RESEARCH Most infectious bacteria and viruses bind to sugars on the surface of our cells. Now researchers from the University of Copenhagen have created a library of tens of thousands of natural cells containing all the sugars found on the surface of our cells. The library may help us understand the role played by sugars and their receptors in the immune system and the brain, the researchers behind the study explain.
CORONAVIRUS A new study with the University of Copenhagen represented indicates that the coronavirus variant called P.1, which originated in Brazil, could pose a bigger threat than previously assumed. The researchers conclude that it is likely that P.1 is more transmissible than other strains of SARS-Cov2 and that might be able to evade immunity gained from previous infection with coronavirus.
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM In a new study, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have gained new insights into how signal molecules are transported in some of the longest cells in the nervous system. The discovery is made by examining the transport process in fruit flies. The researchers hope that the results can contribute to understanding human illnesses such as neuropathy and neurodegenerative disease.
RESEARCH Scientists at the University of Copenhagen have characterized lower brainstem cell populations in mice that seem to play a key role in regulating appetite and obesity. Their ‘unbiased’ approach identified the cell populations responsible for regulating appetite using a data science approach to integrate single-cell sequencing with human genetics data. The scientists believe the approach will unlock more secrets about the neurological control of appetite and energy balance.
RESEARCH Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have made the first ever global assessment map of how future climate and land-use change impacts genetic diversity in mammals. The researchers hope the map will assist policy makers in prioritizing which areas should be preserved first.
ESSENTIAL TREMOR Medical cannabis can reduce essential tremor in mice. By injecting a specific synthetic cannabinoid into the spinal cord of mice suffering from essential tremor, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have shown that the drug can reduce involuntary shaking – as the cannabinoid activates a particular type of cell, the so-called astrocytes.
FATHERS Conceiving a child becomes more difficult with age. Nevertheless, a lot of young men postpone having their first child. New research shows that these men postpone starting a family because they want to do things in the ‘right order’ and, among other things, fear losing their friends in the process.
PROTEOMICS Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have developed a first-of-its-kind method called Deep Visual Proteomics. It allows them to combine the visual features of cells with their underlying molecular profile, giving the researchers an unprecedented insight into diseases such as cancer.
WATER WORLDS According to a new study from the University of Copenhagen, Earth, Venus and Mars were created from small dust particles containing ice and carbon. The discovery opens up the possibility that the Milky Way may be filled with aquatic planets.
MISDIAGNOSIS Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have developed an algorithm that can identify patients who may have been wrongly diagnosed. With the help of digital disease history, the algorithm is able to register disease trajectories that differ so much from normal trajectories that there may be a misdiagnosis. The algorithm has been developed on the basis of data from several hundreds of thousands of COPD patients.
DENTAL HEALTH New research from the University of Copenhagen shows an increased risk of bacterial contamination in donated blood if the donor suffers from periodontitis. Still, it is considered safe to receive a blood transfusion, the researchers emphasize. However, the results indicate reviewing the screening approach.
RESEARCH Malaria is one of the most common causes of death in children in Africa and is triggered by a small parasite that lives in the blood. When the parasite builds up in the blood vessels of the brain, it develops into one of the most dangerous forms of the disease, cerebral malaria. So far, it has been the understanding that the malaria parasite was not able to penetrate the actual brain tissue, but now researchers from the University of Copenhagen have found malaria parasites can do that and have mapped the mechanism they utilise.
CORONA VIRUS People under 30 and people with a history of mental illness experience the highest levels of loneliness and anxiety during COVID-19 lockdown. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and their international collaborators investigate how mental health is affected by the pandemic across Europe.
CANCER The enzymes in human cells known as histone deacetylases, or HDACs, are targets for a handful of anticancer drugs because of their ability to affect gene expression. Now, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have developed a new method to investigate how these enzymes work on a molecular level. This new method can also help identify more precise possible anti-cancer drug candidates at a very high pace.
RESEARCH The intestines and their bacteria are sometimes called our ’second brain’, but studying these bacteria in their natural environment is difficult. Now researchers from the University of Copenhagen have developed a method that uses artificial intelligence to map intestinal bacteria using faeces. The researchers thus hope to gain more knowledge of the role played by these bacteria in various diseases.
CLIMATE We know very little about marine life in the Arctic. Now researchers from the University of Copenhagen, among others, are trying to change that. They have shown that a simple water sample makes it possible to monitor the presence, migration patterns and genetic diversity of bowhead whales in an otherwise hard-to-reach area. The method can be used to understand how climate changes and human activities impact life in the oceans.
A new study shows that wild Atlantic salmon has an unique and surprisingly stable microbiome in their guts. This new knowledge can improve the large salmon industry and make it more sustainable.
Certain plants pose a valuable medicinal resource. However, many species are threatened by changes in climate and land use. To sustainably exploit the plants' potential in global health care systematic and transdisciplinary research is highly important, argues a group of researchers, including Dr. Spyros Theodoridis and Professor David Nogués-Bravo, in a new publication.
In a new study led by Postdoc Ryan Germain from the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate (CMEC), researchers have managed to identify the trait combinations and sets in birds associated with long-term population declines and sensitivity to warming climate conditions.
Two-million-year-old DNA has been identified for the first time - opening a ‘game-changing’ new chapter in the history of evolution. Microscopic fragments of environmental DNA were found in Ice Age sediment in northern Greenland. Using cutting-edge technology, researchers discovered the fragments are one million years older than the previous record for DNA sampled from a Siberian mammoth bone.