Gene activity in a test tube

When searching for the causes of illnesses and developing new treatments, it is absolutely vital to have a precise understanding of the genetic fundamentals. Würzburg researchers have devised a new technique for this purpose. Pathological processes are usually characterised by altered gene activity in the cells affected. So, gaining an accurate picture of gene activity can provide the key to the development of new, targeted therapies. Whether these therapies then work as we would want them to can also be verified by looking at genes and the processes they initiate. It is no wonder that research is focused on methods and techniques that provide detailed information about the genetic activity of individual cells. A research team at the University of Würzburg (JMU) has now developed a technique that is a significant improvement on the methods used to date.