News

Rising cost of living for insects: Energy demand increases with climate change

It sounds paradoxical: when the climate gets warmer, insects need more energy. Biologists at the University of Graz have demonstrated this using the example of paper wasps of the genus Polistes. Their mated queens spend the cold season in hidden winter quarters and live on the reserves built up in autumn. "A special metabolic characteristic of insects is that their energy requirements increase exponentially at rest as the outside temperature rises," says Anton Stabentheiner, lead author of the study, which was recently published in the Journal of Comparative Physiology B.

Short but powerful: PhD students present their research in the 3 Minute Thesis Competition

Brevity is the soul of wit - a saying that was confirmed at the Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT) on 15 March 2024. Eleven doctoral students from the University of Graz took part in the event organised by the Doctoral Academy as part of an international competition. The task: to present their own research in English in three minutes in an understandable and exciting way for an audience from outside the field. Allowed: a single PowerPoint slide and a lot of creativity. All participants demonstrated this on stage at the Literaturhaus Graz.

Amino acids stimulate protein partnership

It is one of the key enzymes for the lipid catabolism in the body: ATGL (adipose triglyceride lipase). It was discovered at the University of Graz in 2004. Stimulated by its partner protein CGI-58, it ensures the release of fatty acids into the bloodstream. This process is crucial for metabolic balance. Chronically elevated fatty acid levels are the cause of heart disease, fatty liver or diabetes, among other things. Inhibiting ATGL can alleviate these disorders. For new therapeutic approaches, it is therefore crucial to know the molecular mechanisms of action in detail. Scientists at the University of Graz have now discovered amino acids that are required in ATGL to be stimulated by CGI-58. The study was published in the Journal of Lipid Research.

New photonic chip can generate and measure customised light fields for the first time

They send light, like tiny cars, along sophisticated paths across a silicon surface. And they do this on a chip the size of the tip of a small finger. In these waveguides, they have the light firmly under control. Researchers at the University of Graz have succeeded for the first time in operating a system that simultaneously fulfills two different functions on an integrated photonic chip: Not only can the incident light be measured, but a light field with specific properties can now also be generated in a targeted manner. The work is a milestone for the interaction of light fields and integrated optical circuits and opens doors for many new applications in sensor technology, communication and imaging.

Plankton and ice: How global warming is changing the supply of nutrients in the oceans

Climate change not only affects weather phenomena such as El Niño or the monsoon, but also ocean currents and consequently the food chain. The associated disappearance of fishing grounds could have massive ecological and economic consequences. How ice melt, ocean circulation and nutrient content interact is not yet fully understood. Gerald Auer uses primeval soil samples to investigate the background.

Light micros and efficient e-cars: Doppler lab for novel sensors launches

They use shaped light to measure sound and microwaves to spy on the torque in the e-car. Alexander Bergmann and Peter Banzer are working on completely new types of sensors in the Christian Doppler Laboratory, which opened today.

Nanoscience: Uni-Graz-researchers develop novel molecular motors that move with perfect uni-directionality along an atomically defined straight line

Researchers at the University of Graz have realized a groundbreaking experiment with a completely novel type of molecular motor which moves by itself in only one direction. The results were published in the current issue of the journal Nature.

University of Graz achieves breakthrough in the fight against hospital pathogens

Multiresistant pathogens are a major threat to health. They are a problem, especially in hospitals, where they can spread easily. The University of Graz has now found a way to control these super-bacteria. It involves peptides, tiny protein fragments that damage the cell membranes of the pathogens and evemtiaööy kill them. Peptides are not only effective against bacteria, but also against fungi, viruses, and even cancer cells.

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