uni.news

» Published on 23. Dezember 2011

Taking stem cells from the nose for new medical treatments

Bielefeld biologist's research team develop method for isolating and cultivating adult stem cells

A research team headed by the cell biologist Professor Dr. Barbara Kaltschmidt from Bielefeld University has successfully cultivated stem cells from the human nose and transformed them into nerve, bone, fat, and cartilage cells. The researchers report that one advantage of their method is that it can be used to produce large numbers of cells in a very short time. This can lead to new treatments of acute and chronic face injuries. They have now published their findings in the journals "Stem Cells and Development" and "European Cells & Materials".

» Published on 19. Dezember 2011

New supercomputer for Bielefeld's high-energy physicists

Federal and state governments investing 1.1 million Euros

Bielefeld University's Faculty of Physics is getting a new high-performance computer. Researchers will be using it to study strongly interacting matter in order to learn about the properties of matter as it existed in the early universe immediately after the Big Bang.  The supercomputer, costing 1.1 million Euros, is being financed with federal and state government funds. On Wednesday 25 January from 4 p.m. onwards, it will be presented at an inauguration colloquium in the university lecture hall H2.

» Published on 16. Dezember 2011

Bielefeld researchers notice significant increases in hostile sentiments against outgroups

Results of the longitudinal study on 'Group Focused Enmity'

Germans increasingly claim that politics is unable to handle their problems. Feelings of disintegration increased during times of economic crisis. This negative estimation of their social settings leads to a variety of hostile sentiments against a range of minorities. These are main findings of the ten-year longitudinal study on 'Group Focused Enmity' (GFE, German: 'Gruppenbezogene Menschenfeindlichkeit') published by Bielefeld University's Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence (IKG). On Monday, 12th of December, Professor Dr. Wilhelm Heitmeyer, Professor Dr. Andreas Zick, and their colleagues summarized their research and presented the tenth and final volume of the series 'Deutsche Zustände' [The state of Germany] in which the results are published.

» Published on 15. Dezember 2011

Bielefeld University to receive more than 12 million Euro to promote studying and teaching

Joint Science Conference of the German federal and state governments rewards Bielefeld University in the Teaching Quality Pact

The two heads of the Joint Science Conference (GWK - Gemeinsame Wissenschaftskonferenz), Professor Dr. Annette Schavan (German Minister of Education and Research) and Doris Ahnen (State Minister of Education, Science, Further Education, and Culture for the Rhineland-Palatinate), announced on Thursday 13th December in Berlin that Bielefeld University will be granted a total of 12.14 million Euros from now until 2016. The University is receiving this award from the Teaching Quality Pact for its programme 'Richtig einsteigen' [Getting started properly] designed to improve study conditions and the quality of teaching. Rektor Sagerer announced: 'This success permits innovative impulses precisely where they will be particularly effective and sustained: at the beginning of studies and when starting to teach at our university'.