News

From bioprinted tissues to programmable immune cells, leading experts gathered at the Max Delbrück Center’s Bioengineering Symposium on July 6, 2026, to explore how biology, engineering, and artificial intelligence are converging to shape the next generation of medical innovations.

Researchers in the lab of James Poulet have uncovered how the nervous system senses cool and warm temperatures. The findings, published in “Neuron” challenge a long-standing view of temperature sensing and could guide future research into pain and sensory disorders.

Transforming the loud knocking sounds of MRI scanners into techno music to make the procedure more pleasant is the goal of artist Johanna Barnbeck’s and Max Delbrück Center’s Thoralf Niendorf’s science communication project, which is being funded by the Stiftung Charité with approximately €100,000.

Reporting in “Nature,” a team led by Gary Lewin at the Max Delbrück Center has found that naked mole-rat queens produce an odorous chemical that ensures that only they can reproduce. The queen odor also prevents rivalry within colonies — even when the queen is not physically present.

Researchers in the Mina Gouti lab show in “Advanced Science” that electrical pulse stimulation helps human neuromuscular organoids mature. This non-invasive approach may make it possible to use organoid models to study adult-onset diseases and to gain a better understanding of how tissues mature.

Humboldt Research Award winner and biochemist Filip Van Petegem will spend six months as a guest researcher in Misha Kudryashev’s lab. An expert in ion channels, he will study them inside intact cells using advanced cryo-electron tomography.

A quiz hosted by the Finance Department, a behind-the-scenes tour of the biobank, and a relaxed lunch on the lawn — Summer Science Day 2026 offered something for everyone. The event brought together employees from across the Max Delbrück Center and offered inspiring glimpses of the center's future.

Oxalic acid might do more than just contribute to the formation of kidney stones — it may also be an underappreciated driver of inflammation and heart damage in people with impaired kidney function. Researchers from Berlin and Würzburg report their findings in “Cardiovascular Research.”

Researchers led by Ana Pombo have found that just one exposure to the drug can create changes in mouse brain cells that persist for at least two weeks. Their findings were presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies Forum on July 7, 2026.

Altuna Akalin has been appointed a professorship at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The position will enable closer collaboration with clinicians and faster application of bioinformatics in clinical care.