Bettina

RESIST research teams who are generating large volumes of data now can get help analyzing these complex biomedical data. That’s because Hanan Begali recently joined the RESIST team as a bioformatician, where she is mentored by Prof. Depledge, Prof. Lauber and Prof. Galardini in the RESIST Biomedical Data Analysis Group (BDAG). Hanan Begali’s current projects include analyzing data sets generated by high-throughput sequencing and mass spectrometry. She will also analyze image data using certain artificial intelligence techniques, such as machine learning and deep learning approaches. She will further handle the development and maintenance of bioinformatics workflows, discuss data analysis [...]

More than 100 enthusiastic herpesvirus researchers from 33 institutions and six countries participated at the 16th Mini Herpesvirus Workshop, held for the first time at the MHH on September 29, 2023. This annual meeting was organized by Prof. Depledge and Prof. Viejo-Borbolla from the MHH Institute of Virology. The scientific program, centered around virus-host interactions, gene expression and replication, latency and pathogenesis, included presentations from 35 participants – many of them young researchers. In addition, Dr. Hannah Burgess from the University of Surrey, UK, and Dr. Jia Zhu, Fred Hutch Cancer Centre & University of Washington, USA, each gave [...]

Herpes viruses usually remain in the body permanently: they nest in the cells and also manage to be transferred from the mother to the daughter cells during cell division. In the case of Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV), a specific viral protein called LANA is essential for the process of passing it on to daughter cells. It links the virus' DNA to the host cell's chromosomes, which are then divided and pass into the daughter cells. A team of scientists, including many RESIST researchers, has now succeeded in further developing substances that prevent LANA from binding to the viral DNA. [...]

As a new member of RESIST we welcome PD Dr. Sabine Pirr. Why are newborns and especially premature infants so susceptible to severe infections compared to older children or adults? PD Dr. Sabine Pirr is investigating this question. In particular, she is focusing on the role of breast milk in the development of the immune system and microbiome of preterm infants. "Of particular interest to me are the cellular composition of breast milk, with changes over the course of breastfeeding, and the mechanisms of transmission and consecutive neonatal infections with human cytomegalovirus," she says. PD Dr. Pirr is a [...]

The team of the Center for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB) gave a warm welcome to seven RESIST members who came to visit on 29 August. First, the guests received general information about the center in the lecture hall from Prof. Kay Grünewald, the Scientific Director of the CSSB, who is also a RESIST researcher. Afterwards, the research of the 18 CSSB (including five associated) research groups and the four central facilities was presented to them in an interesting and descriptive way by the respective group leaders in short lectures. Prof. Blanche Schwappach-Pignataro, Chair of the CSSB Council and Dean [...]

The 50 or so guests who came to this year's summer RESIST network meeting, which took place in and around TWINCORE on August 25, were lucky with the weather. Because shortly before it started in the afternoon, the sun replaced the rain and it shone until the evening. So RESIST co-speaker Prof. Förster could welcome all present on the terrace and meadow, after which everyone could enjoy a delicious barbecue buffet and have a relaxed chat. RESIST members exchanged ideas, made new and deepened existing contacts, while the children who had brought along were perfectly integrated into a fun [...]

The summer academy "Lower Saxony International Summer Academy in Infection and Immunology (LISA)" has started - with young students of life sciences and medicine (Bachelor / Master) from about 20 countries, who are aiming for a PhD in immunology or infection research. LISA includes lectures where lecturers present their scientific work and participation in practical demonstrations and laboratory rotations. The Summer Academy takes place in TWINCORE, for the twelfth time - this year from August 27 to September 15, 2023. This year's program will be significantly supported by RESIST. The content of LISA has also been adapted in line [...]