News from the Institute

Scientists from Frankfurt and Mainz have successfully applied for funding to establish a Collaborative Research Centre (CRC)/Sonderforschungsbereich (SFB) on the molecular mechanisms of selective autophagy.

Autophagy literally means „self-eating“ and describes a process by which the cell recycles harmful ballast like aggregated proteins, damaged organelles or even bacterial invaders. For the next four years, the centre is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) with 11 M €.

The Frankfurt Autophagy Network (FAN) and the Institute of Biochemistry II (IBCII) recently hosted two scientists studying the process of autophagy with state-of-the-art microscopy techniques.

Whereas Dr. Nicholas Ktistakis (Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK) employs high-resolution microscopy to investigate the early processes at the onset of autophagy, Dr. Patrice Codogno (Institute Necker Enfants-Malades, INSERM, Paris, France) is interested in the interplay of primary cilia with autophagy and on the precise cellular sites where the autophagic machinery assembles.

From September 18th to September 22nd 2015 the EMBO conference „Ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like modifiers“ was taking place in Cavtat, Croatia. More than 350 participants enjoyed five days of excellent scientific talks, networking and poster presentations in the stimulating atmosphere of the Adriatic Coast.

The beautiful landscape of Heilbronner Land was the destination of choice for this years’s retreat of the Institute of Biochemistry II which took place from April 15th to April 17th 2015.

3 days full of scientific discussions and exchange as well as many opportunities to socialize during common events promoted the interactive spirit amongst the institute members and raised new interactions and collaborations.

The European Academy (Academia Europaea) announces the list of 248 scientists who were elected to the academy in 2015. Amongst them is Prof. Ivan Dikic, director of the Institute of Biochemistry 2 at the Medical School Goethe University and founding director of the Buchmann Institute for Molecular Sciences (BMLS).

The Academia Europaea was founded in 1988 as a European Academy of humanities, social, physical and life sciences as well as mathematics, engineering and medicine.