The lamprey is a special case among vertebrates, because it does not have a thymus gland. There, the T-cells of the immune system normally learn to recognize pathogens. Thomas Boehm would like to know how the lamprey is nevertheless able to deal with bacteria and viruses. This knowledge might enable the better treatment of immune diseases in the future.
This video is part of the Max Planck Cinema Series and only available in German.
More about the Thomas Boehms research on lampreys: Research on the fossil
