Using optogenetics, Würzburg researchers have detected a new acid sensor in plant cells that is addressing a cell-internal calcium store, as they report in the journal "Science".

Plants in which an ion channel of the vacuole is hyperactive are extremely stressed and grow poorly. But the broad bean is an exception, as Würzburg researchers have discovered.

A new study by Würzburg botanist Kenji Fukushima shows the role of subgenome dominance for plants in the evolutionary development of special traits, such as a carnivorous lifestyle.

Their work is most frequently cited in publications of other scientists. Researchers from the University of Würzburg are therefore included in the Highly Cited Researchers 2023 list.

In an emergency, ants bite off injured limbs of fellow ants to ensure their survival. Whether they take this radical step depends on the location of the wound.

The University of Würzburg is part of a new Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) in which innovative therapeutic strategies against cancer are being sought. Another CRC with Würzburg participation will be extended.

Christian Hof is head of the new Chair of Global Change Ecology at the University of Würzburg. His research focuses on how climate change and human activities affect species and biodiversity.

Researchers at the University of Würzburg have discovered a new function of the oncoprotein MYCN: It not only helps cancer cells to grow stronger, but also makes them more resistant to drugs.