How do the cells of a living organism communicate with one another? How can we use this “language of life” to improve cancer therapies? Prof. Dr. Barbara Di Ventura and junior professor Dr. Natalie Köhler from the Cluster of Excellence CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies at the University of Freiburg answer these and other questions in the science podcast "Exzellent Erklärt - Spitzenforschung für alle" (excellent explanation – research for all; podcast in German). In episode #31 „The Language of Life: Understanding and Using Biological Signals,“ the scientists present their current projects. The conversation with journalist and podcaster Larissa Vassilian also shows how close basic research and the development of innovations can be. The episode is available now at https://exzellent-erklaert.podigee.io/.
Understanding and using the “language of life”
In the podcast “Exzellent erklärt” (excellent explanation), scientists from the Freiburg Cluster of Excellence CIBSS talk about their research on biological signals
Title image of episode #31: Die Sprache des Lebens (the language of life)
New methods for research on signals
Among other things, engineer and biologist Di Ventura explains how she uses light to explore how the dynamics of signalling molecules influence the signalling pathways they regulate. To do this, the synthetic biology expert is developing new optogenetic methods that allow her to precisely control the location and activity of molecules using light signals.
A signalling molecule for better immunotherapies against cancer?
Köhler is a CIBSS tenure-track professor for “Precision Targeting of Signalling Pathways” at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Freiburg. At the Medical Center - University of Freiburg, she is investigating how a precise understanding of the signalling processes in cancer cells and immune cells can contribute to the development of better therapies for leukaemia patients.
About the podcast „Exzellent erklärt – Spitzenforschung für Alle“
(excellent explanation – research for all)
57 Clusters of Excellence - one podcast. “Exzellent erklärt” reports regularly from one of the research networks that are funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) as part of the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments. The journey goes all around the country, and the topics are just as diverse as the locations: From African studies to the future of medicine.
Direct link to the podcast episode