Our immune system attacks pathogens with a powerful weapon: reactive oxygen species, which serve to destroy cell walls and neutralize invaders. But yeasts such as Candida albicans have developed clever countermeasures.
During a visit to our lab, you’ll learn how Candida albicans uses the enzyme catalase to render the aggressive radicals produced by our immune cells harmless and thus withstand the attack.
Reproduce one of these strategies yourself: With a simple catalase test, you can visualize how yeast breaks down hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water. With the “Yeast Volcano,” you can recreate this reaction in the form of a spectacular foam eruption that vividly demonstrates the power of this defense mechanism. An experiment for everyone who wants to not only see science but also experience it up close!
If you can’t get enough of the fight against yeast, our interactive board games will teach you more about immune cells and how they combat fungal pathogens.
