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Over the last five years the new CRISPR-Cas genome editing tool has revolutionized molecular biology. The new technique allows for completely new ways of genetic engineering with relatively little effort at all. Based on this method a team of researchers headed by Andreas Houben at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) in Gatersleben and Holger Puchta from the Botanical Institute of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology developed a method to visualize defined genomic sequences in living plant cells.

Resurrecting formerly extinct animal species has been a utopian dream for many researchers, and even Hollywood used this idea to resurrect dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. As implausible and surreal it may seem – scientifically speaking we’re not that far off from being able to bring back extinct species. The recent huge breakthroughs in the area of genetic engineering and stem cell biology have turned this utopia into a not-so-distant reality.

The “International Conference on Bio-based Materials” is a well-established meeting point for companies working in the field of bio-based chemicals and materials. For the tenth year in a row the conference was held this year on May 10 and 11 in Cologne. Almost 200 participants, particularly experts from the chemical and plastics industry met at the event organized by Nova institute.

For the sixth time the “International Bioeconomy Conference” took place in Halle (Saale). The event was organized by ScienceCampus Halle – plant-based bioeconomy, and the leading edge "Cluster BioEconomy“, this year in cooperation with the partner country France. The venue for this year's conference on May 10 and 11 was the renowned German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. The goal of the meeting: linking current scientific break-throughs with future industrial applications.

If drops of water roll off a surface this effect is known as the lotus effect. It is caused by specific surface structures, and industry often applies this effect to protect textiles or building surfaces. But bacteria and bacterial biofilms also produce this water-repellent surface, which makes them extremely difficult to clean off. Oliver Lieleg, Professor of Biomechanics at the Munich School of BioEngineering, and his colleagues investigated the underlying physical mechanisms that cause the resilience of bacterial biofilms.

The Priority Programs (PP) are a good way to gauge to future of basic research. Typically, PPs are multidisciplinary research projects assessing current topics with state-of-the-art methodologies. Supporting junior researchers and fostering gender equality are important aspects regarding the decision-making process on which PPs will get funded. Including the recently announced PP there are currently 97 PPs being funded by the DFG.

The CRISPR-Cas system is a revolutionary and unique genome editing tool. It is the basis for countless new molecular research projects. And especially the applied research in the biotechnology sector is benefiting from the new approach – which is why it is being hailed as a remarkable breakthrough worldwide. There are currently a number of global projects underway that are investigating how best to apply the genome editing tool – medical researchers and plant breeding programs alike are testing and applying the new method.

April 22 has been dubbed “Earth Day” since 1970, when millions of Americans first demonstrated for a healthy and sustainable environment. Since then the movement has only grown and taken on major issues such as global warming and clean energy.

Creative minds often lack funds to turn their ideas into reality. Among start-ups, crowdfunding has now established itself as an alternative method of investment, complementing more traditional sources of funding.

The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is an invasive species that is present in pioneering populations in Southern Germany. The eastern grey squirrel, originally from North America, was introduced to various locations worldwide, including the UK, where it has largely displaced the native red squirrel. The many-leaved lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) is extensively used in mountain hay meadows in the The Katzbach Mountains in Poland. In Europe, this species has been planted as a fodder crop and as an ornamental, and is now widely naturalized.