All Articles on Theme Biological Sciences

The new CRC/TRR 440 smART focuses on mRNA molecules that influence both healthy and diseased cells. The CRC 1507 on protein supercomplexes in membranes and the CRC 1531 on the role of connective tissue in healing processes will be continued. #RMU

From virtual patients to simulated embryos and intelligent chicks: the applications of digital twins are expanding rapidly. These possibilities were at the center of the 7th International Giersch Conference 2026, which also served as the kickoff event for the new Cluster of Excellence SCALE. Its central theme: “Towards Digital Twins for Structural Cell Biology – Criteria, Chances, and Challenges.”

In an unprecedented field experiment, an international research team led by Goethe University Frankfurt, the University of California, Berkeley, and CNRS Montpellier investigated the evolutionary adaptation of thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) to a wide range of climates, from the Alps to the Negev Desert. At 30 locations worldwide, team members sowed the plants, monitored their development, and analyzed genetic changes. The result: many Arabidopsis populations rapidly adapted to local climates – some, however, went extinct. The findings demonstrate how genetic diversity ensures population survival.

Davor Solter and Azim Surani receive the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize 2026

Using patented laser technology, the innovative startup Modulux3D produces realistic models of human tissues and organs with a 3D bioprinter. The founders offer a promising alternative to animal testing in pharmaceutical research. The startup, which emerged from research at Goethe University, benefits from the Startup Factory Futury, a collaboration involving the Rhine-Main Universities. The goal is to bring basic research into practical application.

On February 4, 2026, the renowned Frankfurt ornithologist and physiologist Prof. Dr. Roland Prinzinger passed away at the age of 77, completely unexpectedly for many of us. With his passing, we lose a passionate biologist with outstanding expertise in species knowledge, which he shared with great commitment with students and interested laypeople—through countless excursions, lectures, and numerous publications, including academic articles and textbooks.

The loss of biological diversity is the greatest long-term risk for the economy and society. Outstanding international expertise is urgently needed for a sustainable future. This is where the ninth Frankfurt Spring School comes in: Through four weeks of intensive training and targeted project support, young professionals from over 20 countries are specifically prepared for leadership roles in international nature conservation.

The Frankfurt Conservation Center (FCC) is to get a new home on the grounds of the Frankfurt Zoo. The Stuttgart office haascookzemmrich STUDIO2050 emerged as the winner of the architectural competition for the planned building. The design impressed the jury with its innovative, ecological, and urban planning features.

German and Costa Rican scientists launch a new partnership to explore one of the world's richest biodiversity hotspots. Prof. Meike Piepenbring, mycologist at Goethe University Frankfurt, has secured funding from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) to establish the German-Costa Rican Network for Tropical Biodiversity Research (GeCoBio). Over the next three years, €450,000 will support the development of this collaboration.

Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt have discovered a surprising role for formic acid in the human gut: The small molecule acts as a kind of “taxi” for electrons – both within bacteria and, likely, also between different microorganisms. The gut bacterium Blautia luti produces formic acid as part of a metabolic trick that allows it to respond flexibly to what is available in the gut. In addition to carbohydrates, the bacterium can also metabolize toxic carbon monoxide derived from the body’s own hemoglobin degradation.

Many mammal populations in European and North American zoos are aging – a trend that jeopardizes the long-term viability of so-called reserve populations and, with it, a core mission of modern zoos in global species conservation. This is the central finding of a new international study published on Wednesday in the journal PNAS.

Goethe University Frankfurt (Germany) ceremonially commissioned a state-of-the-art cryo plasma-FIB scanning electron microscope with nanomanipulator worth more than 5 million euros on Thursday. The large-scale instrument, supported by the Dr. Rolf M. Schwiete Foundation, is the first of its kind in Hesse and one of only a few in Germany. It enables precise nanobiopsies of biological samples such as tissue or cell aggregates and is a key technology for the Cluster of Excellence SCALE, where researchers investigate the molecular foundations of cells.