Research

Electric cars could bring Germany one step closer to achieving the planned energy reform, but so far they have not managed to penetrate the market. Computer scientists at FAU are carrying out research into how to make the changeover on the roads successful.

Researchers at FAU investigated the silicon used in breast implants: A team of researchers led by Prof. Dr. Dirk. W. Schubert at the Institute of Polymer Materials in Erlangen developed a procedure in order to compare their quality.

One World Cup ends and another begins: shortly after this year's World Champions have been crowned, a special group of players will take to the pitch in Brazil. At the RoboCup 2014, which is taking place from 19 to 25 July, the players competing against one another will be robots.

Exercise using a ball, memory training, cooking, painting or doing craft work – all of these can slow down the progression of dementia in patients, as long as these activities are done regularly and in a group. These are the results of several studies carried out by Prof. Dr. Elmar Gräßel at FAU.

Researchers at the Department of Medicine 1 at FAU have identified the messenger substance interleukin 9 (IL9) as a trigger for inflammation in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and shown that it is produced by a specific group of white blood cells.

Why do we eat what we eat – and which factors affect whether and how we exercise? Do these influences change over the course of our lives? Nutritional and sport scientists at FAU'S Institute for Biomedicine of Ageing (IBA) will be investigating these questions over the next three years.

The last nuclear power plants in Germany will be decommissioned in 2022. However, by then, it will not be possible to meet all of the country's electricity requirements using wind and solar energy. This means that gas will play a crucial role as an energy source over the coming decades.

Children who are brought up by their parents with affection, but also with strict control and rules, have a significantly lower risk of committing suicide as teenagers. This has now been established by researchers from different institutions.

It is still unclear when exactly the onset of Alzheimer's disease occurs. Researchers lead by Prof. Dr. Piotr Lewczuk at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (head of department: Prof. Dr. Johannes Kornhuber), FAU, have recently gained new insight in this area.