News

Cancer cells are capable of escaping chemotherapy and radiotherapy by activating a signaling pathway that prevents them from dying. Researchers led by Claus Scheidereit at the Max Delbrück Center have now described in Cell Chemical Biology two new compounds that block this escape route.

An MDC research team has discovered surprising new properties in fluconazole, a long approved fungal drug. The substance helps to draw water from urine. The researchers found this in rodents. The fungicide could help patients with rare genetic diseases in whom the water transport of the kidneys is impaired. Nevertheless, the path to therapy is not easy.

Opioids are both a curse and a blessing. They can relieve people of pain, but they often come with severe side effects – including dependency. Researchers at the Max Delbrück Center have now investigated the signaling pathways that produce both the desired effects and undesired side effects in the brain.