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mdc-berlin.bsky.social
Max Delbrück Center
@mdc-berlin.bsky.social
2.5K followers 640 following 360 posts
Discovery for tomorrow's medicine | Systems Medicine & Cardiovascular Diseases

Imprint/privacy: https://www.mdc-berlin.de
Netiquette: https://www.mdc-berlin.de/netiquette

News: https://www.mdc-berlin.de/news
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/school/mdcberlin
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mdc-berlin.bsky.social
🌍 Global recognition for two #mdcBerlin scientists!

Friedemann Paul and Nikolaus Rajewsky are listed among Clarivate’s #HighlyCited2025 researchers for their influential work in neuroimmunology and systems biology.

👉 More information: www.mdc-berlin.de/news/news/in... 👈
Graphic with images and text: The image is divided into two sections. The top half features a dark abstract background with curved, multicolored light patterns. In the top left, white all-capital sans-serif text appears on light blue rectangular backgrounds and reads: “OUR HIGHLY CITED RESEARCHERS 2025.” In the top right, a purple banner with white text reads: “Highly Cited Researcher 2025 – Clarivate.” The bottom half displays two portrait photos side by side: the left shows a man with short gray hair, glasses, and a black sweater against a light background; the right shows a man with short gray hair in a dark blue shirt, posing with a hand on his chin against a dark background.
November 14, 2025 at 4:31 PM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
📣 Applying for an #ERC grant?

Join us at #CampusBuch on November 19 (9:30–11 a.m.) for a talk by Dr. Martin Penny from the @erc.europa.eu Executive Agency on #ERC funding opportunities and evaluation procedures.

👉 More information: www.mdc-berlin.de/news/events/...
Graphic announcing a talk: The image has a white background with a blue border. On the left is a portrait photo of a person [Martin Penny] in a blue shirt and tie, framed in dark blue. To the right of the photo, the name “MARTIN PENNY” is written in all-capital white sans-serif text on blue rectangular text boxes. Below, large dark blue sans-serif text reads: “ERC Funding Opportunities and Evaluation Procedures.” At the bottom are the logos of the European Research Council (ERC) and the Max Delbrück Center, separated by a thin black vertical line.
November 13, 2025 at 5:45 PM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
👏 A huge thank you to everyone who made the @eara.eu Conference 2025 – “Shaping the Future of Animal Research Communication” a success – and to all our participants and speakers: safe travels home!

Two days of discussions, new ideas, and networking – see you next time!

#mdcBerlin | #EARA2025
The image shows a large group photo taken outdoors in front of a building. Several dozen conference participants are gathered, many wearing name badges and lanyards, posing for the camera in daylight.
November 7, 2025 at 5:46 PM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
Impressions from #EARA2025's "Session 6: Transparency and openness in animal research." Take a look! 👇👇

Our panelists come from various backgrounds, including patient engagement, institutional and industry communicators, and advocacy groups.

#mdcBerlin | @eara.eu | @tvvde.bsky.social
The image shows a speaker standing behind a lectern labeled “EARA Conference 2025 – Session 6: Transparency and Openness in Animal Research,” addressing an audience seated in a lecture hall. A small table with bottles and glasses is visible off to the side. The image captures the same session from the audience's perspective, with a person in the foreground watching a panel of six speakers seated on stage in front of a large projected screen displaying the session title and conference branding. The image provides a close-up view of three of the panelists. One speaker is holding a microphone while the others listen. Bottles of water and glasses are placed on side tables next to them. The image is a wide-angle view of a lecture hall, showing the full panel of six speakers on stage and a large audience seated in tiered rows. The presentation screen prominently displays the session topic and logos of participating institutions.
November 7, 2025 at 1:02 PM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
It's a wrap – day 1️⃣ of #EARA2025 is in the books!

We've enjoyed another set of flash talks, a round table on communicating legal frameworks and ethics, a poster session, and the evening keynote by Lucie Côté from RI-MUHC, the first non-European @eara.eu member.

Take a look! 👇👇 #mdcBerlin
The image captures a wide view of an auditorium during a panel discussion. A large projected screen displays the session title: “Session 4: Communicating Ethics and Legal Frameworks.” Five people are seated on stage in front of a full audience. The image is from a poster session, showing close interaction between a presenter and a viewer. The presenter is gesturing, and attendees around them are closely observing and engaging with the displays. The image shows another view of the poster session. Attendees are gathered in a bright hallway, standing in small groups and discussing scientific posters mounted on large display boards. Some people are holding drinks or tote bags. The first image shows a keynote speaker standing at a lectern, delivering a talk with a presentation projected behind her. The screen on the lectern displays the event branding: “EARA Conference 2025” and the text “Keynote: Lucie Côté.” A laptop and cables are visible on the lectern's surface.
November 6, 2025 at 6:45 PM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
Lively discussions at the @eara.eu conference 2025 continued with Session 1: "Effective Science Communication and Media."

Great energy inside and outside #mdcBerlin's conference center on #CampusBuch – from engaging panels and flash talks to exhibition and lunch break moments. 👇👇 #EARA2025
Large group photo taken outdoors in front of a building. Several dozen of conference participants are gathered, many wearing name badges and lanyards, posing for the camera in daylight. The image shows a panel discussion on a stage with five seated speakers and a lectern displaying the session title “EARA Conference 2025 – Session 1: Effective Science Communication and Media.” One speaker is speaking into a microphone while the audience listens from tiered seating. The image is a wide view of the same auditorium showing a large screen with the conference branding: “EARA Conference 2025 – Shaping the Future of Animal Research Communication, 6–7 November 2025, Berlin, Germany.” The panel is visible on stage, and the room is filled with attendees. The image shows a busy indoor exhibition and lunch area with people interacting at display booths and standing tables. The room is brightly lit with banners, promotional materials, and refreshments visible throughout the space.
November 6, 2025 at 1:16 PM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
The @eara.eu Conference 2025: “Shaping the Future of Animal Research Communication” is underway at #mdcBerlin!

Our Scientific Director, Maike Sander, welcomed participants to #CampusBuch, and Fiona Fox, Chief Executive of the UK Science Media Centre, just finished today's first keynote. #EARA2025
The image captures a speaker [Fiona Fox] behind the a lectern, presenting to attendees. A cup and glass of water rest on the lectern, and an audience member is visible blurred in the foreground. The image provides a wide view of a lecture hall filled with seated participants watching a presentation projected onto a large screen. The slide on the screen contains text related to animal research statistics and communication strategies. The room has wood-paneled walls, tiered seating, and a modern academic atmosphere. The image shows a speaker [Maike Sander] standing beside a lectern, holding a microphone and addressing an audience. The lectern features a screen with the conference branding and slogan: “EARA Conference 2025, 6–7 November 2025, Berlin, Germany – Shaping the Future of Animal Research Communication."
November 6, 2025 at 9:35 AM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
🧬 The human genome carries the ghosts of ancient viruses – and some still shape our health.

Researchers from #mdcBerlin & @uniofbath.bsky.social found viral DNA that helps form the placenta and may contribute to pre-eclampsia.

Read the full story:
👉 www.mdc-berlin.de/news/press/a... 👈
Graphic with image and text: The image shows a fluorescence microscopy view of tissue structures on a black background. The structures are irregularly shaped and scattered across the image. Positioned in the lower left corner is a light blue rectangular text box with all-capital white sans-serif text that reads: “ANCIENT VIRAL DNA SHAPES MODERN HUMAN PLACENTAS.”
November 5, 2025 at 4:00 PM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
👏 Thank you, Otmar D. Wiestler – and welcome, Martin Keller, incoming President of the #Helmholtz Association. We here at the #mdcBerlin thank Otmar Wiestler for his visionary leadership and look forward to continued collaboration under Keller’s direction.

👉 More: www.helmholtz.de/en/newsroom/... 👈
Graphic with photo and text: The image shows a man [Otmar D. Wiestler] speaking at a podium in front of an audience, with a laptop and microphone on the lectern. The photo is framed by a dark blue border. At the top, white sans-serif text reads “HELMHOLTZ.” At the bottom, more white text reads, “Thank you, Otmar Wiestler, and farewell!” A teal circular badge on the right side contains the text “10 Years” in dark blue.
October 30, 2025 at 11:30 AM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
@berlinscienceweek.bsky.social is coming – and we are once again part of it!

From Nov 1–10, the #mdcBerlin joins researchers and science enthusiasts across the city to share ideas shaping the future of science.

Explore our program:
👉 www.mdc-berlin.de/science-week 👈

#BerlinScienceWeek25
Photo with text overlay: The image shows a large red cube with white text reading “BERLIN SCIENCE WEEK” placed inside a grand hall with ornate columns and high ceilings. A dinosaur skeleton is partially visible to the right. At the top, white sans-serif text appears in a green box reading, “BEYOND NOW: HOW DOES SCIENCE SHAPE THE FUTURE?” A small credit at the bottom reads, “© Felix Petermann / Max Delbrück Center.”
October 22, 2025 at 2:31 PM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
APOE4 blocks neurons from using fat for fuel – raising Alzheimer’s risk.

Researchers at @au.dk and #mdcBerlin reveal how this gene variant starves brain cells and identify a possible treatment path.

Find out more: 🔗 www.mdc-berlin.de/news/press/w...
Scientific image with text overlay: The image shows a fluorescent microscopy photo with branching green, red, and blue structures on a black background. In the upper left, white sans-serif text in a dark blue box reads, “WHY APOE4 RAISES ALZHEIMER’S RISK.” A small credit in white at the lower right reads, “© Anna K. Greda / Aarhus University.”
October 22, 2025 at 8:01 AM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
🚀 WE ARE HIRING 3️⃣ Independent Group Leaders for #mdcBerlin's new cutting-edge Bioengineering Cluster within our Biomedical Engineering Program.

Lead cutting-edge research at the interface of biology, engineering, and medicine in Berlin.

👉 Apply now: www.mdc-berlin.de/career/jobs/...
Job announcement: The image has a solid dark blue background with a clean, minimal layout. In the top left corner, the word “JOBS” appears in all-capital red sans-serif text. Below, large white sans-serif text spans several lines and reads: “Three Independent Group Leaders in Bioengineering Approaches to Human Health m/f/d.” Near the bottom left, smaller white sans-serif text reads: “Apply by November 16, 2025,” followed by “Max Delbrück Center (Berlin-Buch)” in lighter gray. In the bottom right corner is the Max Delbrück Center logo in white and blue.
October 9, 2025 at 11:00 AM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
Congrats to #mdcBerlin researchers Simone Spuler, Ana Pombo, Gabriele Schiattarella, Clara Vazquez, and Thoralf Niendorf! They are on the @tagesspiegel.de's list of the 100 most important minds in Berlin science.

Read more:
👉 www.tagesspiegel.de/wissen/sie-g...
👉 www.tagesspiegel.de/wissen/sie-s...
Image with text: The image is a collage of five individual portraits arranged in a grid – three in the top row and three in the bottom – with diverse backgrounds and poses. The individuals are photographed in well-lit, professional settings. A horizontal dark blue banner spans the middle of the image, dividing the two rows of portraits. Centered within the banner is all-capital white sans-serif text that reads: “CONGRATULATIONS!”.
October 8, 2025 at 9:30 AM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
We believe in fostering a community through exchange, dialogue, and mutual respect. 💙

Our "Town Hall Meetings" are a cornerstone of #mdcBerlin's culture. Colleagues from all over the institute come together to share ideas, ask questions, and celebrate progress. Today’s theme: Innovation @ Work
Four people standing in front of an audience in what appears to be a lecture hall. One is talking into a microphone, the other three are each holding a microphone and note cards. Several dozen people sitting inside a large lecture hall. Most are facing the stage with four people on it, while a presentation is visible on a screen above the stage. Steps are leading away from the camera towards the stage. Two people with microphones are standing on a stage in what appears to be a lecture hall. Eight people standing in front of an audience inside a lecture hall. There is a presentation above them and a banner hanging from the ceiling showing the logo of the Max Delbrück Center.
October 1, 2025 at 1:16 PM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
Our #community now in action in our Town Hall Meeting!

Four times a year, colleagues from all teams & labs come together to exchange, celebrate, and connect. Today under the theme “Innovation @Work” with a science talk, an interactive session on entrepreneurship, and a Q&A with the Leadership Team.
people in a lecture hall
October 1, 2025 at 8:25 AM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
🥳 Congrats! #mdcBerlin's Erich Wanker has joined the Scientific Advisory Board of the Huntington’s Disease Foundation (HDF)! He's one of the few European voices among U.S. experts advancing Huntington’s research.

👉 Learn more about Wanker and his work: www.mdc-berlin.de/news/news/re... 👈
Photo with text: Portrait of a smiling person [Erich Wanker] wearing a checkered dress shirt and glasses. The text reads "Erich Wanker" and "Congrats!" in white, sans-serif font within purple text boxes.
September 25, 2025 at 1:30 PM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
ADPKD affects 1 in 1,000 children – but only one drug exists, and it mainly targets symptoms.

Now, an international team led by #mdcBerlin / #mdcBIMSB's Michael Kaminski shows how base editing can restore protein function and shrink cysts in mice.

Full story:
👉 www.mdc-berlin.de/news/press/g... 👈
Scientific image with overlaid text: The image shows a stained tissue sample in shades of purple and white, displaying irregular structures and cell patterns. Overlaid text in white, all-caps sans-serif font inside a dark blue rectangular box is positioned at the top left. It reads: “GENE EDITING TO TREAT INHERITED KIDNEY DISEASE.”
September 17, 2025 at 4:01 PM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
Cells use nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) to destroy faulty RNA before it can cause harm.

Researchers at the #mdcBerlin and the University of Cologne uncovered hidden RNA variants and built a free database for the field.

Check out the full story:
👉 www.mdc-berlin.de/news/press/h... 👈
Illustration with overlaid text: The image shows a close-up 3D rendering of a twisted, branch-like biological structure resembling a strand of mRNA, set against a blue gradient background. On the left side, white all-caps sans-serif text reads: “HOW CELLULAR QUALITY CONTROL WORKS.”
September 15, 2025 at 4:42 PM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
Nearly 50 new cancer drugs are approved each year – but which one fits which patient?

At the #mdcBerlin, @al2na.bsky.social’s team built Flexynesis, a deep learning toolkit to guide precision cancer care.

Learn more:
👉 www.mdc-berlin.de/news/press/u... 👈
Illustration with overlaid text: The image shows a cancer cell in the bloodstream. The overlaid text appears in white, all-caps sans-serif font inside a dark blue rectangular box at the top left. It reads: “USING DEEP LEARNING FOR PRECISION CANCER THERAPY.” A small credit at the bottom right reads: “© Annie Cavanagh / Wellcome Collection.”
September 12, 2025 at 11:00 AM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
🚀 Deadline approaching: apply by September 17 and become a GLOBAL POSTDOC FELLOW at the #mdcBerlin.

You'll co-develop projects with two supervising labs, tackling biomedical grand challenges – with full salary, modern infrastructure, and career support.

More:
👉 www.mdc-berlin.de/postdocs#t-g... 👈
Graphic with photo and text: The image shows a group of people in lab coats standing together in a bright indoor space with glass railings. A teal overlay covers the photo. Overlaid text in sans-serif font reads: “JOBS” in red at the top left, “Max Delbrück Center Global Fellow Postdoc Program” in large white letters across the center, and “Apply by September 17, 2025 | Max Delbrück Center (Berlin-Buch)” in smaller white text at the bottom left. The Max Delbrück Center logo appears in white at the bottom right.
September 11, 2025 at 11:35 AM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
Researchers at the #mdcBerlin developed a new method called TESLA-seq that links gene regulatory elements to their targets – faster and more precisely.

The team mapped 200+ CaREs in the PHOX2B region, revealing new connections to disease-relevant genes.

More:
👉 www.mdc-berlin.de/news/press/u... 👈
Photo with overlaid text: The image shows a close-up of a lab pipette dispensing liquid onto a reflective surface, with a dark, out-of-focus background. The overlaid text is in white, all-caps sans-serif font inside a teal rectangular box, positioned in the top left corner. It reads: “NEW METHOD TO DISCOVER HOW DNA CONTROLS GENES.”
September 9, 2025 at 3:45 PM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
Dominik Müller has been awarded the 2025 Excellence Award for #Hypertension Research by American Heart Association.

In his talk, he asks how science can be made more #sustainable: “what good is all our work if we’re destroying the very foundations of life?”

👉 www.mdc-berlin.de/news/news/do...
portrait of a man. Text: "Congrats! Dominik Müller"
September 9, 2025 at 8:57 AM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
🎉 Congrats to Mahak Singhal on his €1.5M European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant!

He explores how shifts in vascular rhythms impact organ health, aging, and the onset of disease.

More details:
👉 www.mdc-berlin.de/news/news/hi...

#ERCStG @uniheidelberg.bsky.social #mdcBerlin
Photo with overlaid text: The image shows a man [Mahak Singhal] smiling in a laboratory setting, surrounded by shelves filled with clear bottles and lab equipment. He is wearing glasses and a dark blue sweater with a green collar. The overlaid text appears in all-caps, white sans-serif font inside light blue boxes. “CONGRATS!” is placed near the center right, and “MAHAK SINGHAL” is below it, aligned to the bottom right.
September 8, 2025 at 12:34 PM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
🎉 Congratulations to Markus Mittnenzweig on receiving an ERC Starting Grant!

With €1.5 million in funding from the @erc.europa.eu, he will investigate @mdc-bimsb.bsky.social how early-stage embryonic zebrafish cells become specialized tissues.

👉 Details:
www.mdc-berlin.de/news/press/m...

 #ERCStG
Portrait of a smiling man. Text: "Congrats! Markus Mittnenzweig"
September 4, 2025 at 10:04 AM
mdc-berlin.bsky.social
🎉 Ashley Sanders has been awarded W3 professorship from Charité Berlin. Congratulations!

This honors her contributions to the field of #SingleCell #DNA sequencing, where she has helped redefine understanding of genomic structure and variability.

🔗 Details: www.mdc-berlin.de/news/news/pr...
Portrait of a woman. Text: "Congrats! Ashley Sanders"
September 3, 2025 at 8:23 AM