Leibniz Association: News

Histology of the humerus (upper arm bone) of an adult Dimetrodon teutonis

How big predators became small
07/07/2026 · Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science

Long before dinosaurs dominated the earth, early relatives of mammals adapted flexibly to their environment—including in terms of growth.

Fat molecules enhance immune response
07/07/2026 · Research Center Borstel - Leibniz Lung Center

Bound fat molecules could explain why plant allergens trigger particularly severe reactions in some people.

Alfried Krupp Prize for Leibniz Physicist
07/06/2026 · DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials

Raphael Wittkowski has been awarded the 2026 Alfried Krupp Prize, one of Germany’s most prestigious scientific honours, for his research into active soft matter.

A new build with a tree and a meadow in front of it

A home for biodiversity
07/01/2026 · Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries

Freie Universität Berlin and the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries opened their new collaborative building for biodiversity research in Berlin Dahlem.

Help for lakes
06/30/2026 · Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries

Murky water, algae blooms: a new guide explains what to do when a lake is in poor condition.

Unexpected ally
06/30/2026 · Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology

Baking yeast could help in the treatment of persistent fungal infections: it weakens pathogens and reduces inflammation.

Forgotten Nature
06/29/2026 · Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research

Daisies, dandelions, blackbirds, sparrows – and that’s about it. Young adults are significantly less familiar with typical species in their surroundings

Active ingredients in focus
06/26/2026 · Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology

Whether a medicine is beneficial or harmful often depends on its concentration in the blood. A new sensor surface detects active substances directly in blood plasma.

Take a deep breath!
06/23/2026 · German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam–Rehbruecke

Targeted control of human breathing rhythm can influence decision behavior by modulating heart and brain function.

An event venue with an audience, a stage and a speaker

FIRST by FMD
06/22/2026 · FMP | FBH

A new high-level trend forum for microelectronics brings together leading representatives from industry, research, and policy.

In the shadow of selection
06/22/2026 · Leibniz Institute on Aging—Fritz Lipmann Institute

Ever more people are living long enough to experience the late-life costs of a biology that evolution optimised for youth.

A white marine creature, perhaps a jellyfish

Blue planet, white spot
05/29/2026 · Senckenberg Society for Nature Research

A global study reveals significant gaps in our understanding of marine biodiversity: more than half of the world’s oceans have not yet been adequately explored.

An elderly couple crossing a zebra crossing together

Unraveling the mystery of aging
05/27/2026 · Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute

As we get older, we lose energy and resilience. Researchers have investigated the role played by the cell membrane lipid phosphatidylcholine in this process — and have identified a potential approach to healthy aging.

Well connected
05/27/2026 · Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry

Plants use a molecular switch to decide whether to form a symbiotic relationship with soil fungi. This newly discovered mechanism could help to shape more sustainable agriculture in the future.

Blind spot in the climate model
05/22/2026 · Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research

In polluted cities such as Delhi or Cairo, aerosol particles bind significantly more water than previously thought. This could explain why parts of Asia and Africa are warming more slowly than the global average.

A view from behind of a person in a white protective suit walking down a corridor with a clipboard in their hand

New drug for Lassa fever
05/19/2026 · Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine

Every year, up to 300,000 people in West Africa contract the dangerous Lassa fever. A new active ingredient could improve treatment and reduce mortality.

Where microalgae go carnivorous to win
05/15/2026 · Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde

Plankton in the Amazon river plume harbors remarkable nutritional all-rounders that simultaneously perform photosynthesis and hunt for prey.

Model organism: thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana)

"Off switch" speeds up breeding process
05/15/2026 · Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research

A targeted "off-switch" in the egg cell could significantly speed up the breeding of climate-adapted plant varieties.

Three CT scans showing the regression of the bone lesions.

Progress in immunotherapy
05/11/2026 · Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy

CAR T stem memory cells achieve complete remissions at low doses without prior chemotherapy.

[Translate to english:] Grafik mit Nanobody und Chloridkanal

Nanobody repairs cellular defect
04/27/2026 · Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie

A tiny antibody component could fundamentally transform the treatment of cystic fibrosis.