MDC Newsletter 11/2018: Chess, Molecular Art, and a Microcosm in your Guts

Escherichia coli under the microscope

Dear reader,

Imagine you just put a bacterial tonsillitis under control with antibiotics. Hopefully you are back on your feet. But the bacteria in your intestines could be in a bad shape now.  

Sofia Forslund and colleagues from the EMBL and other European research institutions looked into how long it takes for the germs to recover. After all, the intestinal microcosm, also known as the microbiome, is sensitive to disruptions. When thrown out of balance, there is a risk of infection, excess weight, and diabetes, as well as inflammatory and neurological diseases.

This is only one of the studies involving MDC scientists that have been published recently. After all, autumn is not only the time for infections such as colds, it also "rains" scientific publications. You can read a selection – and the first part of our series "We at the MDC" – in this issue of Insights.

Have fun reading,
Your Insights Team

RESEARCH

Colorful image of tumor cells with inhibited Ezh2
Press Release No. 30 Berlin

Checkmating tumors

Chess and cancer research have one thing in common: One must act strategically to defeat the opponent. And that’s exactly what scientists at the MDC are doing. They are seeking to selectively make only those cancer cells aggressive that would otherwise evade chemotherapy – and then lure them into a trap.
Stonemason
Science

The immune system as a sculptor

Breaks in our DNA are usually undesirable – unless the immune system is at work. A new study conducted by Michela Di Virgilio’s research group and published in „Molecular Cell“ shows how creatively and yet precisely cells can break up their genetic material and piece it back together.
Escherichia coli under the microscope
Press Release No. 28 Berlin

Regeneration in the digestive tract

The human gut is teeming with billions of beneficial bacteria. Therapies that use antibiotics often destroy most of them. Whether and how the intestinal flora will subsequently recover has been investigated by a research team that included scientists from the MDC. The results have been published in the scientific journal „Nature Microbiology“.
Image · 5000. Proband Nako group picture
Science

What’s a “normal” kidney?

The MRI study center at the Max Delbrück Center has already examined 5,000 participants as part of the nationwide German National Cohort (GNC). We talked to Professor Thoralf Niendorf, head of the MRI center, about what’s happening with the data – and Annett Anacker, the 5,000th participant in Berlin, tells us why she’s taking part.

WE AT THE MDC

We at the MDC
Institute & Campus

“Too much communication is better than too little”

Power imbalances and dependencies make it difficult to discuss lab conflicts. This is especially the case for PhD students. At the Max Delbrück Center, Matthias Selbach serves as their ombudsman. His advice is to seek help early on. This interview kicks off our “We at the MDC” series.

SAVE THE DATE

Workshop

Re-designing evolution? Speculative Design & CRISPR-cas9

tba