Research news

When writing program code, software developers often work in pairs—a practice that reduces errors and encourages knowledge sharing. Increasingly, AI assistants are now being used for this role. But this shift in working practice isn’t without its drawbacks, as a new empirical study by computer scientists in Saarbrücken reveals. Developers tend to scrutinize AI-generated code less critically and they learn less from it. These findings will be presented at a major scientific conference in Seoul. [...]

In the treatment of larger narrowed blood vessels, drug-coated balloon catheters have been shown to deliver lasting and effective outcomes. Their minimally invasive nature makes them a viable alternative to stents. These findings, from a research team led by cardiologist Professor Bruno Scheller at Saarland University, have now been validated by an international study involving over 3,300 patients. [...]

3D-printed objects that can change colour like a chameleon. Promising new treatment options in the fight against multi-resistant germs. Prediction models that forecast which cancer drug will work best for a patient. The effect social media influencers on consumers. These are examples of the topics researched by the young scientists who were awarded Eduard Martin Prizes by the Universitätsgesellschaft des Saarlandes e.V. (University Society). [...]

With autumn comes the return of cold viruses. Respiratory viruses include the RS virus, which can be particularly dangerous for newborns, older people and people with weakened immune systems. For the latter group, which includes people with chronic diseases and transplanted organs, there has been no reliable data on whether and how vaccine against RSV works. Scientists at Saarland University have now closed this gap and published the study in the American Journal of Transplantation. [...]

Pericarditis—an inflammation of the pericardium—is treatable if diagnosed early. Left undetected, however, it can become life-threatening. In some cases, the condition subsides only to return months later. Researchers from Italy and Germany have now identified a new link behind such recurrent pericarditis. Central to their findings is a naturally occurring substance in the body that disrupts anti-inflammatory processes. [...]

The MuBatt project ('Multi-Use Operation of Stationary Battery Storage Systems') at the Department of Automation and Energy Systems (AES) at Saarland University is exploring new strategies to make battery storage systems more flexible, efficient and cost-effective. The Ministry for Business, Innovation, Digitalization and Energy is supporting the project with approximately €310,000 in funding from the Saarland state government and from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). [...]

Wie gelingt es, Materialien und Produkte so in geschlossene Kreisläufe zu bringen, dass Abfälle vermieden, verwertet und Rohstoffe geschont werden? Wie kann die Wirtschaft im Saarland hiervon profitieren? Antworten auf diese Fragen geben Expertinnen und Experten aus Wissenschaft und Praxis am 30. September ab 9 Uhr auf dem ersten Saarländischen Circular Economy-Kongress. „Von der Kreislaufwirtschaft zur Zirkulären Wertschöpfung“ lautet das Motto des Kongresses. [...]

The lungs of slaughtered pigs are usually turned into animal feed or simply discarded. Now, two research teams from the fields of medicine and engineering at Saarland University have developed a method to repurpose this type of ‘slaughterhouse waste’ as a practical and reliable lung model for research. Their goal is to replace and reduce animal testing—and possibly even surpass it in terms of its capabilities and its value to the scientific community. [...]

It might sound like science fiction, but it’s already a reality. Bacteria are now capable of breaking down environmentally harmful substances like polystyrene and turning them into the building blocks for nylon—without relying on fresh crude oil. This breakthrough has been achieved by Christoph Wittmann, Professor of Biotechnology at Saarland University, together with colleagues from neighbouring disciplines. Their findings have been published in the Chemical Engineering Journal. [...]

In the 1990s, a Roman burial ground with two large burial mounds was discovered in Oberlöstern, a district of the town of Wadern in Saarland. The burial mounds were then rebuilt. Since 2010, archaeologist Sabine Hornung from Saarland University and her team have been researching the ancient cultural landscape surrounding these striking monuments. [...]