Dossier - 23/07/2012 Extremophilic bacteria What causes stress for some, actually speeds others like extremophilic bacteria up. They love it hot, sour or salty, toxic substances like heavy metals also do them good and even give them energy. As molecular and systems biology techniques get better and better, industry is also becoming increasingly interested in these exotic organisms. What potential does knowing the biochemistry of extremophilic bacteria have for the pharmaceutical, cosmetics…
Dossier - 09/07/2012 Bachelors and masters under scrutiny has the new study system stood the test? More practical relevance, shorter courses and courses that are compatible across Europe – when the decision to implement the bachelor’s and master’s system was made in Germany in 1999, there were high expectations and hopes for the positive changes to come. The question is, have these expectations been met? The time is now ripe for universities and companies to review the progress that has been made in achieving the goals of the Bologna…
Dossier - 18/06/2012 Biobanks treasure chests for biomedical research Biobanking is still a very specialist subject. The Research Committee at the German Bundestag, the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag and the German Ethics Council are all interested in this biomedical research tool, which is both necessary and meaningful. However, opinions with regard to the ethical, legal and technical approach to biobanks differ. Since March 2012 it has become absolutely clear that Germany will not pass a…
Dossier - 24/05/2012 Biochips microsystems technology for the life sciences Nanoscale robots and intelligent measurement systems in arteries, fingernail-sized DNA chips that can be used to analyze thousands of genes in tiny samples, intelligent DNA microsensors – the trend in the life sciences is moving towards miniaturization in all areas including electronics, sensor systems and the handling of liquids. Over the last few years, a research area with growing potential has developed at the interface of physics, the…
Dossier - 30/04/2012 Human infectious diseases new threats The serious EHEC outbreak in Germany in 2011, the 2009 swine flu pandemic, the bird flu pandemic in 2005 and 2006 and the SARS outbreak in China in 2003, all of which have fuelled the fear of devastating epidemics for many people in Germany, have fortunately all been contained – at least up until now. However, experts warn of new dangerous pathogens that are spreading as a result of globalization and global climate warming. This is leading to new…
Dossier - 26/03/2012 Nanobiotechnology The term nanotechnology is known by well over 50 of Germans especially since the lotus effect hit the headlines in the late 1990s. Around the turn of the millennium bio was inserted between nano and technology and nanobiotechnology has since taken up more and more room in the headlines as well as requiring major financial investment. What is nanobiotechnology what is the difference between nanotechnology and nanobiotechnology and where and what…
Dossier - 12/03/2012 Regenerative medicine makes use of patients own resources Die Regenerative Medizin bietet neue Therapieoptionen quer durch die ärztlichen Fachgebiete. Zumeist sind es zellbasierte Verfahren und sie werden häufig mit innovativen Biomaterialien kombiniert. Regenerative Therapien vereinen Know-how aus den Biowissenschaften mit moderner Medizintechnik und sie profitieren von den Fortschritten in den Ingenieur- und Materialwissenschaften.
Dossier - 23/01/2012 The neurosciences Robots that move like ants, brain electrodes that alleviate symptoms of Parkinson’s, arm prostheses that can be controlled with pure thought power – over the last few years enormous progress has been made in the neurosciences and there has been an increasing shift from pure basic to applied research. There is a great deal of creativity in applied research in Baden-Württemberg. Nevertheless, basic research in the southwest of Germany has never…
