Researchers from Würzburg are working on an innovative therapy against skin metastases after breast cancer, which often do not respond to conventional treatments. With 1.5 million euros in funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, they are developing antibody-loaded silica gel fleeces that specifically activate the immune system against cancer cells. Skin metastases often occur years after breast cancer treatment when cancer cells survive in the body and spread to the skin. Although they are locally limited, effective therapies are lacking. An interdisciplinary consortium from Julius Maximilian University (JMU), University Hospital Würzburg (UKW), and the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC is developing ultra-thin silica gel fleeces that, loaded with antibodies, stimulate the immune response to regress or eliminate metastases. The biologically compatible fleeces, which degrade in the body, are designed at Fraunhofer ISC, with structure and antibody loading being optimized. At JMU, research is being conducted on how the fleeces activate T-cells of the immune system to attack cancer cells. At UKW, a novel 3D tissue model is being tested...

Researchers at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have shown in an international eye-tracking study that explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) increases the diagnostic accuracy of dermatologists and reduces their cognitive load in complex cases. The results, published in Nature Communications, could sustainably improve dermatological practice. In the study, 76 dermatologists assessed 16 dermatoscopic images of melanomas and benign moles, first with standard AI, then with XAI, which combines AI predictions with textual and image-based explanations. Eye-tracking measurements showed that difficult cases with standard AI caused a higher number of gaze fixations – an indicator of cognitive load. With XAI, this load decreased significantly, indicating a relieving effect of the explanations. Improved diagnostic accuracy and reduced fatigue could minimize errors, especially with a high case volume and complex skin lesions. Follow-up studies will investigate the long-term effects in clinical settings. The DKFZ, Germany's largest biomedical research institution, is driving innovation with its translational centers such as the National Center...

Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS) in Leipzig have discovered new reaction pathways in the atmospheric degradation of isoprene that could be significant for the formation of organic aerosols worldwide. The findings, published in Nature Communications, provide a deeper understanding of atmospheric chemistry. Isoprene, a compound emitted by deciduous forests, is one of the most important non-methane compounds, accounting for 600 million tons of carbon annually. It is degraded in the gas phase almost exclusively by hydroxyl radicals, forming peroxy radicals. These processes, especially in the tropics, are crucial, but the reaction pathways have not been fully understood until now. In experiments under atmospheric conditions, the TROPOS team used highly sensitive mass spectrometry to detect peroxy radicals and stable products. The investigations confirmed existing knowledge but identified new C4 and C5 products and highly oxidized peroxy radicals (C5H9O8 and C5H9O9) for the first time, which form via autoxidation within seconds. Despite a low molar yield of 0.3%, the enormous amount of isoprene could lead these radicals...