Understand and fight ill making mushrooms: New generation price of the Leibniz community for young Wissenschaftlerin from the Hans Knll institute

Andrea Walther of the Hans's Knll institute Jena, Leibniz Nachwuchspreistrgerin 2006 - Jena, 24.11.06 - the Leibniz Nachwuchspreis 2006 goes to a Biologin made of Jena. Andrea Walther examined molecular mechanisms, which bring first harmless yeast mushrooms to release with humans heavy infections.

Dr. Andrea Walther (27) from Jena is the Leibniz Nachwuchspreistrgerin 2006. The Biologin of the Leibniz institute for natural substance research and infection biology - Hans's Knll institute - yesterday received the honor endowed with 3000 euro for its doctor work on the ceremony for the annual convention of the Leibniz community in Berlin. Andrea Walther examined the molecular connections, which bring some mushrooms to change their growth in its work and then with humans infections release. The yeast mushroom Candida albicans e.g. occurs with up to 75 per cent of all humans on the mucous membranes of nose and throat, within the genital range as well as in the digestive tract. It e.g. grows either in cellular form, like the baker yeast, or forms long mushroom threads (Hyphen), which can spread in the human body over large distances. Usually the settlement with this mushroom is harmless, leads however with immune-weakened persons to heavy illnesses and infections.

By the comparative view of Candida albicans and the mushroom Ashbya gossypii examined Andrea Walther the function of proteins with the change between two kinds of growth. Thus it found out that by switching a special protein off dangerous threadlike growth is interrupted. The work of Andrea Walther forms thus the basis for the research after active substances, which prevent a switching of the yeast-like in threadlike growth. An appropriate test procedure was announced by Andrea Walther and two colleagues to the patent.

Also the deputy director/conductor of the Leibniz institute for natural substance research and infection biology, Professor Dr. Wolfgang Knorre, emphasizes the immense meaning of the threadlike mushrooms in its appraisal. These could not only cause - like Candida albicans - serious and illnesses hardly which can be treated, but play also in other kinds an important role, both than dry rot, which destroys buildings, or as mold fungus, which produces antibiotics. Remarkable is also the interdisciplinary beginning of the work, which the life-scientific topic works on to the molecular biology and genetics of mushrooms with physical techniques under pharmakologischer objective. Thus Andrea Walther for their experiments developed one in vivo fluorescence quick-motion apparatus microscopy for applications in the mushroom research. In this area it is at present world-wide leading.

Andrea Walther made its doctor work with the full title molecular analyses of the Aktinzytoskeletts of polar growth in Ashbya gossypii and to Candida albicans from 2002 to 2005 in the common group of new generations Pathogene of mushrooms of the Hans Knll institute and the Friedrich Schiller university in Jena. The results of their work were published in 13 reported scientific technical periodicals and in two specialized books. Beyond that she presented the results to several important scientific specialized conferences. Also at the science location Jena found the achievement of Mrs. Walther acknowledgment already being entitled: Thus it received laude final thesis the faculty price of the biological-pharmaceutical faculty and the science price of the Beutenberg Campus Jena for their with the highest descriptor summa cum 2005. Andrea Walther works at present as a scientific woman employee on the Carl mountain laboratory in Copenhagen.

Dr. Michael ram
Scientific organization
Leibniz institute for natural substance research and infection biology registered association.
- Hans Knll institute -
Hiving mountain route 11a
07745 Jena
Tel.: 03641/65 66 42
Fax: 03641/65 66 20
michael.ramm@hki-jena.de
Press service: pr@hki-jena.de, www.presse.hki-jena.de

The Leibniz Nachwuchspreis appreciates since 1997 each year an outstanding doctor work from an Leibniz institute of the Leibniz community and is endowed with 3000 euro. The selection of the winners takes place in a two-stage procedure. The final selection takes place via an independent jury with representatives made of science and public life.

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