Processes and Methods (incl. Screening)

File no.: MI-1012-5677-LI-ZE
(liked to MI-1012-4430-LI-ZE describing the generation of neuro- epithelial stem cells as precursors for microtissue generation)

A robust method for producing and analyzing highly homogenous human neural organoids.

A family of 16-electron binary Ni(0)-stilbene complexes Ni(^Rstb)₃ as a new class of air-stable Ni(0) (pre)catalysts was developed.

To monitor crystallization processes a special camera setup to measure the crystal size and 3D shape distribution was developed.
The setup consists of two high-speed cameras that are positioned orthogonally to one another such that a precise overlap of both fields of view can be achieved. The setup further contains a specially designed flow-through cell that allows to observe the crystal suspension from both camera directions and given the opportunity to temperate the solution within the cell. ...

Prof. Klaus-Richard Pörschke and co-workers from the MPI for Coal Research developed a highly hydrophobic perfluoroaryl borate (FAB) ligand for trapping the radioative 134/137 Cs isotopes with 100% specificity. The novel approach could improve the decontamination of humans compared to the administration of so called insouble Prussian blue currently in use.

Prof. Klaus-Richard Pörschke and co-workers at the MPI for Coal Research developed a novel cyclic process for the quantitative extraction of cesium with 100% selectivity from any given aqueous or acidic solution, irrespective of the other components.

The development of the cation channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by Prof. Ernst Bamberg and his colleagues, and its application to light-induced modulation of neurons paved the way for the field of optogenetics.
Over time the light-gated cation channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) has become an indispensable tool in neuroscience. Based on the pioneering work on ChR2 new variants have emerged, differing in their spectrum of light absorption, their kinetic ...

The cellular identity of mature cells that are confined in a specialized genetic expression profile can be overcome by introducing just a few genes that encode for so-called reprogramming factors [1]. By means of this intervention, also known as reprogramming, the cells then become pluripotent and represent induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) [1]. Nowadays, numerous new cell culture models have been established based on reprogramming protocols that yield iPS cells. Such cell culture models ...

Precise genome editing demands for homology-directed repair (HDR) by aiming to introduce a new double stranded DNA substituting for a homologous sequence but partially defect one. This substrate dependent reaction does compete with direct non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) of the double strand breaks. NHEJ is error-prone and is therefor mainly used for gene inactivation.
The rate of NHEJ is directly limiting the rate of HDR. For this reason HDR in vitro does occur on a very low level only and ...

A Cas nuclease such as Cas9 can introduce a DNA double strand break in a sequence target that is complementary to a 20-nt spacer sequence of its bound guide RNA (gRNA) when a protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) is present. The gRNA can be provided as duplex of spacer containing CRISPR RNA (crRNA) and trans-activating crRNA (tracrRNA). Or as a single gRNA (sgRNA) where crRNA and tracrRNA are fused by an artificial loop.
Hence a gRNA consists of the target-specific spacer and a constant part typically ...

An innovative high throughput screening method for measurement of RNA- and DNA-polymerase activity at room temperature, based on time-resolved FRET.

An improved method to perform cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) assays or other fluorescent assays in the context of CFPS with very low reaction mix volumes. Various additional advantages allow to significantly reduce costs and time.

A synthetic virus-like particle, comprising a lipid bilayer, that can be adjusted precisely to mimic biophysical features of various natural pathogens. The lipid bilayer can also be equipped with relevant molecules such as the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein ectodomain.

File no.: MI-1012-4430-LI-ZE
(liked to MI-1012-5677-LI-ZE describing the generation of human neural microtissues from NECS cells)

A novel precursor population that forms electrophysiologically functional neurons more quickly than protocols starting with hPSCs.

myNK cells are a novel myeloid NK subpopulation showing a unique expression pattern with the promise to treat obesity-associated pathologies such as cancer and diabetes. They could be detected in several different tumor tissues and a selective targeting of the upregulated myeloid markers might open the door for immunotherapy as a treatment option of certain obesity-associated cancer entities, obesity and diabetes.

Scientists in the group of Atmospheric Chemistry at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz have developed a novel thiosulfate based ozone scrubber to ensure accurate measurements of trace analytes. It is known from the literature that commercial potassium iodide (KI) containing ozone scrubbers can cause errors in the measurement of carbonyl compounds such as aldehydes and ketones due to byproducts formed from the oxidation of KI. Commercial ozone scrubbers based on sodium thiosulfate ...

A computer-implemented method that allows calculating concentration ranges of components within complex networks of biochemical reactions.

The ability of hypervalent iodine compounds to act as electrophilic group-transfer reagents has been extensively exploited during the last several years in a variety of synthetically useful transformations
like cyanations and alkynylations. Now it was found, that novel imidazolium sulfuranes, which are isolobal to I(III) species and also depict the key threecenter four-electron bond motive, can be used as an alternative platform for the development of new electrophilic group-transfer reagents.

Imidazolium ...

An apparatus and method allowing high throughput collection of X-ray diffraction data at room temperature.

We offer the new composite nanomaterial for sodium ion battery cathodes. These carbon-coated nanosized Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃ particles embedded in a highly effective mixed conducting porous carbon matrix can be easily prepared by means of facile soft-chemistry based preparation method with a post heat treatment procedure. The resulting cathodes can be charged and discharged in 6 s with high current density of 22 A/g, deliver the specific capacity of 44 mAh/g and ...