News

As an adviser to the Helmholtz president, Christian Panetzky gained deep insights into research policy and global scientific collaboration. Now, as Sustainability Officer at the Max Delbrück Center, he focuses on enhancing sustainability in research. Here he presents his food for thought.*

Researchers in Berlin and Düsseldorf have implicated a new gene in the progression of Huntington’s disease in a brain organoid model. The gene may contribute to brain abnormalities much earlier than previously thought. The study was published in “Nature Communications.”

The Max Delbrück Center is inviting teachers from all over Germany to visit its laboratories virtually. From September 2024 to July 2025, nine courses on current and curriculum-relevant topics in biomedicine will be offered. The online courses are recognized as professional development in eight of Germany’s federal states.

The German Stem Cell Network (GSCN) recognizes Mina Gouti as an outstanding stem cell researchers on her way to expanding basic research and opening up new avenues for therapeutic options. She receives the GSCN 2024 Hilde Mangold Award for her pioneering work on human neuromuscular organoids.

The Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, and the biotech company AlgenScribe from Nice have agreed to cooperate to further develop their gene-editing tools. The aim is to utilize synergies, accelerate research, and ultimately develop cell therapies for genetically determined diseases.

Gabriele Schiattarella researches the mechanisms of heart muscle weakness at the Max Delbrück Center and Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité (DHZC). Now the International Society for Heart Research, a highly respected professional society, has named him an "Outstanding Investigator."

For some researchers, a career in industry would never be an option. Others appreciate the practical relevancy of working at a company. Postdocs at the Max Delbrück Center can find out which path is right for them through the “Academy meets Industry” program.

Children from the Elisabethstift and the Berliner Herz children's hospice got a taste of research during a visit to the Life Science Learning Lab. This opportunity was made possible by a fundraising campaign at the Max Delbrück Center, initiated by two employees and the Association of Friends.

Christian Panetzky is the sustainability coordinator at the Max Delbrück Center. He helps to make laboratories eco-friendly and discusses the integration of sustainability with cutting-edge research. The book he recommends inspires confidence in times of crisis.

A team in the Hübner and Diecke Labs at the Max Delbrück Center have shown how human and non-human primate hearts differ genetically. The study, published in “Nature Cardiovascular Research,” reveals evolutionary adaptations in human hearts and provides new insights into cardiac disease.