Dossier - 30/07/2009 Downstream processing: bottleneck purification process The fermentation processes that are used by biopharmaceutical manufacturers have shown to lead to increasing quantities of therapeutic proteins. However this increase in turn leads to capacity bottlenecks in the subsequent purification process known as downstream processing and is associated with high costs. Downstream processing comprises up to 80 per cent of the entire production costs. Producers are increasingly recognising the present need…
Dossier - 16/07/2009 Patents – the exploitations of inventions in the life sciences According to statistics from the European Patent Office a total of 1065 biotechnological patents were filed in 2007 by inventors based in Germany. This puts Germany second behind the USA. In the coming years experts expect that a much larger number of biotech patents will be filed. For life sciences inventors the registration of patents quite often represents a real challenge. People entering the world of patents and licences are faced with a…
Dossier - 25/06/2009 DNA and RNA replication The replication of the genome is essential for the continuity of life. The molecular mechanism is very similar in all groups of organisms. Although the basics of replication are already well understood, researchers are still focusing on questions relating to DNA replication. These questions not only deal with the understanding of a basic biological process, but also with related medical aspects.
Dossier - 25/05/2009 The different phases of company foundation Founding a company is a very complex process especially in knowledge-intensive sectors such as biotechnology. Turning a vague business idea into a successful company is characterised by different phases that place great demands on the qualifications and learning aptitudes of the company founders. Financing and economic organisation often means that company founders have to enter completely unknown new territory.
Dossier - 11/05/2009 Diabetes, a danger that is still underestimated In 2010 there will be 10 million diabetes patients in Germany and nearly 33 millions in Europe. The diabetes avalanche is rolling and what is Germany doing? So far so little say experts. There is a lot happening at the same time in different places little is evaluated and a lot is lost in the maelstrom of individual interests. The figures are clear The metabolic disease known as diabetes has reached the proportions of a worldwide epidemic. It not…
Dossier - 29/03/2009 Options for the food industry Biotechnology has since found its way into the food industry and in fact into the entire value creation chain from raw material production to food processing to the sale of the final product. There are many ways in which biotechnology can contribute to better food products. These include the use of enzymes and microorganisms as well as in the production of food supplements and to improve analytic tests.
Dossier - 14/01/2009 Biopharmaceuticals continue their triumphant success The first genetically engineered drug entered the market a little over 25 years ago. Since then more than 100 others have been launched. Many of these biopharmaceuticals have an outstanding effect thus revolutionising the therapeutic options available in many medical sectors. Biopharmaceuticals also have a huge economic potential. The huge potential of these innovative drugs and their importance for Germanys pharmaceutical industry is reflected…
Dossier - 20/11/2008 Anti-Ageing is still a far-off dream Is it possible to halt the ageing process? This question was first raised in the 1980s when researchers succeeded in delaying the ageing process in threadworms by modifying a specific gene. Nowadays hundreds of gene mutations are known to prolong the lifespan of yeast fruit flies and mice. Will the human dream of eternal youth eventually become reality? The truth is probably not.
Dossier - 29/10/2008 Signal transduction - exciting research with huge potential for the future Signal transduction is one of the most innovative fields of research in the life sciences. Although the scientists are far from being able to understand and decipher everything the signal researchers nevertheless have a good deal of knowledge about the transduction of signals and the different signalling pathways.
Dossier - 29/09/2008 Drug screening - higher throughput, quicker and more effective thanks to automation Over the last few years automation has revolutionised the search for pharmaceutical compounds. Using methods such as high-throughput screening or high-content screening it is possible to analyse thousands of molecule activities very quickly.
Dossier - 28/08/2008 Orphan drugs: medicine for the treatment of severe diseases Orphan drugs are drugs for the treatment of rare but severe diseases. Since the number of patients who need such drugs is very small the pharmaceutical industry has naturally been reluctant to develop drugs for the treatment of rare diseases. Therefore the development off orphan drugs is supported by the state including a simplified approval procedure and an exclusive right to sell them for a period of ten years.
Dossier - 15/07/2008 Science communication: why science is becoming more and more public Science needs publicity. Publicly funded research has to account for its projects internally as well as externally. In the past accounting for projects was a matter dealt with in courtly or academic circles today the forum is research journals. This internal communication seldom reaches the public however external communication seeks out the wider lay audience - for many reasons.