Goethe-Universität — Press releases

Goethe University PR & Communication Department

Jun 12 2025

12:46

New Catalyst Developed at Goethe University Frankfurt Capable of Cleaving Strong Carbon-Fluorine Bonds – Potential Use in Pharmaceutical Production

PFAS: A Novel Path to Breaking Down “Forever Chemicals”

Chemists at Goethe University Frankfurt have developed a catalyst capable of breaking down per- and polyfluorinated organic substances (PFAS) – also known as “forever chemicals” – in a targeted manner. PFAS are widely used to make surfaces resistant to dirt and water, but their extreme persistence in the environment and potential health risks have made them a growing concern. What sets this new catalyst apart is that it does not rely on costly or toxic heavy metals like platinum, palladium, or iridium. Beyond its ability to degrade PFAS, the catalyst could also be used in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals.

FRANKFURT. PFAS are, in many ways, remarkable molecules. Even a thin layer can repel water, oil, and dirt. They are also highly resistant to heat and UV light, which makes them ideal for coating breathable outdoor clothing, stain-resistant carpets, disposable tableware, irons, and non-stick pans. Industrially, PFAS are used as lubricants, surfactants, wetting agents, in chrome plating, and in fire-fighting foams. The list goes on – PFAS are nearly everywhere.

But these benefits come at a cost: because PFAS are so resilient, they persist in the environment long after their intended use. While they can be nearly completely destroyed in waste incineration plants, they may accumulate in the material cycle during recycling – including in textiles or sewage sludge – and then enter the environment. PFAS can be found in water, soil, plants, and even in the human body. This is particularly concerning because some of the approximately 4,700 known PFAS compounds are suspected to be carcinogenic or to cause other health issues.

The key to PFAS’ effectiveness – and their environmental persistence – lies in their extremely stable molecular structure, especially the carbon–fluorine (C–F) bonds. Now, a team of chemists led by Professor Matthias Wagner at Goethe University’s Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry has developed a catalyst that can cleave these C–F bonds within seconds and at room temperature. The heart of the catalyst consists of two boron atoms, which have been embedded in a carbon framework in a manner that makes them resistant to air and moisture – a rare and highly practical property for boron compounds.

Christoph Buch, a doctoral researcher in Wagner’s group and first author of the study, explains: “To break C–F bonds, we need electrons, which our catalyst transfers with exceptional efficiency. So far, we’ve been using alkali metals like lithium as the electron source, but we’re already working on switching to electrical current instead. That would make the process both much simpler and more efficient.”

Beyond PFAS degradation, Wagner sees broader applications for the catalyst: “Many pharmacologically important substances contain fluorine atoms to increase their physiological stability and enhance their effect. Fluorine atoms can also improve drug uptake. With this catalyst, we now have a tool that allows us to precisely control the degree of fluorination in such compounds.”

Publication: Christoph D. Buch, Alexander Virovets, Eugenia Peresypkina, Burkhard Endeward, Hans-Wolfram Lerner, Felipe Fantuzzi, Shigehiro Yamaguchi, Matthias Wagner: Planarity Is Not Plain: Closed- vs Open-Shell Reactivity of a Structurally Constrained, Doubly Reduced Arylborane toward Fluorobenzenes. Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS, 2025), https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5c05588

Images for download:
http://www.uni-frankfurt.de/174065098

Captions:
1 Non-stick coatings: Coatings containing PFAS ensure that the egg does not stick in the pan. PFAS hardly degrade in the environment and are therefore considered “eternal chemicals”. Photo: Markus Bernards for Goethe University Frankfurt

2 New catalyst splits C-F bonds: Two boron atoms (green spheres) are embedded in a framework of carbon atoms (black). The electrons required for C-F cleaving currently still come from lithium (pink), in future from electric current. Image: Group of Matthias Wagner, Goethe University Frankfurt

Further Information
Professor Matthias Wagner
Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry
Goethe University Frankfurt
Tel.: +49 (0)69 798 29156
matthias.wagner@chemie.uni-frankfurt.de
https://www.uni-frankfurt.de/58708118/Group_of_Prof__Dr__Matthias_Wagner

Jun 5 2025

14:26

Goethe University Frankfurt Part Of Two State-Funded Research Networks

Connecting Knowledge to Strengthen Democracy

What role does antisemitism play in hostility to democracy? And what impact can antisemitism-critical education have? These are the key questions addressed by the Hessian Knowledge Network “Antisemitism and Threats to Democracy", jointly led by Goethe University Frankfurt, Justus Liebig University Giessen, and the Institute for Social Research. The project is funded by the Hessian Ministry of Science and Research, Arts and Culture (HMWK) until mid-2026. A second funded project, for which Goethe University serves as co-spokesperson alongside Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, explores gender relations and democracy research.

FRANKFURT. Given that antisemitism is no longer merely expressed in veiled terms but increasingly out in the open – sometimes even serving as a unifying force for certain groups in times of crisis – it becomes clear: Antisemitism can no longer be understood solely as a remnant of Nazi ideology that must be overcome. It also plays a crucial role as an interim or bridge ideology linking with contemporary anti-democratic sentiments. Against this backdrop, the project “Antisemitism and Threats to Democracy" assumes that antisemitism plays a key role in the development and political mobilization of anti-democratic attitudes.

The HMWK is now supporting a knowledge network on “Antisemitism and Threats to Democracy" as part of its funding program “Strengthening Democracy Research in Hesse". The network is based at Goethe University Frankfurt, Justus Liebig University Giessen, and the Institute for Social Research. As part of the 12-month project period, which ends in April 2026, an interdisciplinary research network at the intersection of antisemitism and democracy studies will be established. Among other topics, the network will examine the specific role antisemitism plays in the current dynamics of democratic erosion. It also seeks to explore how antisemitism-critical and democracy-promoting (educational) practices can effectively respond to these challenges.

The spokesperson of this research network – working in collaboration with nine additional partner institutions – is Prof. Stephan Lessenich, Chair of Social Theory and Social Research at Goethe University Frankfurt and Director of the Institute for Social Research.

The second funded research project, in which Goethe University is also a co-spokesperson, investigates how gender relations and democracy research can be more closely integrated and further developed. The knowledge network “Gendering Democratic Resilience: Gender Research as a Central Contribution to the (Re-)Vitalization of More Inclusive Democracies" (GeViDem) focuses on this goal. It brings together existing research initiatives and expertise in Hesse on the relationship between democracy and gender relations. The universities of Giessen, Marburg, Frankfurt, and Kassel, along with Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, are collaborating on four key thematic areas, which include questions such as: In what ways are attacks on sexual and gender diversity also attacks on democracy? How do gender relations serve as a battleground for democratic resilience? And what role does the redistribution of care work play in democratizing democracy?

Jun 2 2025

12:26

Goethe University Study Confirms: Extreme Weather Events Exacerbate the Threat to Global Amphibian Diversity

Salamanders Suffering from Rising Temperatures

Amphibians – the most threatened vertebrate class on Earth – are under enormous pressure, with 41 percent of all species already threatened with extinction. A new study from the Faculty of Biological Sciences at Goethe University Frankfurt shows that increasing extreme weather events such as heat waves and droughts are further exacerbating the crisis and are directly linked to declining amphibian populations. Particularly affected regions include Europe, Amazonia, and Madagascar. The results highlight the urgency of targeted conservation measures to preserve endangered species and their habitats.

FRANKFURT. Habitat loss, diseases, pollution, and climate change are already massively affecting amphibians – frogs, salamanders, and the caecilians native to tropical regions. The new study from the Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity shows that extreme weather events serve as an additional stress factor, further intensifying this crisis. For this purpose, the scientists analyzed global weather data from the past 40 years. They compared regions with significantly increased heat waves, droughts, and cold spells with the geographical distribution of more than 7,000 amphibian species and their threat status on the "Red List." The Red Lists are being published since 1964 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and are considered an important tool for assessing the threat status of animal, plant, and fungal species worldwide.

Critical Interaction of Various Factors
The results are clear: where heat waves and droughts have increased, the threat status of amphibians on the Red List has also significantly deteriorated since 2004. "Amphibians' dependence on temporary wetlands for breeding makes them particularly vulnerable to droughts and temperature shifts that causes their breeding grounds to dry prematurely," explains Dr. Evan Twomey, lead author of the study. "Our analyses show the direct connection between the increase in extreme weather events and the decline of amphibian populations."

Regional Focus Areas
Three regions are particularly affected: Europe, the Amazon region, and Madagascar. While in South America the majority of amphibians found there – mostly frogs – are exposed to increasing heat waves, in Europe it is primarily droughts that are causing problems for the animals. Here, it is mainly salamanders that suffer under the changed conditions. The situation in Central Europe gives cause for concern. Future climate projections show that drought periods in Central Europe will likely increase in both duration and intensity. Prof. Lisa Schulte, head of the Department of Wildlife-/Zoo-Animal-Biology and Systematics warns: "Already half of the true salamanders native to Central Europe are exposed to increasing droughts today - and this will likely get worse in the future."

Urgent Need for Action
The study results highlight the urgency of targeted conservation measures. Various approaches from amphibian research could help threatened species. These include, for example, the creation of small protected areas where amphibians can find refuge, as well as the improvement of wetlands to ensure optimal living conditions. Creating moist retreat sites, such as using pipes or boards, also provides these animals with opportunities to withdraw during dry periods.

The study provides important foundations for adapted conservation strategies in the particularly affected regions. Amphibians are considered indicators of ecosystem health – their protection is therefore of paramount importance for preserving biodiversity.

Publication: Twomey, E., Sylvester, F., Jourdan, J., Hollert, H., & Schulte, L. M. (2025). Quantifying exposure of amphibian species to heatwaves, cold spells, and droughts. Conservation Biology, e70074. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70074

Picture download: https://www.uni-frankfurt.de/173193265

Caption: The fire salamander native to Europe is one of many species that depend on sufficient moisture (Photo: Daniel Rosengren/Frankfurt Zoological Society).

Further Information:
Dr. Evan Twomey
Department of Wildlife-/Zoo-Animal-Biology and Systematics
Faculty of Biological Sciences
Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)69 798-42211
E-Mail: Twomey@em.uni-frankfurt.de

Editor: Dr. Phyllis Mania, Science Editor, PR & Communications Office, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 1, 60323 Frankfurt, Tel: +49 (0) 69 798-13001, mania@physik.uni-frankfurt.de

May 30 2025

11:08

DFG Approves Transregional Collaborative Research Center TRR 417 to Study the Tumor Microenvironment Led by Goethe University Frankfurt in Collaboration with the Universities of Erlangen-Nuremberg and Freiburg

New Research Alliance to Explore the Sinister Network of Colorectal Tumors

Colorectal cancer is curable – if detected early and completely removed surgically. In more complex cases, immunotherapies offer hope by mobilizing the body's own immune system to fight the tumor. However, such treatments are promising in fewer than one in five cases. The newly established Transregional Collaborative Research Center TRR 417, led by Goethe University Frankfurt together with Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg and the University of Freiburg, aims to change this by targeting the tumor microenvironment that influences cancer development.

FRANKFURT. In the realm of colorectal cancer treatments beyond surgery and radiation, one key question gained prominence in recent years: Is the tumor's DNA repair system defective, making it “microsatellite unstable"? Around 15 to 20 percent of all tumors have this trait, making them likely candidates for successful immunotherapy. So-called immuno-checkpoint inhibitors are often used in these cases to neutralize the tumor's “protective shield", which tricks the immune system into perceiving it as harmless tissue. Once this deception is lifted, the body's T-cells can eliminate the tumor.

However, many colorectal cancers remain resistant to immunotherapy and even to chemotherapy and radiation. The cause lies in the tumor's surrounding environment, explains Prof. Florian Greten, cancer researcher at Georg-Speyer-Haus and Goethe University Frankfurt, and TRR 417 spokesperson: “Tumors do not grow as foreign bodies within intestinal tissue. Instead, they incorporate 'normal' cells such as fibroblasts, immune cells, and vascular cells. The tumor reprograms these cells and integrates them into a tumor microenvironment, which also closely interacts with gut bacteria and other microorganisms – the microbiome."

The new Collaborative Research Center TRR 417 “Cellular Communication in the Stroma of Colorectal Cancer: From Pathophysiology to Clinical Translation" brings together researchers from medicine, biology, and data sciences at Goethe University Frankfurt, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, and the University of Freiburg with the aim of continuing the investigation of this tumor microenvironment. Greten explains: “We are building on the experience we've gained since 2016 through our collaboration in DFG Research Unit 2438 on this topic. In that project, we not only gathered numerous scientific insights but also developed shared standards, models, and technologies." It is based on this foundation that the researchers will now develop novel therapeutic strategies. “We want to determine how to deliberately modify the tumor microenvironment and leverage it therapeutically to enhance treatments and make them accessible to immunotherapies – especially for those colorectal cancers that currently respond poorly to existing therapies."

Goethe University President Prof. Enrico Schleiff: “The success of TRR 417 is particularly gratifying because it shows how Prof. Greten and his colleagues have strategically brought together top-tier oncology experts from leading institutions – German Cancer Aid, the German Cancer Consortium for Translational Cancer Research, the Bavarian Cancer Research Center, and the National Center for Tumor Diseases – over many years. Their approach of rapidly transferring basic research into clinical practice is a model for Goethe University's 'Science for Health' profile area. I look forward to the rich scientific output and the next generation of clinician scientists that will emerge out of this collaborative research center."

The DFG will fund TRR 417 for an initial period of four years with around € 17.7 million. The funding may be renewed twice for additional four-year periods.

Background Information:
Article: Bad neighbors: The tumor microenvironment offers new therapeutic targets (in: Forschung Frankfurt 1/2024)
https://aktuelles.uni-frankfurt.de/english/bad-neighbors/

DFG project website:
https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/280163318?language=en

Further Information
Prof. Dr. Florian R. Greten
Spokesperson of TRR 417 “Cellular Communication in the Stroma of Colorectal Cancer: From Pathophysiology to Clinical Translation"
Georg-Speyer-Haus
Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy / Goethe University Frankfurt
Tel. +49 (0)69 63395-232
Greten@gsh.uni-frankfurt.de

Bluesky: @goetheuni.bsky.social @FAU.de @uni-freiburg.de
Linkedin: @Goethe-Universität Frankfurt

May 26 2025

14:05

The prehistoric predatory fish Otodus megalodon did not feed solely on other large predatory animals at the top of the food chain – zinc detected in fossils delivers clues about its other prey

Megalodon: The broad diet of the megatooth shark

Contrary to widespread assumptions, the largest shark that ever lived – Otodus megalodon – fed on marine creatures at various levels of the food pyramid and not just the top, as an international research team led by Goethe University Frankfurt has now discovered. The scientists analyzed the zinc content of a large sample of fossilized megalodon teeth, which had been unearthed above all in Sigmaringen and Passau, and compared them with fossil teeth found elsewhere and the teeth of animals that inhabit our planet today.

FRANKFURT. Otodus megalodon was the largest predatory fish in Earth's history: Measuring up to 24 meters, it was longer than a truck with a trailer and weighed almost twice as much. Embedded in its jaws were triangular teeth the size of a hand, and its bite had the force of an industrial hydraulic press. It swam through the world's oceans between 20 and 3 million years ago, frequently on the hunt for prey to satisfy a calorie demand as vast as its size: According to estimates, it required around 100,000 kilocalories per day. Science widely assumed that megalodon's main calorie intake was in the form of whales.

At least that's what it did should a whale come long, says Dr. Jeremy McCormack from the Department of Geosciences at Goethe University Frankfurt. It appears, after all, that megalodon partook of a much broader range of prey than previously assumed, as the geoscientist discovered together with scientists from Germany, France, Austria and the US. The researchers examined fossilized megalodon teeth, which are more or less all that has remained of the cartilaginous fish that gave the shark its name, megalodon, meaning “big tooth".

The researchers extracted zinc from the fossil teeth, an element that occurs in atomic variants (isotopes) of different weights. Zinc is ingested with food, whereby less of the heavier isotope zinc-66 than the lighter isotope zinc-64 is stored in muscles and organs. Accordingly, the tissue of fish that eat fish absorbs significantly less zinc-66, and those which, in turn, hunt them for food absorb even less. That is why Otodus megalodon and its close relative Otodus chubutensis had the lowest ratio of zinc-66 to zinc-64 at the top of the food chain.

“Since we don't know how the ratio of the two zinc isotopes at the bottom of the food pyramid was at that time, we compared the teeth of various prehistoric and extant shark species with each other and with other animal species. This enabled us to gain an impression of predator-prey relationships 18 million years ago," explains McCormack. The giant teeth they used for their study mostly came from fossil deposits in Sigmaringen and Passau – 18 million years ago, a relatively shallow estuary, less than 200 meters deep, flowed along the Alps, teeming with various other shark species alongside megalodon.

McCormack explains: “Sea bream, which fed on mussels, snails and crustaceans, formed the lowest level of the food chain we studied. Smaller shark species such as requiem sharks and ancestors of today's cetaceans, dolphins and whales, were next. Larger sharks such as sand tiger sharks were further up the food pyramid, and at the top were giant sharks like Araloselachus cuspidatus and the Otodus sharks, which include megalodon." McCormack stresses, however, that the Otodus sharks cannot be sharply differentiated from the lower levels of the pyramid: “Megalodon was by all means flexible enough to feed on marine mammals and large fish, from the top of the food pyramid as well as lower levels – depending on availability."

According to McCormack, this means that the idea of Otodus sharks homing in on marine mammals when it comes to food needs to be revised: “Our study tends rather to draw a picture of megalodon as an ecologically versatile generalist." Comparisons between the fossils from Sigmaringen and Passau, for example, showed that the creatures from Passau fed more on prey from lower levels of the food pyramid, which also points to regional differences in the range of prey or changes in its availability at different times.

Analyzing teeth on the basis of zinc content is a very new method, and McCormack is delighted with the comprehensive and coherent results it produced not only for prehistoric shark and whale species but also for herbivorous prehistoric rhinoceroses and even shark species that exist today. McCormack: “Determining tooth zinc isotope ratios has once again proven to be a valuable instrument for paleoecological reconstructions." “It gives us important insights into how the marine communities have changed over geologic time, but more importantly the fact that even 'supercarnivores' are not immune to extinction," adds Kenshu Shimada, a paleobiologist at DePaul University in Chicago, USA, and a coauthor of the new study. Previous studies, including one led by McCormack, indicated that, at least in part, the rise of the modern great white shark is to blame for the demise of Otodus megalodon.

Publication: Jeremy McCormack, Iris Feichtinger, Benjamin T. Fuller, Klervia Jaouen, Michael L. Griffiths, Nicolas Bourgon, Harry Maisch IV, Martin A. Becker, Jürgen Pollerspöck, Oliver Hampe, Gertrud E. Rössner, Alexandre Assemat, Wolfgang Müller, Kenshu Shimada: Miocene marine vertebrate trophic ecology reveals megatooth sharks as opportunistic supercarnivores. Earth and Planetary Science Letters (2025) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2025.119392

Picture download:
https://www.uni-frankfurt.de/172348475

Captions:
1) Jeremy McCormack with a fossilized megalodon tooth (Otodus megalodon). Photo: Uwe Dettmar for Goethe University

2) Jeremy McCormack at the mass spectrometer, which is used to determine the zinc isotope ratio. This ratio provides information about the diet of Otodus megalodon. Photo: Uwe Dettmar for Goethe University

3) A model of a megalodon can be seen in the Linz Castle Museum in Austria, for example. Photo: OÖ Landes-Kultur GmbH

Further Information:
Jeremy McCormack, Ph.D.
Goethe University Frankfurt
Department of Geosciences
Tel. +49 (0)69 798-40191
mccormack@em.uni-frankfurt.de
https://www.uni-frankfurt.de/69864318/McCormack___Homepage?

Bluesky: @goetheuni.bsky.social
LinkedIn: @Goethe-Universität Frankfurt

Editor: Dr. Markus Bernards, Science Editor, PR & Communications Office, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 1, 60323 Frankfurt, Tel: +49 (0) 69 798-12498, bernards@em.uni-frankfurt.de