and Humanities. According to BMBF, the roadmap will guide policy decisions on long-term research infrastructures – such as extensive experiments, resources or service facilities for large-scale research – on a national and international level. Inclusion in the roadmap means that, in principle, BMBF has agreed to provide funding. On this basis, the project organizers can now make concrete arrangements and establish contact with international partners.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research BMBF included the planned observatory for cosmic gamma rays CTA as one of three large-scale projects into its roadmap for large-scale research infrastructures. “This clears the way to define the open questions concerning contents and funding,” research minister Professor Johanna Wanka pointed out in a letter to Professor Christian Stegmann, head of the DESY institute in Zeuthen, and to Professor Werner Hoffmann, director at the Heidelberg Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics.Protein shaped like a spider2013-04-26T16:26:00+02:002013-04-26T16:26:00+02:00http://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/news_events/news/view/article/complete/protein_shaped_like_a_spider/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

The protein C4BP is similar to a spider in its spatial form with eight “arms”. The structure of the “spider body” has recently been described in detail by researchers from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and the Technische Universität Darmstadt. This leads the scientists to unconventional ideas – the protein is possibly suitable as a scaffold for the transport of active pharmaceutical substances, particularly biomolecules. The researchers are publishing their results in the current edition of the international journal Journal of Molecular Biology.Seal of quality on the anniversary: scientists celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Franco-German Arctic station on Spitsbergen and its inclusion in a new climate data network2013-04-26T08:17:18+02:002013-04-26T08:17:18+02:00http://www.awi.de/en/news/press_releases/detail/item/a_certificate_for_the_anniversary/?cHash=9d41daa16fe783ebef9712052410492dHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

There are two reasons for celebration today at the Franco-German Arctic research station AWIPEV on Spitsbergen: firstly, the scientific community at the world’s northernmost research location marks the 10th year of cooperation between the German Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) and the French Institut Polaire Paul Emile Victor (IPEV). Secondly, the station is today the first meteorological facility in the world to be awarded with the seal of quality of GRUAN, the climate data network, the objective of which is to measure elevation profiles of climate parameters such as temperature, air pressure and air humidity according to uniform worldwide qu

In 1993, during the second German D2 Spacelab Mission, astronaut Hans Schlegel orbited Earth 160 times and conducting numerous international experiments as payload specialist. This was Schlegel's first flight into space.D2 mission 20 years ago – clawed frogs and crystals in microgravity2013-04-25T10:00:00+02:002013-04-25T10:00:00+02:00http://www.dlr.de/dlr/presse/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10172/213_read-6855/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

"Go for Spacelab activities," confirmed NASA Mission Control Center on 26 April 1993 at 18:51 CET. German astronauts Hans Schlegel and Ulrich Walter and their United States colleagues had to wait almost two months until, with this command, the D2 mission could finally begin.American biochemist received this year's Inhoffen Medal2013-04-25T10:00:00+02:002013-04-25T10:00:00+02:00http://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/news_events/news/view/article/complete/american_biochemist_received_this_years_inhoffen_medal/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

HZI and TU honoured Christopher T. Walsh. How do bacteria cope when exposed to toxic mercury, how are they able to outlast antibiotics, and how can they be killed using so-called "suicide inhibitors"? These are but a few of the many research topics US biochemist Christopher Walsh has devoted his career as a scientist to. On Thursday, 25 April, Walsh was& honoured for his achievements in Braunschweig, Germany: The Harvard ...Increased Mortality Rates Associated With Vitamin D Deficiency2013-04-24T16:22:00+02:002013-04-24T16:22:00+02:00http://www.dkfz.de/en/presse/pressemitteilungen/2013/dkfz-pm-13-25-Increased-Mortality-Rates-Associated-With-Vitamin-D-Deficiency.phpHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center and the Epidemiological Cancer Registry of the German state of Saarland have conducted a large study to analyze the link between vitamin D deficiency and mortality. Study participants with low vitamin D levels were more likely to die from respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Overall mortality in this group was increased, too. These findings underpin the need to carefully assess the effectiveness of taking vitamin D supplements as a preventive measure.Coordinating EU and national research and innovation key to unlock growth in Europe2013-04-24T16:00:00+02:002013-04-24T16:00:00+02:00http://www.eera-set.eu/lw_resource/datapool/_items/item_748/press_release-eera-congress2013_final.pdfHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

How do we find ways to better coordinate the use of national and EU research funding? This question has been on the top of the EU’s agenda for research policy in recent years and the financial crisis has only increased the need to make better use of our scarce resources.Sustainable use of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea: coastal researchers provide the basis for future protection of the marine environment.2013-04-24T15:21:48+02:002013-04-24T15:21:48+02:00http://www.hzg.de/cms01/public_relations/press_releases/037768/index_0037768.html.enHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

In the next 3 years coastal researchers will closely examine the processes in the sea floors of the German sectors of the North Sea and Baltic Sea to provide a scientific basis for the implementation of the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The BMBF (Federal Ministry of Education and Research), is funding five collaborative projects which are now commencing their work.Battery and Memory Device in One2013-04-23T11:34:01+02:002013-04-23T11:34:01+02:00http://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/UK/EN/2013/13-04-23batterie.htmlHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Resistive memory cells (ReRAM) are regarded as a promising solution for future generations of computer memories. They will dramatically reduce the energy consumption of modern IT systems while significantly increasing their performance. Unlike the building blocks of conventional hard disk drives and memories, these novel memory cells are not purely passive components but must be regarded as tiny batteries. This has been demonstrated by researchers of Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA), whose findings have now been published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications. The new finding radically revises the current theory and opens up possibilities for further applications.

Monday, April 22, saw the start of the Helmholtz Virtual Institute’s three-day kick-off workshop entitled “New states of matter and their excitations” at the Free University Berlin. The Institute, which is coordinated by the HZB, has as its focus the collective behavior and new phases of matter. At the opening event, Prof. Dr. Brigitta Schütt, the Free University’s VP, said she was thrilled that Dahlem was the workshop location for this important collaboration – which also includes the Dresden-based Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden Technical University, Göttingen University, and Dortmund Technical University. Schütt stressed that the particular strength of Berlin as a research hub was fed by the performance of the region’s scientific institutions and their openness to collaborations.Putin’s promised new building now in operation: AWI permafrost researchers start work in the new research station in the Russian Lena Delta2013-04-23T09:17:02+02:002013-04-23T09:17:02+02:00http://www.awi.de/en/news/press_releases/detail/item/awi_permafrost_scientists_start_work_at_the_new_russian_research_station/?cHash=4f1c157a852397648e3a47cc8b67cefcHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Permafrost experts of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research are currently conducting a multi-week spring expedition to the Lena Delta where they are investigating the interaction between the atmosphere, snow cover and the frozen earth of the tundra. That they are able to live and conduct their research at less than spring temperatures of up to minus 30 degrees Celsius is attributable to the new Russian research station “Samoylov”. The impressive building was erected at the initiative of the Russian head of state Vladimir Putin and for one week has replaced the old German-Russian station from 1998 where scientists were only able to work in the shortMetastasis Stem Cells Discovered in Blood of Breast Cancer Patients2013-04-22T10:15:00+02:002013-04-22T10:15:00+02:00http://www.dkfz.de/en/presse/pressemitteilungen/2013/dkfz-pm-13-24-Metastasis-Stem-Cells-Discovered-in-Blood-of-Breast-Cancer-Patients.phpHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg have been the first to detect cancer cells in the blood of breast cancer patients that can initiate metastasis. These cells show properties of cancer stem cells and are characterized by three surface proteins. Patients with large numbers of these cells in the blood show a rather unfavorable disease progression. The pattern of the three molecules may therefore be used as a biomarker for disease progression. The scientists plan to investigate whether the characteristic surface molecules may be used as targets for specific therapies for patients with advanced breast cancer.

It is a premiere eagerly awaited by scientists and technicians; on 19 April 2013, a Soyuz launcher successfully carried the successor to the long-standing BION series of Russian research satellites into space.Wind parks at sea offering a new home to lobsters? The Land of Lower Saxony promotes a pilot project of researchers on Heligoland2013-04-18T18:33:48+02:002013-04-18T18:33:48+02:00http://www.awi.de/en/news/press_releases/detail/item/offshore_windfarms_a_new_home_for_lobsters/?cHash=bc0602b3fb81cfc20b08fce9d70da739Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

The Land of Lower Saxony is promoting a pilot project on the settlement of the European lobster in the “Riffgat“ offshore windpark with just under EUR 700,000. Researchers of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, are now starting on the rearing of 3,000 lobsters which they will be releasing in 2014. They wish to investigate whether lobsters successfully settle between the wind turbines.Highly prestigious award for leading infection researcher2013-04-18T13:24:00+02:002013-04-18T13:24:00+02:00http://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/news_events/news/view/article/complete/highly_prestigious_award_for_leading_infection_researcher/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Humboldt Professor Emmanuelle Charpentier brings new focus to HZI and MHH. Prof. Emmanuelle Charpentier is one of this year's recipients of the 5 million Euro Humboldt Professorship, one of Germany's most highly coveted research awards. The French microbiologist conducts research at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and teaches at the Hannover Medical School (MHH). Her research focus, regulation in infection biology, will help strengthen Braunschweig-Hannover ...In search of antimatter2013-04-18T11:00:00+02:002013-04-18T11:00:00+02:00http://www.dlr.de/dlr/presse/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10172/213_read-6796/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

The first results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) have been released. This space 'camera' has recorded 20 billion cosmic particles in the first 18 months of operation – yet that is just a small step.Scientists from 13 countries aim at making drinking water safer2013-04-18T09:38:00+02:002013-04-18T09:38:00+02:00http://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/news_events/news/view/article/complete/scientists_from_13_countries_aim_at_making_drinking_water_safer/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

EU-Project "Aquavalens" with HZI participation starts today. Access to clean drinking water is a human right. Making water usage in the EU safer, is the aim of& "Aquavalens", a project supported with 9 million Euro from the European Commission. The project is led by the University of East Anglia (UK), activities in the field of& microbiology are accounted for by Manfred Höfle, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research. Read ...Atlantic cod in for even more stress? Marine biologists launch a new research project on the impact of climate change on the popular commercial fish2013-04-17T08:15:58+02:002013-04-17T08:15:58+02:00http://www.awi.de/en/news/press_releases/detail/item/more_stress_for_atlantic_cod/?cHash=3abe2a75edc16d49b9350fa279e45bd4Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Researchers have known for some years that the Atlantic cod beats the retreat in the direction of the Arctic when the waters in its traditional habitat become too warm. In summer, shoals from the Atlantic Ocean, for example, are now moving up as far as Spitsbergen into the waters the Arctic cod calls its own. In the next two and a half years, biologists from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, together with scientists from Kiel, Bremen, Düsseldorf and Münster, will be seeking to discover the consequences of this climate-related migration on the stocks of these two commercial fish species, how the fish are responding to the water becoming warmer and

DESY and the University of Hamburg have jointly inaugurated the Wolfgang Pauli Centre (WPC) for theoretical physics on Wednesday in Hamburg. The centre will promote and expand the joint research activities. “Hamburg is a beacon of theoretical physics with international radiance,” emphasised the chairman of DESY´s board of directors, Prof. Helmut Dosch. “With the Wolfgang Pauli Centre we're extending this fruitful cooperation.”New Membrane Process: Geesthacht Researchers provide the desired polymer2013-04-17T00:00:00+02:002013-04-17T00:00:00+02:00http://www.hzg.de/public_relations/press_releases/037729/index_0037729.html.enHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Dr. Sofia Rangou, polymer scientist in Geesthacht, has succeeded in synthesizing the required starting product for a new process which has been developed by the University of Yale (USA) for the production of ultrathin membrane films from block copolymers. The highly-respected journal ACS-Nano recently published these results, which were achieved in cooperation with the University of Ioannina, Greece.New sea ice portal provides daily updated ice charts of the Arctic and Antarctic2013-04-16T16:15:00+02:002013-04-16T16:15:00+02:00http://www.awi.de/en/news/press_releases/detail/item/new_sea_ice_website/?cHash=e6c17c9496b42acf13dad864dadb7d58Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

During the 3rd REKLIM science workshop in Bad Honnef, scientists from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, today present the new German internet platform www.meereisportal.de which they have developed together with colleagues from the University of Bremen. As a German-language web platform, the portal offers daily updated sea ice charts of the Arctic and Antarctic in addition to a wealth of background information on the subject of sea ice.Disaster relief – DLR to chair the International Charter 'Space and Major Disasters'2013-04-16T12:10:00+02:002013-04-16T12:10:00+02:00http://www.dlr.de/dlr/presse/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10172/213_read-6780/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Bureaucracy-free assistance in the event of an emergency – this is the aim of the 15 space agencies united within the International Charter 'Space and Major Disasters'.

Bureaucracy-free assistance in the event of an emergency – this is the aim of the 15 space agencies united within the International Charter 'Space and Major Disasters'.Tracking Down Tyre Grip2013-04-16T10:15:00+02:002013-04-16T10:15:00+02:00http://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/UK/EN/2013/13-04-16Reifenhaftung.htmlHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Jülich, 16 April 2013 – Tyres aren't just a great unknown in Formula One racing. Rubber is a material with complex properties and this is particularly true of the composition of modern car tyres. How well they grip the road surface depends on various factors. In experiments, scientists at Jülich have shown that at low speeds the actual contact area is decisive. At higher speeds, however, the viscoelasticity of the rubber is the most important factor. They report on their findings in the Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter.

Many fundamental processes in nature, including certain chemical and biological reactions, occur on very small timescales. Researchers have been dreaming of the opportunity to film these fast processes in real time and to understand their underlying principles. X-ray free-electron lasers (FEL), with their intense light bundled into femtosecond pulses, hold promise for enabling breakthroughs in the ultrafast sciences. One femtosecond is one-thousandth of a trillionth of a second, or 0.000 000 000 000 001 seconds. Using DESY's pioneering FEL FLASH, a German-Polish research team has developed a novel pulse duration monitor, which allows the measurement of FEL pulses while simultaneously performing ultrafast experiments. The scientists reported their method in the journal "Nature Communications".Felix Burda Awards for Commitment to Colorectal Cancer Screening Presented to Researchers from DKFZ and NCT2013-04-15T16:47:00+02:002013-04-15T16:47:00+02:00http://www.dkfz.de/en/presse/pressemitteilungen/2013/dkfz-pm-13-23c-Felix-Burda-Awards-for-Commitment-to-Colorectal-Cancer-Screening-Presented-to-Researchers-from-DKFZ-and-NCT.phpHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

On Sunday, April 14, the Felix Burda Awards were presented for the eleventh time. The award in the category “Medicine and Science” went to Dr. Christian Stock, Dr. Michael Hoffmeister and Professor Hermann Brenner of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). The award in the new category “Best Prevention Idea” was given to Cornelia Ulrich, Dr. Ulrike Bussas and Clare Abbenhardt of the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg. This year, there had been fifty-seven submissions for the awards presented in five categories.A Sharper Image with Combined PET/MR Technology2013-04-15T13:09:00+02:002013-04-15T13:09:00+02:00http://www.dkfz.de/en/presse/pressemitteilungen/2013/dkfz-pm-13-23-A-Sharper-Image-with-Combined-PET-MR-Technology.phpHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

The German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) is sending a promising duo into the race against cancer: A new PET/MR system that can combine high-resolution images with functional information to improve cancer diagnosis. The instrument also supports clinicians in choosing the best options for treatments and monitoring their progress.Special technique at PETRA III propels memory technology2013-04-15T00:00:00+02:002013-04-15T00:00:00+02:00http://www.desy.de/news/@@news-view?id=5001&lang=engHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Scientists have developed an in-operando Hard X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (HAXPES) at PETRA III as key diagnostics for transferring basic materials research insights to redox-based resistive switching memory (ReRAM) prototyping development in the field of wireless sensor network applications.TEXUS 50 – Anniversary for Germany's sounding rocket programme2013-04-12T08:00:00+02:002013-04-12T08:00:00+02:00http://www.dlr.de/dlr/presse/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10172/213_read-6722/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

It is the world's longest running rocket programme for conducting research in microgravity, and today it is celebrating an anniversary. Around 35 years after the launch of the first TEXUS mission in December 1977, the 50th TEXUS rocket was successfully launched into space from the Esrange Space Center near Kiruna in northern Sweden on 12 April 2013 at 06:25 CEST.Gene inhibition helps to improve liver regeneration2013-04-11T18:00:00+02:002013-04-11T18:00:00+02:00http://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/news_events/news/view/article/complete/gene_inhibition_helps_to_improve_liver_regeneration/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Researchers optimise process of hepatic self-renewal in mice. By blocking a certain gene, the liver"s capacity for self-renewal can be increased considerably. Scientists at Tübingen University Hospital, the Hannover Medical School (MHH), and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig have recently shown this in mice. The results of their work have now been published in the renowned scientific journal Cell; the scientists are anticipating ...American biochemist to receive this year's Inhoffen Medal2013-04-11T10:00:00+02:002013-04-11T10:00:00+02:00http://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/news_events/news/view/article/complete/american_biochemist_to_receive_this_years_inhoffen_medal/Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

How do bacteria cope when exposed to toxic mercury, how are they able to outlast antibiotics, and how can they be killed using so-called "suicide inhibitors?" These are but a few of the many research topics US biochemist Christopher Walsh has devoted his career as a scientist to. On Thursday, 25 April, Walsh will be honoured for his achievements in Braunschweig, Germany: The Harvard professor will receive the 5 000 Euro Inhoffen Medal, the single most renowned German award in the field of natural compound chemistry.

Not all liquids are mixable. An international team of researchers have investigated chemical processes with atomic resolution at the interface between two such liquids and have made an exciting discovery. During an experiment carried out at DESY, they observed the formation of an ordered crystal of exactly five atomic layers between the two liquids, which acts as a foundation for growing even bigger crystals. The experiment was performed in cooperation with scientists from Kiel University (CAU), Israel, the USA, and DESY. The results have just been published in the renowned scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. They may result in new semiconductor and nano-particle production processes.Immunotherapies against cancer: German Cancer Research Center to broaden strategic alliance with Bayer HealthCare2013-04-10T17:00:00+02:002013-04-10T17:00:00+02:00http://www.dkfz.de/en/presse/pressemitteilungen/2013/dkfz-pm-13-22-German-Cancer-Research-Center-to-broaden-strategic-alliance-with-Bayer-HealthCare.phpHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Bayer HealthCare (Bayer) will extend their successful strategic research alliance in search of novel cancer therapeutics by focusing their activities also on the field of immunotherapy. Immunotherapies are promising to treat cancer by selectively reactivating the body's own immune system to attack tumor cells.Forschungszentrum Jülich Hosts German-Russian Government Negotiations on Research2013-04-10T16:18:16+02:002013-04-10T16:18:16+02:00http://www.fz-juelich.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/UK/EN/2013/13-04-10wtz.htmlHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Jülich, 10 April 2013 – A two-day meeting at Forschungszentrum Jülich was concerned with intensifying cooperation between Russia and Germany in the field of research policy. Professor Sebastian M. Schmidt, member of the Board of Directors of Forschungszentrum Jülich, welcomed the delegations to Jülich.The surprising ability of blood stem cells to respond to emergencies2013-04-10T02:00:00+02:002013-04-10T02:00:00+02:00https://www.mdc-berlin.de/40765219/en/news/2013/20130410-the_surprising_ability_of_blood_stem_cellsHelmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

A research team of Inserm, CNRS and the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch lead by Dr. Michael Sieweke of the Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille Luminy (CIML, CNRS*, INSERM**, Aix Marseille Université) and MDC, today revealed an unexpected role for hematopoietic stem cells: they do not merely ensure the continuous renewal of our blood cells; in emergencies they are capable of producing white blood cells “on demand” that help the body deal with inflammation or infection. This property could be used to protect against infections in patients undergoing bone marrow transplants, while their immune system reconstitutes itself (Nature, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature12026)***.

The craft of glassmaking extends way back in time. It was over five-thousand years ago when mankind learned how to make glass. Even prior to this discovery, humans had been using naturally occurring glass for tool making. Despite this long and rich history and widespread use of glass, surprisingly little is known about the interplay between the mechanical properties of glasses and their inner structures. For the first time, researchers from Amsterdam University (The Netherlands) and DESY have now monitored subtle structural changes in a glass made from microscopic silica spheres, which they exposed to shear stress. Using a unique experimental setup at DESY’s PETRA III X-ray source, the scientists discovered coexisting structural states in the glass and related them to its flow behavior. The research was published in the journal "Scientific Reports".Sharper view of the Southern Ocean: New chart shows the entire topography of the Antarctic seafloor in detail for the first time2013-04-09T09:12:57+02:002013-04-09T09:12:57+02:00http://www.awi.de/en/news/press_releases/detail/item/a_sharper_look_into_the_southern_ocean/?cHash=536e9bb875529464fe41edaa557ed115Helmholtz-Gemeinschaftonline@helmholtz.de© Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

Reliable information on the depth and floor structure of the Southern Ocean has so far been available for only few coastal regions of the Antarctic. An international team of scientists under the leadership of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, has for the first time succeeded in creating a digital map of the entire Antarctic seafloor. The International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean (IBCSO) for the first time shows the detailed topography of the seafloor for the entire area south of 60°S. An article presented to the scientific world by IBCSO has now appeared online in the scientific journal Geophysical Research Letters. The IBCSO data grid

The search for new antibiotics: Tiny proteins prevent bacterial gene transcription. In the search for new antibiotics, researchers are taking an unusual approach: They are developing peptides, short chains of protein building blocks that effectively inhibit a key enzyme of bacterial metabolism. Now, scientists at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) in Saarbrücken, a branch of the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI), have published ...