ACTIVE SITES members Anzhela Galstyan and Stephan Barcikowski are involved in a new research project focusing on proton therapy for the treatment of cancer. The German Research Foundation (DFG) has approved the establishment of the Research Training Group 3043 “AMTEC-PRO” at TU Dortmund University and the University of Duisburg-Essen. New approaches at the interface of physics, chemistry and medicine are being developed to reduce side effects and improve therapeutic outcomes. These include the use of nanoparticles as local sensitizers to increase reactive oxygen species in irradiated cells and the subsequent characterization of the induced molecular mechanisms. For more information read the UDE Press release.

The picture shows a confocal image of treated cells who were labelled with flourescent biomarkers to monitor cell viability (scale bar is 50 µm).

[24.10.2024] Theoretical chemist Kai Exner has been awarded this year's Gottschalk-Diederich-Baedeker Prize. His basic research into electrocatalysts is making a significant contribution to advancing the energy transition. The prize, which is endowed with 5,000 euros was handed over by Essen's Lord Mayor Thomas Kufen. Read UDE Press Release here (in German)

Pictured (from left to right):
Laudator Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stephan Barcikowski, Mayor Thomas Kufen, award winner Prof. Dr. Kai S. Exner, Board of Trustees PD Dr. Kathrin Sutter, Rector Prof. Dr. Barbara Albert

[07.09.2024] With more than 7000 strains, the UDE's scientific algae collection is one of the largest in the world. The diversity of their metabolic properties is enormous. An interdisciplinary team of researchers from UDE and the Westphalian University of Applied Sciences has now successfully acquired research project funding from the renowned Joint Genome Institute of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Department of Energy in the USA, to fully sequence this scientific treasure. By decoding the algae DNA, the researchers hope to gain new insights into evolution, symbiosis with bacteria and viruses and their role in the ecosystem. Among other things, algae convert carbon dioxide into organic material and thus make an important contribution to the Earth's carbon cycle. With their ability to bind carbon dioxide, algae also help to mitigate climate change. In addition, the comparative analysis of their genomes will make it possible to decipher new biological mechanisms that are important for understanding molecular and cellular processes and for the development of bioproducts.

“The idea to sequence the UDE algae collection arose during a delegation trip to Berkeley in February this year when important points of contact between the institutes were identified,” says Alexander Probst, who is now also an Affiliate Scientist at the Joint Genome Institute of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. This project strengthens the close cooperation between Berkeley and Essen. A Memorandum of Understanding for further cooperation has already been signed for the new ACTIVE SITES research building at UDE and for the Center for Water and Environmental Research. The sequencing of the algae collection marks the first step in a long-term collaboration between the institutes and offers great potential for the internationally renowned water research at the UDE.

Read UDE Press Release here (in German):

[17.04.2024] The University of Duisburg-Essen marked the start of the new ACTIVE SITES research center with a scientific kick-off event. Prof. Dr. Astrid Westendorf, Vice-Rector for Research at UDE, opened the program with a welcoming address. She emphasized that ACTIVE SITES is an important milestone for top international research at the University of Duisburg-Essen and also plays an important role in the water excellence cluster application REASONS.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stephan Barcikowski, spokesperson for ACTIVE SITES, began by summarizing the objectives of the research center and presenting the disciplines involved, which use their combined expertise to investigate the processes at the active centers of ultrafast and dynamic chemical reactions in their respective functional environment. In a series of presentations, the challenges and opportunities of the different research areas Preparation, Operando and Ambience were discussed. Read more

[Berkeley, 29.02.2024] In a two-day kick-off meeting at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) collaboration in the areas of genomics, structural biology, bioimaging and water research were intensified. The meeting was attended by key representatives from the DOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI), the Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging (MBIB) Division and the Energy Storage & Distributed Resources Division of Berkeley Lab. Nine UDE scientists traveled to San Francisco Bay as representatives of ACTIVE SITES (ASC), the Center for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU) and the One Health Ruhr (OHR) research center. Read more about the LBNL-Visit.

Participants included Alexander Probst, Stephan Barcikowski, Lydia Didt, Anzhela Galstyan, Shirley Knauer, Beate Krok, Oliver J. Schmitz, and Kathrin Thedieck from UDE, alongside Nigel Mouncey, Hoi-Ying Holman and Tanja Woyke, Lauren Belisario, Greg Hura, Jan Kern, Nikos Kyrpides, Trent Northen, Robert Kostecki, Susan Tsutakawa, Junko Yano, and Petrus Zwart from Berkeley Lab.

[23.02.2024] Our multidisciplinary UDE delegation with members of the research centers ACTIVE SITES, ZWU and One Health met with Parag Vaishampayan and his team of the Space Biosciences Division at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley. Together we held a one-day workshop to explore potential research collaborations for the development of methods in the fields of nanoscience, biology and water research. The presentations and lab tour gave us a closer look at NASA's cutting-edge programs, like the Space Biology Program, the Human Research Program, and the Open Science Program OSDR. Numerous scientific topics and synergies for potential future project collaborations were identified.