News

Together with his team, Stefan H. E. Kaufmann has advanced the development of a new vaccine against tuberculosis, which could also serve as an interim solution for Covid-19. The infection biologist will continue his research with an emeritus group in Göttingen.

Kaufmann has been researching the pathogens of epidemics such as AIDS, SARS, MERS, and tuberculosis throughout his whole scientific career. For four decades, the tubercle bacillus has been a particular focus of the Max Planck researcher. No other infectious disease kills more people: Last year 10 million people worldwide newly developed tuberculosis disease, and 1.5 million people died from it. It is caused by mycobacteria, which mainly attack…

The instrument commissioning of ESA's Solar Orbiter is nearly completed. So far all instruments with MPS participation are in top shape.

Since the beginning of February, ESA's Solar Orbiter spacecraft has been on route to its intended trajectory around the Sun. From there it will enjoy a unique view of our central star using its ten scientific instruments. However, this early phase of the mission is about more than just reaching the science orbit. It is an adventure of its own, especially for the participating scientists and engineers. Over the past weeks and months, they have…

The physicist took up the position in part-time and will continue to work as Professor of Experimental Solid State Physics at the University of Göttingen for the time being. Together with his team, he will develop experimental methods allowing for the observation of microscopic processes on very short time scales. For this purpose, Ropers uses ultrafast electron microscopy – a field to which he has made a decisive contribution and in which he is one of the leading scientists worldwide.

Ropers will in the future head the Department of Ultrafast Dynamics at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Biophysical Chemistry, where he will initially conduct research with a smaller team until a new research building will be completed. “We are extremely pleased that Claus Ropers becomes our new colleague,” says Marina Rodnina, Managing Director of the institute. “Claus Ropers pursues very original strategies with which he realizes…

Many of the human COVID-19 symptoms are also seen in rhesus monkeys

The coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) currently circulating worldwide causes respiratory diseases with a mortality rate of about 2%. In a recent study, scientists have now been able to confirm that infection of rhesus monkeys with SARS-CoV-2 also causes many of the symptoms seen in humans. The new study thus complements findings from previous studies. For example, Chinese researchers have already found evidence of immunity in rhesus monkeys after they…

Research team from the University of Göttingen investigates the influence of storage on the flavour of ripe tomatoes

There is much debate about the correct storage of tomatoes. There are two main options available to consumers: storage in the refrigerator or at room temperature. A research team from the University of Göttingen has now investigated whether there are differences in the flavour of ripe tomatoes depending on how they are stored and taking into account the chain of harvesting from farm to fork. No perceptible difference was found: the variety of…

Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization together with project partners successful in nationwide innovation competition

Together with the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), the German Primate Center Göttingen (DPZ) and the Leibniz University in Hannover, the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPIDS) is the second winner in the nationwide innovation competition "Organ Replacement from the Laboratory" of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with its IndiHEART project. The IndiHEART project will be supported with 2…

Scientists at the University of Göttingen analyse data on ecological, social and economic effects

Palm oil is often associated with tropical deforestation above all else. However, this is only one side of the story, as agricultural scientists from the University of Göttingen and the IPB University Bogor (Indonesia) show in a new study. The rapid expansion of oil palm has also contributed considerably to economic growth and poverty reduction in local communities, particularly in Asia. The study was published in the Annual Review of Resource…

The research network jointly established by the German Primate Center and the University of Göttingen will be funded for further four years after successful evaluation

The enforced "social distancing" in Corona times reminds us of the role social life plays for us. The same applies to our closest relatives, the non-human primates. But how do primates control their social relationships? What do they pay attention to, what significance do emotions have, which brain processes control interactions, and how are social decisions made? Since 2015, the Leibniz-WissenschaftsCampus Primate Cognition has been addressing…

Göttingen research team asks people in Germany about their shopping, eating and cooking behaviour and food security during the corona pandemic

Researchers at the University of Göttingen conducted a consumer survey across Germany starting in mid-April to find out how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting shopping, eating and cooking behaviour and just how crisis-proof people think the food system is. The survey responses from the first phase of collection show that the fear of rising food prices was high at the beginning of the pandemic. In addition, people shopped less frequently and…

Göttingen team analyzes the progression of the epidemic

Since the beginning of March, public life in Germany has been severely restricted due to the corona pandemic. Following the encouraging decline in the number of new cases of COVID-19, the debate on the effectiveness of interventions taken to date and on further relaxation of the restrictions is meanwhile gaining momentum. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPIDS) and the University of Göttingen have now…

News from the Göttingen Campus

Stefan Kaufmann becomes Emeritus Director at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry

Solar Orbiter: Scientific instruments are ready

Claus Ropers is appointed as new Director at the institute

Rhesus monkeys of great importance in the search for COVID-19 therapies

Should tomatoes go in the fridge?

Organ replacement from the laboratory

Sustainable palm oil? How environmental protection and poverty reduction can be reconciled

Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition enters the second round

Shopping and eating in the time of corona

Quantifying the impact of interventions

The Göttingen Campus