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Tuesday, 05 April, 2016

Photoswitches: A New Addition to the Molecular Toolkit

 

LMU chemist Dirk Trauner builds photoresponsive molecular switches that enable nerve-cell receptors to be controlled by light. In this way, nerve-cell activity can be switched on and off at will – in the laboratory. “But,” he says, “we hope that our research can be translated into medical applications.” In that case, Trauner’s strategy  ould provide a means of compensating for the loss of photoreceptors in the retina – one of the most prevalent causes of blindness – or lead to more effective and less stressful forms of cancer chemotherapy.

ScienceCasts present unusual insights into the world of science. In these short videos, some of the most renowned academics at LMU present fascinating aspects of their research in a readily understandable way. The ScienceCasts are also available on iTunes U, a section of the iTunes Store dedicated to educational content, where LMU offers a broad spectrum of audio and video files. Users can easily subscribe to these podcasts or download the videos – free of charge.

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