News

• 15.03.2023

  Press Release: SyNergy member Matthias Tschöp receives the highest honor from the American Diabetes Association

  For major breakthroughs, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) awards its highest honor, the Banting Medal for Scientific Achievement named after the nobel laureate and discoverer of insulin, Frederick Banting. Helmholtz Munich CEO and Humboldt Professor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Matthias Tschöp, is now the first German to receive the prestigious award. more

• 08.03.2023

  Press Release: Cited1 links sex and metabolic hormones to protect against obesity

  A research team led by SyNergy member Cristina García-Cáceres, Deputy Director and Head of the Astrocyte-Neuron Unit at the Institute for Diabetes and Obesity (IDO) of Helmholtz Munich, the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) and Professor at the Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU) Hospital Munich, has now discovered a novel protein named Cited1, that is highly enriched in estradiol-sensitive neurons of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, a part of the brain linking the endocrine and the nervous systems. more

• 06.03.2023

  Anna-Sophia Wahl joins our research community

  Prof. Anna-Sophia Wahl is Professor of Neuroanatomy at the Institute of Anatomy and a Principal Investigator at the Institute of Stroke and Dementia Research. As a new SyNergy professor she is able to further build up her lab, extend her network, and foster her research. more

• 02.03.2023

  Silvia Cappello joins our research community

  Prof. Silvia Cappello is Professor for Molecular Physiology of Neurogenesis at LMU Biomedical Center Munich and the Max-Planck Institute for Psychiatry and recently became a SyNergy Professor. Her lab focuses on understanding how the human brain develops and how mutations that lead to neurodevelopmental disorders can affect specific developmental processes at the cellular level. more

• 23.02.2023

  In the Media: Christian Haass interviewed by Merkur on receiving Hector Wissenschaftspreis

  Merkur interviewed SyNergy speaker Christian Haass after he received the Hector Wissenschaftspreis 2022 for his research on Alzheimer. more

• 20.02.2023

  Gregor-Alexander Pilz admitted to our Early Excellence Academy

  Dr. Gregor-Alexander Pilz is admitted to the SyNergy Early Excellence Academy. The Academy gives outstanding young scientists the opportunity to collaborate and participate in the SyNergy cluster. With his expertise in hippocampal plasticity, Dr. Pilz will contribute to SyNergy’s research focus on glio-vascular dysfunction and neurodegeneration. more

• 30.01.2023

  SyNergy members receive grant for advancing imaging

  SyNergy member Dr. Martina Schifferer, Hub group leader of the Electron Microscopy Hub (SyNergy's Nanoscale Hub), and SyNergy coordinator Prof. Dr. Thomas Misgeld together with 7 renowned microscopists received a two-year grant from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative for a network and training initiative in Array Tomography. more

• 27.01.2023

  SyNergy speaker Christian Haass receives Hector Wissenschaftspreis 2022

• 08.12.2022

  Press Release: SyNergy member Fabian Theis wins Leibniz Prize 2023

  The German Research Foundation (DFG, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) today announced that Fabian Theis is a winner of the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize – the most prestigious research award in Germany. Fabian Theis is Head of the Computational Health Center at Helmholtz Munich and chair for Mathematical Modelling of Biological Systems at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and member of the SyNergy Cluster. The prize is endowed with 2.5 million Euros. more

• 30.11.2022

  Press Release: New Center for MS and Neurosciences - United against multiple sclerosis

  TUM's university hospital Klinikum rechts der Isar will be home to a unique research center: The Center for Multiple Sclerosis and Neurosciences will unite research, therapy development and treatment under a single roof. Several SyNergy members will have their coming labs in the new building. A groundbreaking ceremony marked the official beginning of construction for the center. The new construction made possibe by a substantial donation from the Klaus Tschira Foundation. more

• 24.11.2022

  Press Release: Key factors identified for regeneration of brain tissue

  Munich researchers with SyNergy members Jovica Ninkovic, Fabian Theis, and Sabine Liebscher demonstrate in a zebrafish model that two proteins prevent scar formation in the brain, thereby improving the ability of tissue to regenerate. more

• 22.11.2022

  Press Release: ERC Starting Grant for SyNergy member Angelika Harbauer

  Spotlight on cellular power plants. SyNergy member Angelika Harbauer receives ERC Starting Grant for her research on mitochondria more

• 15.11.2022

  Highly Cited: 9 SyNergy members among the world’s most influential researchers.

  Researchers whose studies are widely quoted in scientific journals are considered influential – because a quotation by peers indicates that their work is regarded to be significant. In light of this, “Clarivate”, a company specialized in data analysis, compiles an annual list of the most highly cited researchers worldwide: a kind of “who’s who”. The current directory comprises more than 6,900 scientists from all continents, categorized into several scientific fields. Nine SyNergy scientists are listed: Martin Dichgans, Christian Haass, Franz-Ulrich Hartl, Bernhard Hemmer, Josef Priller, Mikael Simons, Matthias Tschöp, Fabian Theis, and Christian Weber. more

• 18.10.2022

  Press Release: SyNergy member Cristina García-Cáceres receives DAG research award 2022

  SyNergy member Cristina García-Cáceres receives the DAG research award 2022 for her scientific contribution in the field of obesity research. The prize was awarded during the 38th annual meeting of the German Obesity Society (DAG) in Munich. more

• 30.09.2022

  Press Release (in German): Forschende des LMU Klinikums München sind maßgeblich an der weltweiten Analyse des Gigastroke-Konsortiums beteiligt

  Die Genomik ist die Analyse des gesamten Erbguts eines Menschen in Hinsicht auf eine bestimmte Fragestellung. Sie ist eine effektive Methode, um einen Überblick zu bekommen, welche Abschnitte (Loci) des menschlichen Erbguts an der Entstehung und am molekularen Geschehen einer bestimmten Erkrankung beteiligt sein könnten – zum Beispiel der Schlaganfall. Forschende des LMU Klinikums München mit SyNergy Mitglied Martin Dichgans haben jetzt in einer gigantischen internationalen Genomik-Studie, die sie mit weiteren Verfahren kombinierten, herausgefunden: 89 Abschnitte des menschlichen Genoms sind an der Entstehung eines Schlaganfalls beteiligt. Die Ergebnisse weisen neue Wege für die Diagnostik und Therapie des Schlaganfalls und sind jetzt online im Wissenschaftsmagazin Nature veröffentlicht wurden. more

• 17.08.2022

  Press Release: New Insights From Parkinson’s Research - Inhibition of Shh Signal Transduction as a Possible Early Treatment Approach

  Parkinson's disease, formerly known as shaking palsy, is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in Germany after Alzheimer's disease. It affects about 400,000 people in Germany alone and can neither be cured nor can its progression be slowed down. Approximately 90% of patients suffer from the idiopathic form of the disease, the molecular causes of which are poorly understood. This is probably one reason why there is still no causal therapy for this disease, only a symptomatic one. more

• 11.08.2022

  Press Release: Ion channel as possible target structure for therapies

  In certain neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic by-products build up in cells. The modulation of an ion channel could offer a new therapeutic approach more

• 06.07.2022

  Press Release: EU funding to develop vaccine against genetic ALS variant

  DZNE with SyNergy member Dieter Edbauer and Intravacc awarded EU funding to develop vaccine against genetic ALS variant. The vaccine is targeting the most common genetic ALS variant more

• 17.06.2022

  Press Release: Diversity of centrosomes

  Scientists from LMU and Helmholtz Munich with SyNergy member Magdalena Götz have gained new insights into the human centrosome, whose malfunction is linked to many neurodevelopmental disorders. more

• 10.05.2022

  Press Release (in German): Neuer Risikofaktor für zweiten Schlaganfall

  Sogenannte komplizierte Plaques in der Halsschlagader sind ein wichtiger Risikofaktor für einen erneuten Schlaganfall. Das hat ein Team von Ärzt:innen des LMU Klinikums unter Leitung von SyNergy Mitglied Prof. Dr. Martin Dichgans (Institut für Schlaganfall-und Demenzforschung) und Prof. Dr. Tobias Saam (ehemals Klinik und Poliklinik für Radiologie des LMU Klinikums) in einer Studie herausgefunden. Dr. Anna Kopczak, die Erstautorin der Studie, sagt, „dass sich die Therapie des Schlaganfalls für die betroffenen Patient:innen verändern könnte.“ Die Ergebnisse der Studie wurden im Fachjournal „Journal of the American College of Cardiology“ veröffentlicht. more

• 10.05.2022

  de Leon Prize Neuroimaging for SyNergy members Matthias Brendel and Christian Haass

  SyNergy members Matthias Brendel and Christian Haass received the prestigious 2022 de Leon Prize for Neuroimaging awarded at the Alzheimer Association International Conference in Denver. The de Leon Prize in Neuroimaging recognizes senior scientists more

• 27.04.2022

  Press Release: Atherosclerosis - How diseased blood vessels communicate with the brain

  LMU scientists with SyNergy members Martin Dichgans, Jürgen Bernhagen, Ali Ertürk and Christian Weber have been able to demonstrate for the first time that nerve signals are exchanged between arteries and the brain in atherosclerosis. more

• 12.04.2022

  Press Release (in German): München bekommt neues Forschungszentrum für Multiple Sklerose

  Bedeutende Forschungsinfrastruktur für Exzellenzstrategie der TUM more

• 29.03.2022

  Research.com: 2 SyNergy members among the world’s top scientists in the area of biology and biochemistry

  This 1st edition of top scientists ranking for Biology and Biochemistry was published by Research.com, one of the major websites for Biology and Biochemistry research offering credible data on scientific contributions since 2014. Two SyNergy scientists are listed under the top 250 worldwide and top 25 in Germany: Christian Haass and Christian Weber. more

• 28.03.2022

  Press Release (in German): Tau-Ablagerungen breiten sich über Hirn-Netzwerke aus.

  Es gibt das typische Parkinson-Syndrom, an dem viele Menschen erkranken. Und es gibt seltene, sogenannte atypische Formen des Parkinson-Syndroms, bei dem sich fehlgefaltete „Tau-Proteine“ in den Hirnzellen der PatientInnen ablagern. Nun hat ein internationaler Forschungsverbund u.a. mit SyNergy-Mitgliedern Nicolai Franzmeier, Matthias Brendel, Robert Perneczky, Jochen Herms, Mikael Simons, Peter Bartenstein und Johannes Levin unter Federführung des LMU Klinikums und des Deutschen Zentrums für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen herausgefunden: Die krankhaften Tau-Proteine verteilen sich nicht wahllos im Gehirn. Vielmehr dienen Verbindungen zwischen den Nervenzellen als Ausbreitungsroute für die krankhaft veränderten Eiweiße. Die Studie wurde im Fachjournal „Nature Communications“ veröffentlicht. more

• 18.03.2022

  Press Release: SyNergy member Friedhelm Serwane has been awarded an HFSP grant

  Understanding skin formation. LMU physicist and SyNergy member Friedhelm Serwane together with two international collaborators has been awarded an HFSP grant of one million Euros. more

• 17.03.2022

  Press Release: Alzheimer’s - Protective Immune Cells Active Decades Before Symptom Onset

  Boosting the Brain’s Defenses Could Help Combat the Disease more

• 01.03.2022

  Press Release: Long-term benzodiazepine use attacks synapses

  • LMU and DZNE scientists with SyNergy member Jochen Herms show in an animal model that benzodiazepines lead to the loss of neural connections in the brain. • In elderly people in particular, the long-term intake of the widely used sedatives can lead to cognitive impairments. • The study provides a mechanistic explanation for the first time, which the authors believe could influence future treatment of people at risk of dementia. more

• 17.02.2022

  Press Release: MS discordant monozygotic twins help to untangle environmental and genetic influences in immune profiles

  The Beltrán and Gerdes labs (both SyNergy members) studied the immune profiles in the MS TWIN STUDY to differentiate the influence of the environment and genetics in multiple sclerosis. In collaboration with the Becher lab from the University of Zurich they may have discovered precursor cells of the disease-causing T cells. more

• 14.02.2022

  Press Release: Highly responsive immune cells seem to be beneficial for the brain

  New insights into the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases more

• 10.12.2021

  Highly Cited: 5 SyNergy members among the world’s most influential researchers.

  Researchers whose studies are widely quoted in scientific journals are considered influential – because a quotation by peers indicates that their work is regarded to be significant. In light of this, “Clarivate”, a company specialized in data analysis, compiles an annual list of the most highly cited researchers worldwide: a kind of “who’s who”. The current directory comprises more than 6,300 scientists from all continents, categorized into several scientific fields. Five SyNergy scientists are listed: Christian Haass, Franz-Ulrich Hartl, Matthias Tschöp, Fabian Theis, and Christian Weber. more

• 25.11.2021

  Press Release: SyNergy member F. Ulrich Hartl is honored with HFSP Nakasone Award

  F. Ulrich Hartl, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, together with his colleague Arthur L. Horwich, receives the HFSP Nakasone Prize 2022. more

• 27.10.2021

  Press Release (in German): 35 Jahre Alzheimer Gesellschaft München e.V.

  Die Alzheimer Gesellschaft München e.V. (AGM) feiert ihr 35-jähriges Bestehen zusammen mit dem SyNergy-Cluster mit einem Festakt am Centrum für Schlagfall- und Demenzforschung. Der Bayerische Staatsminister für Gesundheit und Pflege Klaus Holetschek eröffnet die Veranstaltung mit einem Grußwort. more

• 13.10.2021

  Press Release: Brain immune cells have a "ravenous appetite" for sugar

  Neurodegenerative diseases: Microglia take up glucose to a great extent, Munich based researchers show. more

• 20.09.2021

  Media Report (in German): Molekularbiologe Haass - Demenz-Forschung geht gemeinsam viel besser

  Mehr als zehn Jahre gibt es das DZNE. SyNergy-Mitglied Christian Haass beschreibt im DW-Interview, wie sehr es die Forschung verbessert hat. Aber es gebe noch viel zu tun im Kampf gegen Alzheimer, Parkinson und Co. more

• 06.09.2021

  Press Release: Messengers from gut to brain

  Seen for the first time: T cells traveling from the gut and skin to the central nervous system. more

• 25.07.2021

  Press Release: Region-specific reprogramming of astrocytes

  New work by a team of stem-cell researchers led by SyNergy member Magdalena Götz and Giacomo Masserdotti published in Cell Reports. more

• 21.06.2021

  Press Release: In many cases, multiple sclerosis starts long before the diagnosis

  Years before they are diagnosed, persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) make significantly more visits to doctors and hospitals than others. Specialists have recently discussed whether this might represent a preliminary phase of MS – known as a prodrome. A research team with SyNergy member Bernhard Hemmer at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now published results of a study suggesting that, in many cases, the complaints may relate to unrecognized early clinical MS events. more

• 10.06.2021

  Video (in German): Filmportrait über SyNergy-Mitglied Christian Haass zum Hartwig Piepenbrock-DZNE Preis 2019

  SyNergy-Mitglied Christian Haass erhält den Hartwig Piepenbrock-DZNE Preis 2019 für seine Forschung zur Alzheimer Erkrankung. more

• 10.06.2021

  Press Release: Secret, highly active life of nerve cell contacts in the brain revealed

  Super-resolution STED microscopy for the first time enables the long-term observation of synapses in the healthy and diseased brain. New study by SyNergy member Sabine Liebscher. more

• 20.05.2021

  Press Release: SyNergy member Matthias Tschöp receives the Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine 2021

  The Jung Foundation for Science and Research awards SyNergy member Matthias Tschöp with the Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine and honors his groundbreaking research on novel therapeutics for obesity and diabetes. The awards given by the Foundation rank among the highest of their category throughout Europe. Matthias Tschöp is CEO of Helmholtz Zentrum München. more

• 22.04.2021

  Press Release: ERC Advanced Grant for SyNergy member Mikael Simons

  Nerve cells are surrounded by a fatty myelin layer, or sheath, that increases their ability to transmit electrical impulses, among other functions. Myelin is produced by cells known as glial cells that perform many important tasks related to nervous system functions. In his NETWORK project, SyNergy member Mikael Simons will study the networking of different types of glial cells. more

• 26.01.2021

  Nature Communications Editors’ Highlights of recent study by SyNergy members

  The editors at Nature Communications have put together an Editors’ Highlights webpage of recent research called “From brain to behaviour”. The article entitled “Myelin replacement triggered by single-cell demyelination in mouse” by SyNergy members Martina Schifferer, Martin Kerschensteiner, and Thomas Misgeld was featured. more

• 26.01.2021

  Press Release: Immune cells attack synapses

  Inflammation causes cerebral cortex dysfunction in multiple sclerosis. Damage to the brain gray matter plays an important role in the progression of multiple sclerosis. A team of neuroscientists including SyNergy members Thomas Misgeld, Martin Kerschensteiner, and Ruben Portugues has now shown that the cause are inflammatory responses that lead to synapse loss, reducing neuronal activity. Targeted inhibition of these immune cells could mitigate such synaptic damage, and therefore provides a promising therapeutic option for progressive multiple sclerosis. more

• 28.12.2020

  Press Release: Quick look under the skin

  Self-learning algorithms analyze medical imaging data. Imaging techniques enable a detailed look inside an organism. But interpreting the data is time-consuming and requires a great deal of experience. Artificial neural networks open up new possibilities, as shown in a new publication with SyNergy member Ali Ertürk. They require just seconds to interpret whole-body scans of mice and to segment and depict the organs in colors, instead of in various shades of gray. This facilitates the analysis considerably. more

• 18.11.2020

  Highly Cited: 5 SyNergy members among the world’s most influential researchers.

  Researchers whose studies are widely quoted in scientific journals are considered influential – because a quotation by peers indicates that their work is regarded to be significant. In light of this, “Clarivate”, a company specialized in data analysis, compiles an annual list of the most highly cited researchers worldwide: a kind of “who’s who”. The current directory comprises more than 6,300 scientists from all continents, categorized into several scientific fields. Five SyNergy scientists are listed: Dieter Edbauer, Christian Haass, Franz-Ulrich Hartl, Matthias Tschöp, and Christian Weber. more

• 17.11.2020

  Press Release: Researchers Improve Neuronal Reprogramming by Manipulating Mitochondria

  The replacement of lost neurons is a holy grail for neuroscience. A new promising approach is the conversion of glial cells into new neurons. Improving the efficiency of this conversion or reprogramming after brain injury is an important step towards developing reliable regenerative medicine therapies. Researchers including SyNergy member Magdalena Götz at Helmholtz Zentrum München and Ludwig Maximilians University Munich (LMU) have identified a hurdle towards an efficient conversion: the cell metabolism. By expressing neuron-enriched mitochondrial proteins at an early stage of the direct reprogramming process, the researchers achieved a four times higher conversion rate and simultaneously increased the speed of reprogramming. more

• 30.10.2020

  SyNergy members Juliane Winkelmann and Martin Kerschensteiner new members of Leopoldina

  Two SyNergy members, Juliane Winkelmann and Martin Kerschensteiner, have been elected as new members of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in 2020 more

• 26.10.2020

  Science Webinar with SyNergy member Christian Haass

  Deciphering microglia: Exploring cellular pathways in neurodegenerative diseases more

• 20.10.2020

  Press Release: Coronavirus - Neuropilin-1 could open the door to the inside of the cell

  How the virus enters the cell: The protein neuropilin-1 facilitates SARS CoV-2 cell entry. A research team including SyNergy member Prof. Mikael Simons of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) recently published these findings in the journal "Science". Because neuropilin-1 is expressed in the mucous membranes of the olfactory and respiratory tract, the findings may be important for understanding the spreading of SARS CoV-2. components for this phenomenon have so far remained elusive. more

• 07.09.2020

  Press Release (in German): Weniger Unterschiede als gedacht - aber Studie mit eineiigen Zwillingen zeigt: Frühform der Multiplen Sklerose hat spezielles Muster.

  Sie sind ungefähr so „einfach“ zu finden wie die sprichwörtliche Nadel im Heuhaufen: eineiige Zwillinge, von denen einer an Multipler Sklerose (MS) erkrankt ist und der andere nicht. Neuroimmunologen (u.a. SyNergy-Mitglied Reinhard Hohlfeld) des LMU Klinikums München haben – um im Bild zu bleiben – ein ganzes Nadelset zusammengestellt und ihre münsterschen Kollegen haben Blutproben dieser Zwillinge analysiert. Nun untersuchten sie anhand von 43 Zwillingspärchen dieser Art: Gibt es bestimmte Kennzeichen im Immunsystem, die eine MS ausmachen – also so etwas wie die „Signatur“ der Krankheit? Das Ergebnis der Studie ist überraschend. Es wurde nun im Fachjournal PNAS veröffentlicht. more

• 03.09.2020

  Press Release: ERC Starting Grant for new SyNergy member Prof. Dr. Lena Burbulla

  In her ERC project entitled “Unraveling the Mystery of Preferential Degeneration of Midbrain Neurons in Neurodegenerative Diseases” (acronym: oxDOPAMINE), Burbulla will attempt to determine why cells in the midbrain in humans are particularly prone to accumulate oxidized dopamine, and hence susceptible to degeneration. Her working hypothesis is that defective dopamine metabolism at the synapses (which transmit nerve impulses), in association with a perturbation of iron metabolism, plays a critical role in this vicious circle. To explore this idea further, she also intends to investigate other, rarer neurodegenerative disorders in which defects in iron metabolism are involved. more

• 01.09.2020

  Press Release: ERC Starting Grant for new SyNergy member Dr. Friedhelm Serwane

  What role do mechanical forces play in the development of neural networks, such as the human retina? – This question will be tackled by SyNergy member Dr. Friedhelm Serwane and his new ERC funded research group at LMU, starting in September 2020. In the EU project ROMB: Retina Organoid Mechanobiology, endowed with 1.5 million euros, the team will focus on a unique combination of biophysical methods and stem cell-derived systems (organoids). This will allow for specific physical manipulation of neuronal systems, all in a petri dish. more

• 25.08.2020

  Press Release: Type 2 Diabetes - A Gatekeeper against Insulin Resistance in the Brain

  The brain plays a major role in controlling our blood glucose levels. In type 2 diabetics this glucose metabolism brain control is often dysfunctional. Genetic components for this phenomenon have so far remained elusive. A group of scientists with SyNergy members Matthias Tschöp and Wolfgang Wurst at Helmholtz Zentrum München and the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) have now shown in the ‘Journal of Clinical Investigations’ that in men a genetic variant of the gene DUSP8 can increase the risk for type 2 diabetes by impairing our brain response to the hormone insulin. more

• 15.07.2020

  Press Release: Neuronal circuits in the brain 'sense' our inner state

  How decisions are made and how behavior is controlled is one of the most important questions in neuroscience. The neurotransmitter dopamine plays a central role in all of this. Scientists with SyNergy member Ruben Portugues at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), together with researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, looked into the role that dopamine plays in the decision-making process and in controlling movement. more

• 07.07.2020

  Press Release: SyNergy member Matthias Tschöp Awarded EMBO Membership

  Prof. Dr. Matthias Tschöp, CEO of Helmholtz Zentrum München, has been elected a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). Today EMBO announced the names of the international scientists that have been newly elected as members based on their scientific excellence and groundbreaking research. more

• 03.06.2020

  Press Release: Atherosclerosis - How a microRNA protects vascular integrity

  LMU researchers with SyNergy member Christian Weber have discovered a hitherto unknown molecular function of a specific microRNA that preserves integrity of the endothelium and reduces the risk of atherosclerosis. more

• 26.05.2020

  Press Release: Gene editing - Taming CRISPR’s collateral damage

  CRISPR-Cas9 can alter genes at pre-defined sites in specific ways, but it does not always act as planned. An LMU team with SyNergy member Dominik Paquet has now developed a simple method to detect unintended ‘on-target’ events, and shown that they often occur in human stem cells. more

• 02.04.2020

  Press Release: Spotlight for ERC Advanced Grant awardee and SyNergy member Magdalena Götz

  Wanted: Established, leading principal investigator with a track-record of significant research achievements in the last 10 years. Found: At Helmholtz Zentrum München. SyNergy member Magdalena Götz and Marcus Conrad both receive an ERC Advanced Grant for their outstanding scientific work. The European Research Council (ERC) will fund their projects with more than 2 million Euros each for the next 5 years. more

• 12.03.2020

  Press Release: Automated analysis of whole brain vasculature

  Diseases of the brain are often associated with typical vascular changes. Now, scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München, LMU University Hospital Munich and the Technical University of Munich have come up with a technique for visualising the structures of all the brain's blood vessels – right down to the finest capillaries – including any pathological changes. So far, they have used the technique, which is based on a combination of biochemical methods and artificial intelligence, to capture the whole brain vasculature of a mouse. more

• 10.03.2020

  Press Release: Munich scientists investigate new therapeutic approach against Alzheimer’s disease

  A team led by LMU biochemist and SyNergy member Christian Haass has developed an approach to stimulate immune cells of the brain in such a way that they might possibly provide better protection against Alzheimer’s disease. more

• 13.02.2020

  Press Release: Transparent human organs allow 3D maps at the cellular level

  For the first time, researchers managed to make intact human organs transparent. Using microscopic imaging they could revealed underlying complex structures of the see-through organs at the cellular level. Resulting organ maps can serve as templates for 3D-bioprinting technologies. In the future, this could lead to the creation of on demand artificial organs for many patients in need. The findings published in Cell joined forces from Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich (LMU), and Technical University of Munich (TUM). more

• 06.02.2020

  Press Release: Defining the niche characteristics

  In mammalian adult brains only specific niches are capable of generating new neurons. For the first time, researchers defined the proteome of these niches and identified key regulators for neurogenesis. more

• 20.12.2019

  Press Release: Genes as early warning systems

  Estimates based on genomic data predict stroke risk with an accuracy similar to, or greater than those based on clinical risk factors. This result implies that persons at high risk might benefit from more rigorous preventive measures. more

• 10.12.2019

  Press Release: SyNergy member Ali Ertürk receives ERC Consolidator Grant

  The European Research Council has awarded four of its prestigious highly endowed Consolidator Grants to researchers at LMU - among them SyNergy member Ali Ertürk. more

• 26.11.2019

  Press Release: SyNergy member Christian Haass among highly cited authors

  SyNergy member Christian Haass and 12 further LMU faculty members are among the authors listed in “Highly Cited Researchers 2019”. The ranking is based on an analysis of the citation history of scholarly publications, and covers the Natural, Social and Medical Sciences. more

• 01.10.2019

  Press Release: Award for Groundbreaking Research on Alzheimer’s Disease

  SyNergy member Christian Haass has received the “Hartwig Piepenbrock-DZNE Prize” endowed with 60,000 euros. The company Piepenbrock and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) thereby honor his groundbreaking research into the molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease. more

• 25.09.2019

  Media Report (in German): Zukunft der Neurologie

  Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Verlagsspezial - Fortschritt im Wechselspiel von Hirnforschung und Therapie. Mit einem Artikel von SyNergy-Mitglied Christian Haass more

• 21.09.2019

  Media Report (in German): Warum noch immer ein wirksames Medikament zur Bekämpfung von Alzheimer fehlt

  Handelsblatt - Reihenweise scheitern Forschungsprojekte im Kampf gegen die Demenzkrankheit. Wissenschaftler suchen nach neuen Therapie-Ansätzen – bisher mit wenig Erfolg. more

• 20.09.2019

  Media Report (in German): Alzheimer - Ein Kampf gegen das Vergessen

  Bayerischer Rundfunk - Trotz intensiver Forschung gibt es bis heute kein Medikament, das Alzheimer aufhalten oder heilen könnte. Doch die Zahl der an Alzheimer Erkrankten steigt. Am 21. September ist Welt-Alzheimertag. Ein Tag, der Betroffene in den Mittelpunkt stellt. more

• 19.09.2019

  Media Report (in German): Rätselhaftes Vergessen - neue Hoffnung bei Alzheimer

  3Sat / ZDF - Alzheimer ist mit über weltweit 30 Millionen Betroffenen die Hauptursache für Demenz. Das jüngste Scheitern einer Studie stellt die bisherigen Theorien zur Entstehung von Alzheimer infrage. more

• 17.09.2019

  Media Report (in German): SyNergy-Mitglied Christian Haass im Interview zum Welt-Alzheimertag

  Pharma Fakten - Welt-Alzheimertag: „Die Behandlung erfolgt zu spät“ more

• 10.09.2019

  Media Report: New Study Points to Targetable Protective Factor in Alzheimer’s Disease

  NIH Director's Blog - posted on September 10th, 2019 by Dr. Francis Collins more

• 05.09.2019

  Press Release: SyNergy member F.-Ulrich Hartl receives Breakthrough Prize 2020

  The biochemist Hartl and the geneticist Horwich are honored with the world’s highest science prize for their groundbreaking discovery of the protein folding, assistans, chaperones. more

• 29.08.2019

  Press Release: Protective immune response in the brain?

  SyNergy member Christian Haass and Michael Ewers have identified a factor that might possibly delay the emergence and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. more

• 09.08.2019

  Press Release: Cause of early cellular dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease recognized for the first time

  Direct toxic action of beta-amyloid identified more

• 31.07.2019

  Press Release: Vaccinations not a risk factor for multiple sclerosis

  Big-data analysis shows no correlation between vaccinations and MS more

• 12.07.2019

  Press Release: The nucleolus – a known organelle with new tasks

  The nucleolus is a well-known cellular structure that is easily visible under a light microscope. This nuclear structure is known as the site of ribosome production. In a recent study, researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry including SyNergy member F.-Ulrich Hartl in Martinsried, Germany, have shown that the nucleolus is also a site of quality control for proteins. When cells are stressed, proteins tend to misfold and to aggregate. To prevent proteins from clumping, some are temporarily stored in the nucleolus. The special biophysical conditions found in this organelle prevent harmful protein aggregation. The results of this study have now been published in the journal Science. more

• 10.07.2019

  Press Release: “Hartwig Piepenbrock-DZNE Prize” for SyNergy member Christian Haass

  This year’s “Hartwig Piepenbrock-DZNE Prize”, which is endowed with 60,000 euros, goes to the Munich biochemist and Alzheimer’s researcher Christian Haass. The prize is awarded by the company Piepenbrock and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE). Haass is a professor at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich and site speaker for the DZNE Munich. more

• 09.07.2019

  Media Report (in German): SyNergy-Mitglied Christian Haass in BR Gesundheit

  Bayerischer Rundfunk - SyNergy-Mitglied Christian Haass in der Sendung Gesundheit! (ab 11:35 Min.) more

• 28.06.2019

  Media Report (in German): SyNergy-Mitglied Christian Haass in Planet Wissen

  Bayerischer Rundfunk - SyNergy-Mitglied Christian Haass in der Sendung Planet Wissen more

• 25.06.2019

  Press Release (in German): SyNergy-Mitglied Monika Leischner erhält Preis „Forcheurs Jean-Marie Lehn“ 2019

  Der Preis Forcheurs Jean-Marie Lehn wurde am 24. Juni 2019 überreicht an SyNergy-Mitglied Monika Leischner-Brill, Post-Doktorandin am Institut für Zellbiologie des Nervensystems der Technischen Universität München (TUM) und Magda Magiera, Post-Doktorandin am Curie-Institut für ihre Arbeiten zum „Tubulin-Code und seine Funktionen im Nervensystem“. more

• 03.06.2019

  Press Release: Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research for SyNergy member F.-Ulrich Hartl

  SyNergy member F.-Ulrich Hartl, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, and Arthur Horwich of Yale School of Medicine and Howard Hughes Medical Institute were named winners of the 2019 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research. more

• 31.05.2019

  Press Release: SyNergy member Matthias Tschöp receives the highest honor from the German Diabetes Association

  The 2019 Paul Langerhans Medal goes to Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Matthias Tschöp. The German Diabetes Association (DDG) is thereby paying tribute to Tschöp’s contributions to research in the field of diabetes and to the development of new drug candidates for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The Langerhans Medal is the highest award conferred by the German Diabetes Association. Named after the physician Paul Langerhans, the medal has been awarded to leading international researchers in diabetology for over 40 years. more

• 03.05.2019

  Press Release: Multiple sclerosis - Prominent antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid

  Possible biomarkers for early progression of disability identified more

• 21.02.2019

  Press Release: AKNA flips the switch

  Regenerative medicine hopes to use stem cells to repair organs. Scientists at LMU and the Helmholtz Zentrum München have now identified the protein AKNA as a key regulator of neural stem cell behavior, and elucidated its mode of action. more

• 18.02.2019

  Press Release: Loss of identity in immune cells explained

  Inflammation: Study explains loss of protective abilities of T cells more

• 16.01.2019

  Press Release: Two SyNergy members awarded with Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize

  SyNergy member Franz-Ulrich Hartl won the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize and SyNergy member Dorothee Dormann the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize for Young Researchers 2019. more

• 08.01.2019

  Press Release: Immune cell defect stimulates Alzheimer’s

  Defects in the geneTREM2 are linked to increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The gene is required to activate immune cells called microglia in the brain, which help to eliminate the neurotoxic deposits that are typical of the disease. more

• 01.12.2018

  Media Report (in German): SyNergy-Mitglied Christian Haass - Erforscher des Vergessens

  Helmholtz Perspektiven - SyNergy-Mitglied Christian Haass ist ein Pionier der Demenzforschung. Gerade gewann der Molekularbiologe den renommierten Brain Prize – und will jetzt am Münchner Standort des DZNE einen therapeutischen Ansatz entwickeln. more

• 01.12.2018

  Media Report: 3D-bioprinted human organs

  IZB in Dialog: SyNergy member Dr. Ali Ertürk developed a new technology for imaging single cells and molecules in the intact body. This technology can be a key to combine nanotechnology and AI to accelerate biomedical research. more

• 28.11.2018

  Press Release: SyNergy member Christian Haass among highly cited authors

  SyNergy member Christian Haass is among the authors listed in “Highly Cited Researchers 2018”. The ranking is based on an analysis of the citation history of scholarly publications, and covers the Natural, Social and Medical Sciences. more

• 08.11.2018

  Press Release: Damage in MS from B cells in meninges

  Accumulation of B cells triggers nervous system damage in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) more

• 13.10.2018

  Tag der offenen Tür 13.10.2018

  Der SyNergy-Cluster lädt ein zum Tag der offenen Tür 2018 auf dem Forschungscampus Garching more

• 28.09.2018

  Press Release: SyNergy member Magdalena Götz receives the IRP Schellenberg Research Prize

  Every two years, the International Foundation for Research in Paraplegia (IRP) awards the IRP Schellenberg Research Prize endowed with a prize money of 100,000 CHF. 2018 it was distributed in equal shares to SyNergy member Professor Magdalena Götz, from the Helmholtz Zentrum München, and Professor Claire Jacob, from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. more

• 27.09.2018

  Press Release: SyNergy succeeded!

  The first funding decisions in the context of the Excellence Strategy have been announced. Four Clusters of Excellence including the Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) submitted by LMU and TUM were successful and will receive funding from 2019 on. more

• 30.07.2018

  Press Release (in German): SyNergy-Mitglied Arthur Liesz wirbt prestigeträchtigen Starting-Grant des Europäischen Forschungsrats ein.

  Zehn Nachwuchswissenschaftlerinnen und -wissenschaftler verschiedener Disziplinen haben gemeinsam mit der LMU je einen Starting-Grant des Europäischen Forschungsrats (ERC) für ihre Forschung eingeworben. Die Projektförderung beträgt jeweils etwa 1,5 Millionen Euro. Sie wird anhand der wissenschaftlichen Exzellenz der Antragsteller sowie des beantragten Projekts vergeben und zählt zu den angesehensten Forschungsförderungen in Europa. more

• 18.07.2018

  Media Report: The history of Alzheimer's research - winners of The Brain Prize 2018

  The Brain Prize for 2018 is awarded to Bart De Strooper, Michel Goedert, Christian Haass, and John Hardy 'for their groundbreaking research on the genetic and molecular basis of Alzheimer’s disease, with far-reaching implications for the development of new therapeutic interventions as well as for the understanding of other neurodegenerative diseases of the brain'. more

• 18.07.2018

  Media Report: The Brain Prize Award Ceremony 2018

  The Lundbeck Foundation more

• 07.07.2018

  SoapboxScience

  Soapbox Science 2018 Munich - supported by SyNergy more

• 29.05.2018

  Media Report (in German): Wie man das Gehirn auch retten kann

  Unser Körper, der Baukasten: Ob Auge, Herz oder Niere, beinahe alles kann ersetzt werden. Nicht jedoch das Gehirn. SyNergy Mitglied Magdalena Götz und ihre Kollegen wollen das ändern. Ist auch das Hirn bald ersetzbar? more

• 18.05.2018

  Press Release: Flow of cerebrospinal fluid regulates neural stem cell division

  Stem cells in the brain can divide and mature into neurons participating in various brain functions, including memory. In a paper published in the journal ‘Cell Stem Cell’, scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) including SyNergy members Magdalena Götz and Benedikt Grothe have shown how this works. They found that ion channels play a key role in mediating force signals to the neural stem cells to activate them. more

• 09.05.2018

  Press Release: DZNE scientist receives „Brain Prize“

  SyNergy Member Christian Haass, speaker of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Munich site and Professor at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, received the “Brain Prize” in Copenhagen on May 9th. more

• 07.05.2018

  Media Report (in German): Brain Prize für Christian Haass

  Deutsche Welle - SyNergy Mitglied Christian Haass ist einer der angesehensten Alzheimer-Forscher der Welt, dabei wollte er ursprünglich mal Ornithologe werden. Nun macht er beides - und wird mit dem bedeutendsten Preis für Hirnforschung ausgezeichnet. more

• 07.05.2018

  Media Report (in German): Alzheimer - Demenzforschung zwischen Frust und Fortschritt

  Der Tagesspiegel - Tests und Theorien zur Entstehung gibt es, doch wirksame Medikamente gegen Alzheimer fehlen immer noch. more

• 05.05.2018 – 06.05.2018

  StreetScience at Streetlife Festival

  Mit Beteiligung des Munich Clusters for Systems Neurology. more

• 01.05.2018

  Media Report (in German): Neurowissenschaften, klinischer Teil

  Laborjournal: Publikationsanalyse 2012 - 2016 - Neurowissenschaften, klinischer Teil more

• 19.04.2018

  Press Release: Deadly droplets

  LMU researchers including SyNergy Member Dorothee Dormann have characterized the mechanism that initiates the pathological aggregation of the protein FUS, which plays a central role in two distinct neurodegenerative diseases. more

• 13.04.2018

  Media Report (in German): Ein Riesending

  Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German) - SyNergy-Mitglied Christian Haass enthält international bedeutenden Preis auf dem Gebiet der Molekularbiologie more

• 01.04.2018

  Media Report (in German): Humangenetik

  Laborjournal: Publikationsanalyse 2012 - 2016 - Humangenetik more

• 12.03.2018

  Press Release: 32 hits

  Researchers including SyNergy Member Martin Dichgans have analyzed genetic data from half a million subjects in a search to identify the underlying causes of stroke, a complex vascular disease. Scientists at LMU led the the huge collaborative Project. more

• 06.03.2018

  Media Report: British scientist shares million euro award for Alzheimer’s research

  iNews: It is the world’s most prestigious neuroscience award. more

• 06.03.2018

  Media Report: Alzheimer’s disease will become manageable like HIV, say award-winning scientists

  The Telegraph: Alzheimer’s sufferers may be able to live with the disease without the devastating symptoms within the next few decades, scientists including SyNergy member Christian Haass said as they were awarded the Brain Prize for their work fighting the illness. more

• 06.03.2018

  Media Report (in German): Brain Prize 2018 - Gedächtnis gelöscht

  Laborjournal - Der renomierte „Brain Prize“ geht dieses Jahr an SyNergy-Mitglied Christian Haass. more

• 06.03.2018

  Media Report: Pioneering dementia scientists including SyNergy member Christian Haass received the world’s most prestigious prize in neuroscience

  The Guardian: Prize winner Prof John Hardy to donate prize money to anti-Brexit Group. more

• 06.03.2018

  Press Release: SyNergy member Christian Haass receives "Brain Prize"

  Denmark‘s Lundbeck Foundation honors SyNergy member Christian Haass - together with colleagues in the UK and Belgium – for his groundbreaking work on the genetic and molecular bases of Alzheimer’s disease. more

• 06.03.2018

  Media Report (in German): Der aus Mannheim stammende Alzheimer-Forscher Christian Haass erhält „Brain Prize 2018“

  Mannheimer Morgen: „Der Preis ist ein Hammer!“, meint SyNergy-Mitglied und Preisträger Christian Haass. more

• 06.03.2018

  Media Report (in German): Revolutionäre Erkenntnisse

  SZ.de: "Brain Prize" geht an Ickinger Biochemiker und SyNergy-Mitglied Christian Haass. more

• 06.03.2018

  Media Report (in German): Renommierter Medizinpreis geht an Ickinger Professor

  Münchner Merkur: Für seine Erforschung der Alzheimer-Erkrankung erhält der Ickinger Prof. Dr. Christian Haass mit drei weiteren Neurowissenschaftlern den „Brain Prize 2018“. Es ist der weltweit bedeutendste Preis für Hirnforschung. more

• 06.03.2018

  Media Report: Alzheimer's researchers win brain prize

  BBC News: Four dementia scientists including SyNergy member Christian Haass have shared this year's 1m Euro brain prize for pivotal work that has changed our understanding of Alzheimer's disease. more

• 14.02.2018

  Press Release: First-ever “live” observation of formation and repair of myelin sheaths around nerve fibers

  Nerve fibers are surrounded by a myelin sheath. Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now made the first-ever “live” observations of how this protective layer is formed. The team with SyNergy Member Tim Czopka discovered that the characteristic patterns of the myelin layer are determined at an early stage. However, these patterns can be adjusted as needed in a process apparently controlled by the nerve cells themselves. more

• 05.02.2018

  Media Report (in German): Interview der Süddeutschen Zeitung mit SyNergy Mitglied Prof. Dr. Christian Haass

  Der weltgrößte Pharmakonzern gibt die Suche nach einem Alzheimermedikament auf. Demenzforscher wie Christian Haass stehen unter Druck wie nie. Ein Gespräch über Fortschritte, Rückschläge und persönliche Angriffe. more

• 04.01.2018

  Press Release: Multiple sclerosis - Cholesterol crystals prevent regeneration in the central nervous system

  Lipid metabolism controls regeneration in the central nervous system more