Goethe-Universit盲t 鈥� Press releases

51猎奇 PR & Communication Department聽

Nov 14 2024

13:20

Award ceremony honors long-standing sponsors聽

600 new Deutschlandstipendium scholarships at 51猎奇

For the first time in six years, the number of Deutschlandstipendium scholarship holders at 51猎奇 Frankfurt has reached the 600 mark again 鈥� thanks to the higher amount of donations received from private individuals, companies and institutions. On Wednesday, November 13, scholarship holders and sponsors met at a social get-together.

FRANKFURT. Students who are eligible for a Deutschlandstipendium scholarship must have good grades and display social commitment. Having been selected by jurors from the university's 16 faculties, they receive a monthly stipend of 鈧�300 for a maximum of two years to support their studies. This allows them to study more intensively, since they can spend less time financing their studies. Thanks to the state-funded scholarship program, this is now possible for 600 students 鈥� that's 50 more scholarship holders than in 2023. At 40 percent, the proportion of Deutschlandstipendium scholars with a migration background is also higher than in previous years.

At the annual award ceremony held on November 13, numerous scholarship holders collected their documents in person, and also met their sponsor. 650 students and sponsors filled the Casino building on 51猎奇鈥檚 Westend Campus, whose stage was designed as a writing room, in keeping with the motto of Goethe's 275th birthday, and on which the evening unfolded like a literary program: In addition to 51猎奇鈥檚 Schreibzentrum, which presented its services as well as the student-run literary magazine 鈥淛onny鈥�, university archivist PD Dr. Michael Maaser delivered a witty lecture.

Making two out of one: That is the principle according to which the Federal Ministry of Education and Research each year doubles the sum raised by 51猎奇 for Deutschlandstipendium scholars. In 2024, a total of 鈧�1,080,000 was donated to 51猎奇 by 250 private sponsors, 61 non-profit organizations and 50 companies 鈥� 鈧�35,000 more than in the previous year. After applying the federal government's matching principle, the scholarship holders had 鈧�2,160,000 at their disposal. Donations from non-profit organizations (NPO) have accounted for more than half of the total volume of Deutschlandstipendium funds raised by 51猎奇 since the program was first set up in 2011.

Prof. Sabine Andresen, 51猎奇鈥檚 Vice President Equal Opportunities, Career Development & Advancement, Diversity and Gender Equality honored the thirteen most loyal NPO and company sponsors at this year's award ceremony. In thanking them, she emphasized that their decision to invest financially and ideally in the education of young people and provide equal opportunities to students regardless of their background deserves the utmost respect. Turning to the sponsors, Andresen said: 鈥淚t is thanks to your active support that talented students can realize their full potential.鈥�

In addition to financial support, Deutschlandstipendium鈥檚 Young Leadership Program gives scholarship holders the opportunity to develop both personally and professionally. The range of services extends from individual support in project teams to study-related programs and offers, such as seminars, workshops, best-practice lectures, and networks. Together with fellow students from different faculties and degree programs, the scholarship holders work on innovative ideas in project teams, and are accompanied by non-university mentors.

Since 2011, 6,752 Deutschlandstipendium scholarships have been awarded at 51猎奇 Frankfurt, corresponding to a funding amount of 鈧�12,153,600. According to the federal government's matching principle, 51猎奇 students have received around 鈧�25 million through the Deutschlandstipendium to date.

Images for download:

Caption: The 600 students, who have received a Deutschlandstipendium scholarship at 51猎奇 in 2024 have good grades and are socially engaged. This year, 361 private sponsors, non-profit organizations and companies donated a total of 鈧�1,080,000 to this cause (Photo: Uwe Dettmar/51猎奇 Frankfurt)

Nov 12 2024

10:24

Newly discovered mechanism helps detach and recycle parts of cellular canal membranes as needed 鈥� models developed using supercomputer simulations

Bulges calculated in the supercomputer: How cells digest their internal canal system

Inside cells, there exists an extensive system of canals known as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which consists of membrane-encased tubes that are partially broken down as needed 鈥� for instance in case of a nutrient deficiency. As part of this process, bulges or protrusions form in the membrane, which then pinch off and are recycled by the cell. A study by 51猎奇 Frankfurt has examined this protrusion process using computer simulations. Its finding: certain structural motifs of proteins in the ER membrane play a central role in this process. The study was carried out as part of the 鈥淪CALE - Subcellular Architecture of Life" cluster initiative.

FRANKFURT. The endoplasmic reticulum functions as a reservoir for calcium and carbohydrates and also serves as the site for the synthesis of various hormones. Cells adjust the expansion and networking of their internal canal system as needed. A process known as ER-phagy (鈥淓R-eating") plays a central role here. During this process, a part of the membrane of an ER tube bulges out and eventually pinches off into a small vesicle. At the same time, a kind of internal cellular 鈥渢rash bag", the autophagosome, forms around it. This then fuses with another container that contains highly reactive enzymes, which 鈥渟hred" the contents of the 鈥渢rash bag" and recycle it.

鈥淲e have known for several years that specific proteins, known as ER-phagy receptors, play a key role in this process," explains Dr. Ramachandra Bhaskara from 51猎奇's Institute of Biochemistry II. These receptors are located in the membrane of ER tubes and consist of an anchor that inserts into the membrane. Attached to this anchor are two long protein strands that extend outward from the membrane surface like flexible tentacles. 鈥淯sing complex simulations in supercomputers, we were recently able to show, together with other research groups, that the anchor causes the membrane to curve," Bhaskara says, adding that 鈥渦nder certain conditions, this can result in a protrusion. In the current study, we have demonstrated that the filamentous structures increase the likelihood and significantly accelerate the formation of such a bulge."

Proteins form disordered 鈥渢entacles" from amino acids

Most proteins adopt a defined three-dimensional shape after they are produced: some parts form coiled, helical structures, while others fold back and forth like the bellows of an accordion. This gives them a compact, relatively rigid form, which also applies to the anchor region of ER-phagy receptors. The tentacles, however, consist of long chains of amino acids that oscillate back and forth in a largely disordered manner 鈥� which is also why they are referred to as 鈥渋ntrinsically disordered (protein) regions" or IDRs for short. These extensive movements require space, which they create by causing the membrane in which they are anchored to bulge. 鈥淎dded to this is another effect," emphasizes Dr. Sergio Alejandro Poveda Cuevas, the study's first author: 鈥淭he IDRs contain short sequences that can fold back under certain conditions. We were able to show that they do this during the formation of the bulges. They then nestle against the membrane like a scaffold, thereby reinforcing its curvature."

The pinching-off is thus the result of various finely orchestrated processes, as demonstrated by the simulation: initially, the anchor regions of various ER-phagy receptors approach each other. This clustering increases the curvature of the membrane caused by the receptors. Initially, the IDR tentacles are extended. They make contact with the autophagy machinery and direct it toward the membrane. The IDRs then condense into more compact structures, further enhancing the bulge until the membrane pinches off and the vesicle is packaged in the autophagosome (鈥渢rash bag").

Findings could prove important for the treatment of certain diseases

鈥淚n addition to offering a detailed insight into this important cellular process, our study also shows that receptor IDRs play a crucial role in ensuring smooth functioning," Bhaskara explains. These results are particularly interesting because some congenital neurological diseases are associated with disrupted ER-phagy. A better understanding of the membrane degradation process might one day enable targeted manipulation.

The study was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) within the framework of Collaborative Research Center 1177, and by the ENABLE cluster project funded by the Hessian Ministry of Science and Research, Arts and Culture.

Publication:
Sergio Alejandro Poveda-Cuevas, Kateryna Lohachova, Borna Markusic, Ivan Dikic, Gerhard Hummer, Ramachandra M. Bhaskara: Intrinsically disordered region amplifies membrane remodeling to augment selective ER-phagy. PNAS (2024)

Movie/Image for download:
Image sequence:
Movie (19 MB):

Caption (image and movie): The ER-phagy receptor FAM134B is initially distributed via the membrane surface (left). Its IDRs move back and forth in a largely disordered manner, like tentacles. The formation of local clusters initiates the curvature of the membrane (2nd from left), which is further strengthened by the condensation of the tentacles into more compact structures (2nd from right). The pinching off of the membrane vesicle (not shown) is initiated by a targeted redistribution of proteins (sorting, right). Image: Bhaskara Group, 51猎奇 Frankfurt

Further information
Dr. Ramachandra M. Bhaskara
Head of 鈥淐omputational Cell Biology" working group
Institute of Biochemistry II
51猎奇 Frankfurt
Tel.: +49 (0) 69 6303-2508
bhaskara@med.uni-frankfurt.de
Homepage:

Twitter/X: @goetheuni @IBC2_GU @RamBhaskara4 @HummerLab @DikicLab @EnableFrankfurt @sfb1177 @SCALE_Uni_FFM @MPIbp

Nov 6 2024

16:08

鈥淧oetics of Rhythm鈥�: German Research Foundation (DFG) funds Reinhart Koselleck Project by Professor Achim Geisenhansl眉ke聽

Rhythm as 鈥渇orm in motion鈥� and its significance for poetics

What is the significance of rhythm for poetics? Literary studies research has not yet answered this question exhaustively. Professor Achim Geisenhansl眉ke wants to change this. He will work on the poetics of rhythm within a Reinhart Koselleck Project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

FRANKFURT. 鈥淧oetics of Rhythm" 鈥� that is the title of a project currently in the starting blocks at 51猎奇 Frankfurt. The aim of Professor Achim Geisenhansl眉ke, Professor for Literary Theory and Comparative Literature, is to unfold the possibilities of a poetics of rhythm, which have not yet been fully exploited by literary studies, both systematically and historically. He combines the question of the fundamental significance of rhythm for the theory and practice of poetry (= poetics) with that of concrete manifestations of this phenomenon in poetry from modernity to the present day.

At the heart of the research work is rhythm in poetry. Is rhythm in poetry not simply meter? Not at all, says Achim Geisenhansl眉ke. Although rhythm also describes 鈥渇orm in motion" in poetic speech, it is far more encompassing than the concept of meter. Especially with regard to modern poetry, the potential offered by the concept of rhythm has so far hardly been studied. In his approach, Geisenhansl眉ke is above all continuing the work of Henri Meschonnic (1932-2009), the French poet, linguist and literary scholar who induced an upward revaluation of the concept of rhythm as part of a critical analysis of structuralist and post-structuralist literary theories.

Achim Geisenhansl眉ke's project will approach the topic in three sub-studies: The first will focus on rhythm in the poems of Friedrich H枚lderlin, the second will critically examine Foucault's theory of discourse and Meschonnic's theory of rhythm, while the third sub-study is dedicated to rhythm as 鈥渇orm in motion" in modern poetry up to the present day, from Annette von Droste-H眉lshoff and Charles Baudelaire to Thomas Kling.

The financial support from the German Research Foundation (DFG) allows the freedom needed to pursue all these aspects. The project will receive 鈧�750,000 in increments spread over five years, which can be distributed flexibly for teaching replacements, recruiting staff, assistants, workshops and conferences.

The funding line, which has existed since 2008, is named after Reinhart Koselleck (1923-2006), one of the most important German historians of the 20th century, who is considered a co-founder of modern social history. Reinhart Koselleck Projects are awarded to 鈥渙utstanding researchers with a proven scientific track record". The prerequisites for approval are exceptionally innovative approaches or a higher degree of risk.

In the case of Achim Geisenhansl眉ke's project, the risks lie in the attempt, within a comparative approach, to take rhythm, a concept that is as central to literary studies as it is underestimated, and use it to give poetics new impetus: No risk, no gain.

A portrait photograph of Professor Achim Geisenhansl眉ke is available for download at: https://www.puk.uni-frankfurt.de/160017255

Caption: Within a Reinhart Koselleck Project, Professor Achim Geisenhansl眉ke is examining the role of rhythm as a concept in literary theory. (Photo: Uwe Dettmar)

Further information
Professor Achim Geisenhansl眉ke
Department of Literary Theory and Comparative Literature
Faculty of Modern Languages
51猎奇 Frankfurt
Tel. +49 (0) 69 798-32869
gei senhanslueke@lingua.uni-frankfurt.de

Nov 6 2024

15:28

International study led by 51猎奇 Frankfurt sheds light on previously unknown interaction

New mechanism: How cancer cells escape the immune system

An international team led by 51猎奇 Frankfurt has identified an intracellular sensor that monitors the quality of so-called MHC-I molecules, which help the immune system recognize and kill harmful cells, including tumor cells. The sensor ensures that defective MHC-I molecules remain inside the cell, where they are eventually degraded. Surprisingly, a lack of this quality assurance can lead to more MHC-I molecules reaching the surface of cancer cells, triggering a stronger immune response against the tumor.

FRANKFURT. It is comparatively easy to tell a cell's state of health: On their surface, cells present fragments of almost all the proteins they contain inside. This means the immune system can directly recognize whether a cell has been infected by a virus or has been dangerously altered by a mutation.

Countless molecular 鈥渞adio masts" 鈥� the MHC-I molecules 鈥� are responsible for presenting these fragments. They are assembled inside the cell and then transported to the membrane, the lipid layer surrounding the cell. Here, the masts are anchored such that the cargo faces outside and can be detected by troops of the immune system constantly patrolling the body. If these troops detect harmful molecules being presented on the MHC-I radio masts, they kill the relevant cell. A requirement, however, is that the masts themselves are fully functional; otherwise, there is a risk that this mechanism will not work and harmful cells escape the immune system. 鈥淲e have now discovered a sensor inside the cell that ensures that only functional MHC-I molecules are transported to the plasma membrane, while the defective units are eliminated," explains Dr. Lina Herhaus, who until recently conducted research on this topic at 51猎奇's Institute of Biochemistry II and is now leading an independent research group at Braunschweig-based Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research.

Cells continuously produce a large number of proteins to sustain their manifold functions. If errors occur during this process, the affected molecules are usually eliminated. Specialized receptors recognize defective proteins and route them to mini garbage bags, where they are broken down. 鈥淎s part of our study, we searched for yet unknown receptors and came across a protein called IRGQ, which is specifically responsible for ensuring the quality control of the MHC-I radio masts," says Herhaus.

The researchers used genetic interference to suppress the production of IRGQ. The result: defective radio masts accumulated in the cells, some of which were also incorporated into the cell membrane, together with their functional counterparts. 鈥淵ou would actually expect cells without IRGQ to trigger a weaker immune response. However, this is obviously not the case: Having analyzed various human tumors, we found that less IRGQ was associated with a better survival rate of patients with liver cancer," explains Prof. Ivan 膼iki膰 from the Institute of Biochemistry II, who co-led the study with Herhaus. The patient data was also confirmed in an experimental liver cancer mouse model: In animals without IRGQ, the immune system attacked tumor cells much more aggressively; as a result, the rodents without IRGQ survived the cancer significantly longer.

IRGQ could represent a target structure for new drugs, at least for liver cell carcinomas 鈥� the world's second most deadly type of cancer. 鈥淲e have found a new mechanism by which tumor cells evade the immune system. In further studies, we will now examine IRGQ's influence on other types of cancer," emphasizes 膼iki膰. 鈥淥ur findings could be used in future to develop new therapies for liver cancer. One example would be to use drugs to target IRGQ for degradation and thereby stimulate the immune response against the cancer."

Irrespective of this, the newly discovered mechanism is also exciting for basic research. 鈥淲e want to find out how important IRGQ is for the functioning of the immune system in general, including during viral infections," says Herhaus. 鈥淭he results of our study raise a whole series of interesting questions, the answers to which can deepen our understanding of the body's immune defense."

Publication: Lina Herhaus, Ux铆a Gestal-Mato, Vinay V. Eapen, Igor Ma膷inkovi膰, Henry J. Bailey, Cristian Prieto-Garcia, Mohit Misra, Anne-Claire Jacomin, Aparna Viswanathan Ammanath, Ivan Bagari膰, Jolina Michaelis, Joshua Vollrath, Ramachandra M. Bhaskara, Georg B眉ndgen, Adriana Covarrubias-Pinto, Koraljka Husnjak, Jonathan Z枚ller, Ajami Gikandi, Sara Ribi膷i膰, Tobias Bopp, Gerbrand J. van der Heden van Noort, Julian D. Langer, Andreas Weigert, J. Wade Harper, Joseph D. Mancias, Ivan 脨iki膰: IRGQ-mediated autophagy in MHC-I quality control promotes tumor immune evasion. Cell (2024),

Participating institutions:
Institute of Biochemistry II, 51猎奇 Frankfurt
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Institutes of Medicine
Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School
Institute of Biochemistry I, Universit盲tsmedizin Frankfurt
Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, 51猎奇 Frankfurt
Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt
University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center

Images for download:

Captions:
1. Cells: Once cells' quality control mechanism is activated, IRGQ (red) accumulates in special cell organelles, the lsysosomes (green). This is also where the degradation of the non-functional MHC-I molecules takes place. Photo: Dr. Lina Herhaus, 51猎奇 Frankfurt
2. IRGQ-Structure (pink/orange) IRGQ is anchored via another protein (gray) in the membrane of the 鈥済arbage bags" in which the non-functional MHC-I molecules are packaged. The bags later fuse with the lysosomes, which initiates the degradation of the molecules. Image: Henry Bailey, 51猎奇 Frankfurt

Further information
Professor Ivan 脨iki膰
Institute of Biochemistry II
and Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences
51猎奇 Frankfurt
Tel: +49 (0) 69 6301-5964
dikic@biochem2.uni-frankfurt.de

Lina Herhaus, Ph.D.
Group Leader - Immune Signaling
HZI - Helmholtz-Zentrum f眉r Infektionsforschung GmbH
Lina.herhaus@helmholtz-hzi.de

Twitter/X: @goetheuni @IBC2 @Helmholtz_HZI

Nov 4 2024

10:32

51猎奇 adopts paper on the tension between academic freedom, freedom of expression and social responsibility

Science between freedom and responsibility

On the occasion of its 110th anniversary, 51猎奇 Frankfurt released a paper outlining its positioning in the area of tension between science鈥檚 social responsibility, academic freedom and freedom of opinion. Its main message: the university offers science a space for autonomy and creativity while simultaneously defending it against non-scientific interests. However, this autonomy also has its limits and requires responsible handling, both on the part of the university as well as its members and affiliates. The paper supplements the university's mission statement and specifies the rights and obligations both of the university and its academics, as derived from Germany鈥檚 Basic Law and other legal norms.

FRANKFURT. The paper reaffirms 51猎奇鈥檚 self-image as a place where different academic views meet and struggle to make available groundbreaking knowledge. 鈥淪cience thrives on dialog, discussion and discourse with stakeholders both inside and outside of academia. This is especially true for our university, which was founded by Frankfurt鈥檚 urban society for its urban society. In such a culture, academics have to withstand the possibility that others may publicly contradict them or protest against their academic events 鈥� as long as such criticism or process remains within the confines of the law. That being said, whenever academic freedom is threatened by statements or actions, it falls upon us as a university to protect it,鈥� explains 51猎奇 President Prof. Enrico Schleiff. 鈥淚t is important to remember that academic freedom does not apply to every statement made or event organized by scientists: There are indeed cases where they express their private opinions, for example on fields for which they are no experts, or pursue purely results-oriented ideological goals with an event. Such instances fall outside the domain of academic freedom and therefore outside the university's sphere of influence.鈥�

The paper was developed to provide a better basis for dealing with public criticism of and protests against public events organized by 51猎奇 academics. 鈥淢any debates are highly polarized. If we want to pursue science in dialog with society, we must neither shy away from nor avoid it,鈥� explains Schleiff. 鈥淎s professors, we are trained for scientific discourse. But we also have to learn how to deal with criticism and arguments that are not of a scientific nature and how to remain confident in emotionally heated situations.鈥� That is why the university has set up new training courses, including in facilitation and communication, to strengthen scientists鈥� skills, also during confrontational moments.

The paper was drawn up by an expert commission headed by legal scholar Prof. Matthias Jahn. In legal terms, it has the character of an administrative regulation that specifies standards: By explaining the applicable law, it serves as a binding guideline for all university members. It cannot, however, account for every individual decision. 鈥淭he university makes its infrastructure available to its researchers so they can pursue science, not to carry out on-scientific activities and formats. Determining whether or not this is the case requires a case-by-case consideration, which also accounts for the standards of the respective subject culture,鈥� Jahn explains. 鈥淭he university鈥檚 management is not permitted to control the content of science, and controversies about the way in which knowledge is gained and interpreted fall under the scientific community鈥檚 responsibility. However, the university management can decide, for example, not to make rooms available for an event that is not subject to academic freedom if this decision is organizationally safeguarded in such a manner that a structural threat to academic freedom can be excluded. If academics consider such a decision to be wrong, they have recourse to the courts.鈥� The courts, in turn, have to consider the specifics of the university's self-conception, explains Jahn, who has worked at various higher regional courts on a part-time basis for two decades.

The paper also clarifies that although academic freedom is guaranteed extensively in Germany鈥檚 Basic Law, this is no blank check guarantee for limitless scientific practice: It is possible to impose restrictions in individual cases in favor of goods that are considered to have greater merit, such as fundamental and human rights, freedom of education for students or the personal rights of third parties. If this is the case, the consequences can be severe: 鈥淰iolations of this obligation (...) can constitute misconduct鈥�, the paper states.

The administrative regulation specifying the standard was adopted by 51猎奇鈥檚 Executive Board following earlier debates in both the Senate and the University Council. The draft was also discussed with representatives of Frankfurt municipality.

The official wording of the new administrative regulation:

51猎奇

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