Videos
In our daily lives, we take our muscles for granted. However, the mechanism behind muscle wasting caused by genetic or age-related diseases remains unclear, and there are no treatments available. Simone Spuler and her team are turning to stem cells and the CRISPR gene-editing tool to protect people with genetic conditions from the deterioration of their muscle tissue – or even to repair it. Spuler combines her work in clinical practice, the laboratory and a start-up to enable the development of initial therapeutic approaches for diseases previously considered incurable. Prof. Dr Simone Spuler is an expert in hereditary muscle diseases at the Experimental and Clinical Research Centre (ECRC), a joint institution of Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Delbrück Centre. She has conducted research at renowned institutes in Germany and the USA. In 2023, she received the UNIPRENEURS award from the Federal Ministry of Research for founding MyoPax GmbH, a start-up specialising in regenerative therapies.
Why, actually, do we humans no longer have a tail? An analysis of the human genome concluded that it is highly likely a gene mutation brought about this change. It is believed that apes also underwent a similar mutation. This discovery is the result of curiosity combined with open-ended research, known as ‘night science’. Geneticist Itai Yanai highlights how artificial intelligence could revolutionise this ‘night science’, for example in cancer research or the study of embryonic development. Itai Yanai is a professor at the Institute for Systems Genetics, Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine. Language: English
Das kleine Protein Ubiquitin ist bedeutend im Abbau von Zellmüll. Der Biochemiker Aaron Ciechanover entdeckte, wie Zellen mit seiner Hilfe die Entsorgung von Abfallprodukten regeln. Dieser Prozess ist wichtig bei der Entstehung von schweren Erkrankungen wie beispielsweise Krebs und Störungen des Immunsystems. Hier bietet sich die Chance, neue personalisierte Arzneimittel zu entwickeln, die auf individuellen DNA-Profilen der PatientInnen basieren. Dieser medizinische Fortschritt wirft aber auch bioethische Fragen auf. Der Nobelpreisträger erörtert auf fesselnde Weise die Dimensionen und Risiken von maßgeschneiderter Medizin und berichtet vom Erfolg neuer Therapien. Aaron Ciechanover, in Haifa geboren, ist Professor für Medizin am Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Er ist Mitglied zahlreicher wissenschaftlicher Institutionen. Für die Entdeckung des Ubiquitin-gesteuerten Proteinabbaus erhielt er 2004 den Nobelpreis für Chemie. Sprache: Englisch
