Dendritic cells play an important role in setting the course of our immune system. However, what determines their heterogeneity and functional specialization is still not sufficiently understood. An international collaboration consisting of researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB), the University of Bonn and the Technical University of Denmark, among others, has investigated the role of the transcription factor Bcl6 in dendritic cells in a mouse model and discovered that a subgroup is highly dependent on this protein. The findings contribute to a better understanding of immunological processes during infections, vaccinations, allergies and autoimmunity. The results have now been published in the renowned scientific journal "Nature Communications".

Our lungs are bombarded by all manner of different particles every single day. Whilst some are perfectly safe for us, others—known as pathogens—have the potential to make us ill. The immune system trains its response whenever it encounters such a pathogen. Yet researchers at the University of Bonn have now shown that even harmless particles help to improve the immune response and have published their results in the journal “Nature Immunology.”

Chemokines are signalling proteins that orchestrate the interaction of immune cells against pathogens and tumours. To understand this complex network, various techniques have been developed to identify chemokine-producing cells. However, it has not yet been possible to determine which cells react to these chemokines. Researchers at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn have developed a new class of genetically modified mice that enables the simultaneous identification of chemokine producers and sensors. Using the chemokine Ccl3 as a “proof of principle”, they discovered that its function in the immune defence against viruses is different than had been previously assumed. Their results have now been published in the "Journal of Experimental Medicine".

Uveitis is a rare inflammatory eye disease. Posterior and panuveitis in particular are associated with a poor prognosis and a protracted course of the disease. Diagnosis and monitoring can be challenging for healthcare professionals. Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) is a fast and non-invasive imaging technique that supports this. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn and the University of Bonn, together with experts from Berlin, Münster and Mannheim, have drafted a review on how FAF can facilitate the diagnosis and monitoring of posterior uveitis and panuveitis. The results have now been published in the journal "Biomolecules".

While the adequate surgical treatment of cataract is guaranteed in high-income countries, the surgical results in the Global South are often inadequate. Video recording can be used to analyze possible surgical errors, improve training and demonstrably optimize surgical results. However, this has been very time-consuming up to now. There are now promising approaches to automating surgical video analysis using artificial intelligence (AI). However, no deep learning algorithms have yet been developed for video analysis of the surgical method commonly used in countries of the Global South. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn, the University of Bonn, the Sankara Eye Foundation India and Microsoft Research India want to change this and develop a corresponding algorithm. The aim is to improve the results of cataract surgery in the Global South in the long term. As a first important step, they have compiled an overview of previous AI approaches for analyzing cataract surgeries. The results have now been published in Translational Vision Science and Technology (TVST).

The University of Bonn did very well in the QS World University rankings released yesterday, being amongst the top 100 worldwide in roughly a third of the ranked Subjects. Mathematics is again our highest-ranking subject (41st internationally, 1st in Germany).

Many kidney diseases are manifested by protein in the urine. However, until now it was not possible to determine whether the protein excretion is caused by only a few, but severely damaged, or by many moderately damaged of the millions of small kidney filters, known as glomeruli. Researchers at the University Hospital Bonn, in cooperation with mathematicians from the University of Bonn, have developed a new computer method to clarify this question experimentally. The results of their work have now been published as an article in press in the leading kidney research journal "Kidney International".

The 6th Pint of Science invites all interested scientists to participate.