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The penetration of viruses into cells can now be tracked with unprecedented accuracy thanks to Würzburg researchers and their innovative design for pseudoviruses. Pseudoviruses resemble impostors: although harmless, they are designed in such a way that they can hardly be distinguished from their dangerous relatives.

In the immune system's fight against cancer and infections, the T cells often lose their power. The team of Würzburg immunologist Martin Vaeth has found a possible explanation for this phenomenon. In the immune system, chronic infections and the defence against tumors often lead to the phenomenon of T cell exhaustion: In this process, the T lymphocytes gradually lose their function, which impairs their responses against cancer and infections.

For the first time, experimental physicists from the Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat have demonstrated a new quantum effect aptly named the "spinaron." In a meticulously controlled environment and using an advanced set of instruments, they managed to prove the unusual state a cobalt atom assumes on a copper surface.

Sharks have existed for millions of years, rarely develop cancer, and react sensitively to ecological changes. An international study led by Würzburg scientists shows that one explanation lies in the fish's genes. Sharks have been populating the oceans for about 400 to 500 million years. While our planet and many of its inhabitants have undergone massive changes several times during this period, this basal group of vertebrates has remained somewhat constant.

Animal sounds are a very good indicator of biodiversity in tropical reforestation areas. Researchers led by Würzburg Professor Jörg Müller demonstrate this by using sound recordings and AI models. Tropical forests are among the most important habitats on our planet. They are characterised by extremely high species diversity and play an eminent role in the global carbon cycle and the world climate.

An international research team with participation from Würzburg has discovered how algae compensate for nutrient deficiencies. Their discovery could help counteract the negative effects of climate change. One of the building blocks of ocean life can adapt to cope with the effects of climate change, according to new research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA).

Even in digital courses, it's not just the spoken word that counts. Aspects such as tone of voice, eye contact and the appreciation experienced are also important, as a study by the University of Würzburg shows . With the corona pandemic came its big boom: digital lectures. Depending on the incidence and the respective regulations, lecturers and students met digitally in specially set up Zoom meetings.

How SARS-CoV-2 initiates its replication process during infection is not yet fully understood. Researchers from the Helmholtz Institute Würzburg have now published unexpected findings. SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the disease COVID-19 with nearly seven million deaths worldwide to date, has a characteristic genetic makeup made entirely of ribonucleic acid (RNA).

Combinations of unfavourable weather conditions over several years can cause a decline in insect biomass. This is shown by a study published in "Nature" by a team led by Professor Jörg Müller. Insects react sensitively when temperature and precipitation deviate from the long-term average. In an unusually dry and warm winter, their survival probabilities are reduced; in a wet and cold spring, hatching success is impaired.

A remarkable archaeological breakthrough has been made with the excavation and restoration of rooms in the pyramid of Sahura. The discovered chambers are probably storage rooms intended to hold the royal burial objects. An Egyptian-German mission led by Egyptologist Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled of the Department of Egyptology at Julius-Maximilians-Universität of Würzburg (JMU) has made a significant discovery within Sahura's Pyramid.

An excavation in Turkey has brought to light an unknown Indo-European language. Professor Daniel Schwemer, an expert for the ancient near east from Würzburg, is involved in investigating the discovery.

A new generation of cloud services is on the rise. It is based on the paradigm of "serverless computing", which is an active research topic at the Institute for Computer Science in Würzburg. In cloud computing, commercial providers make computing resources available on demand to their customers over the Internet.

How can the cultivation of cacao be improved by using the right pollination technique? This has now been investigated by a research team including Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter's Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology. The success of cacao cultivation depends to a large extent on functioning pollination.

In the fruit fly Drosophila, circadian clocks also control fat metabolism. This is shown in a new study by a research team at the University of Würzburg. The findings could also be relevant for humans. Much is known about how modern human lifestyles contribute to triggering metabolic disorders and diseases.

Important progress for RNA research: A team led by Würzburg chemistry professor Claudia Höbartner has discovered a new ribozyme that can label RNA molecules in living cells. RNA molecules are real all-rounders. They transfer the genetic information from the DNA in the cell. They regulate the activity of genes.

After the complete tumour resection, not all patients with an adrenocortical carcinoma require the previous standard therapy Mitotane. Professors Martin Fassnacht and Massimo Terzolo show this in a clinical trial. In 2017, the teams of Massimo Terzolo and Martin Fassnacht published a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that provided evidence for the efficacy of Mitotane in the prevention of recurrence in adrenocortical carcinoma.

In the form of DNA, nature shows how data can be stored in a space-saving and long-term manner. Würzburg's chair of bioinformatics is developing DNA chips for computer technology. The hereditary molecule DNA can store a great deal of information over long periods of time in a very small space. For a good ten years, scientists have therefore been pursuing the goal of developing DNA chips for computer technology, for example for the long-term archiving of data.

The sensory hairs of the Venus flytrap contain a heat sensor that warns the plant of bush fires. It reacts to rapid temperature jumps, as Würzburg researchers have discovered. The Venus flytrap can survive in the nutrient-poor swamps of North and South Carolina because it compensates for the lack of nitrogen, phosphate and minerals by catching and eating small animals.

Together with the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Würzburg biology professor Chaitanya S. Gokhale has developed a mathematical model on population dynamics and evolution of herbicide resistance in perennial weeds. Weeds have always been a significant problem for agriculture. They compete with crops for resources such as light, water and nutrients, which can result in severe yield losses.

Acute lung failure is life-threatening - especially if it is accompanied by an excessive immune response. Researchers at the University Medical Center Würzburg have now discovered how this reaction can be suppressed . One in ten people receiving intensive care develops acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).