Thwarting cellular enzyme can fight viral infections

Researchers in the group of Patrick Matthias have identified a synthetic protein that dampens the activity of a cellular pathway involved in viral infection. The findings could help to develop drugs that combat viruses such as influenza and Zika.

Wang et al., Cell Reports

The FMI opens its doors to 200 high-school students

After a three-year break, the FMI participated again in the “Tage der Genforschung” (Days of Genetic Research), during which scientists present their research to visitors in a vivid and understandable way. More than 200 high-school students from northwestern Switzerland and neighboring regions in Germany learnt about molecular biology, carried out simple scientific experiments and chatted about the life of a researcher with FMI PhD students and postdocs.