A new protocol combines expansion microscopy with single-molecule imaging for fission yeast

Being able to observe micro-organisms and their cellular components is key to understanding fundamental processes that go on inside cells—and thus potentially developing new medical treatments. Microbiologists and biophysicists from the University of Bonn have now developed a method that makes the high-throughput process for observing molecules five times faster, enabling insights to be gained into hitherto unknown cellular functions.

Many bacterial pathogens use small injection apparatuses to manipulate the cells of their hosts, such as humans, so that they can spread throughout the body. To do this, they need to fill their syringes with the relevant injection agent. A technique that tracks the individual movement of proteins revealed how bacteria accomplish this challenging task. A team of researchers from the University of Bonn and the Max Planck Institute in Marburg have revealed how bacteria perform this complex task, using a technology that tracks the movement of individual proteins. Their findings have now been published in the leading journal Nature Microbiology.

Start-up project Sweethoven Biotech with Dr. Marcel Hövels wins the DATIpilot Innovation Sprint Pitch Competition of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

In front of our lecture hall in the institute there is now a small art exhibition about the project "Missed Pictures" by Gesine Born - visit us and support the artist in her research project!

The IfMB in a sizeable delegation at the annual meeting of microbiologists

Maren Eilers, Dr. Koen Martens, Fredrik Vermeulen and Laura Weber from the RG Endesfelder presented their research at SMLMS 2023 in Vienna.

Dr. Marcel Hövels and André Neff founded a company at the University of Bonn for the development of a sustainable sugar alternative.