The Writing On the Genes and the Tumor’s Power Grid

This year's Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prizes was awarded at Frankfurt's Paulskirche

17-Mar-2026 - For their discovery of genomic imprinting, developmental biologists Davor Solter and Azim Suranireceived the 2026 Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize, endowed with €120,000,at Frankfurt's Paulskirche. They discovered that we inherit some genes only in one active copy, determined by a ...

AI-supported molecular cancer diagnosis for brain tumors

15-Dec-2025 - Researchers at the Hopp Children's Tumor Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the Heidelberg Medical Faculty (MFHD) of Heidelberg University and Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) have taken a decisive step towards more precise diagnosis of brain tumors. The ...

Pioneers of epigenetics receive the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize 2026

The prizewinners' discovery shook the foundations of classical genetics and opened the door to the vast field of modern epigenetics

17-Sep-2025 - Developmental biologists Davor Solter and Azim Surani will receive the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize 2026, the Scientific Council of the Paul Ehrlich Foundation announced. The prizewinners discovered the phenomenon of genomic imprinting. In mammals, this means that the genetic ...

‘Jumping Genes’ Support Immune Cells in Tissue

Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT) describe a new type of regulation of immune cells by so-called 'jumping genes'

29-Jul-2024 - The immune system defends the body against invading bacteria and viruses, as well as the spread of tumor cells. Unfortunately, the necessary immune response of the body causes unwanted damage that the body must heal. After combating these dangers, the immune system needs to be dampened again, ...

Brain-heart axis: strokes change epigenetics of immune system

Heart condition because of stroke? A new study discovers why this can happen – and how we can counter it in future

24-Jul-2024 - A stroke not only causes acute damage to the brain, but can also have long-term health implications for other organs – such as the heart. “However, there has been little research to date on the effects of brain injuries on systemic immunity,” says Professor Arthur Liesz from the Institute for ...

Father's Diet Before Conception Influences Children's Health

Father's body weight influences the weight of the children and their susceptibility to metabolic diseases

07-Jun-2024 - A recent study conducted by Helmholtz Munich and the German Center for Diabetes Research provides new insights into how fathers' diets and overweight can affect their children's health even before conception. The findings of the study can help develop preventive health measures for men wishing to ...

Epigenetic "profiling" identifies potential targets for treatment of COPD

Scientists have established a detailed epigenetic profile of COPD fibroblasts, identifying potential targets for COPD treatment

30-May-2023 - About 600 million people worldwide are affected by COPD. The disease is characterized by chronic inflammation, progressive narrowing of the airways and destruction of the alveoli. Despite the worldwide prevalence of the condition, it is not yet known what molecular mechanisms underlie the ...

A building block for liver fitness in old age

Researchers discover cellular protection against epigenetic changes

14-Sep-2022 - The liver can regenerate even in old age and remains surprisingly fit, even though the chromatin in its cells undergoes major remodeling due to epigenetic changes, as researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Cologne have now discovered. One possible reason why the ...

How environmental influences could keep the brain young

02-Jul-2021 - Stimulating life circumstances keep the "hippocampus" - the control center of memory located in the brain - young, so to speak. This is due to molecular mechanisms that affect gene control. These current findings from studies on mice provide clues as to why an active, varied life can help to ...

Does the brain accumulate trauma?

Molecular similarities in mice and humans exposed to trauma

05-Sep-2019 - Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental illness that can develop after experiencing a traumatic event. Greater awareness of PTSD emerged when large numbers of soldiers returning from the Iraq war reported symptoms. Other traumatic events such as experiencing childhood or sexual abuse, a ...