Selected press releases

How can the human body be stimulated to build more bone, thus helping those affected by osteoporosis? Researchers in Ulm have investigated the role played by the protein molecule Axl in this process. Their efforts were successful: in a study, they demonstrated that Axl inhibits bone formation – and that cells produce significantly more bone tissue when the molecule is blocked using medication. There are no discernible harmful side effects.

About 250,000 people in Germany live with epilepsy that does not respond adequately to medication. How can their treatment be further improved with a brain pacemaker? As part of the CLOUDIA research project, the Medical Center – University of Freiburg is now collaborating with a medical technology company to develop an AI-supported assistance system for analyzing long-term brain activity data.

A European research consortium led by the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) aims to fundamentally improve the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer using AI agents, big data, and patient-centered clinical decision support. The central goal is to detect aggressive tumors early and accurately, reduce unnecessary interventions, and tailor treatment decisions more closely to the individual patient.

Iron is essential for healthy cells. Cancer cells also require this trace element. Researchers in Freiburg have now found evidence that high levels of iron directly in the tumor microenvironment promote the spread of certain cells in a particularly aggressive type of brain tumor known as glioblastoma. In the long term, iron metabolism could therefore serve as a target for more precisely influencing particularly invasive tumor cells.

The start-up xenko has been awarded an EXIST grant of 143,500 € from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The team of founders from Ulm University is developing a digital health platform designed to encourage more physical activity in everyday working life through virtual reality. This development is of interest to companies with occupational health management schemes and, in the long term, to the physiotherapy sector as well.

How can cell-based immunotherapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases become more widely available in the long term? The SYNTHIA project is addressing this challenge: The Max Planck Institute for Medical Research and the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI are collaborating on new research approaches to advance the development of cell-based immunotherapies.

CAR-T cell therapies have proven successful in treating several types of blood and lymphoid cancers. However, their use in treating other tumors is significantly more challenging, in part because suitable target structures are lacking.

CAR-T cell therapies have proven successful in treating several types of blood and lymphoid cancers. However, their use in treating other tumors is significantly more challenging, in part because suitable target structures are lacking.

The liver is organized into distinct zones in which liver cells perform different functions. The blood vessels of the liver play an important role in this spatial organization: the endothelial cells lining the vessels provide signals that instruct neighboring liver cells and help determine their function. But how do endothelial cells know which signals to produce?

An international consortium led by researchers at the Heidelberg Faculty of Medicine at Heidelberg University will develop an AI-powered interactive assistant for the analysis of patient experiences over the next four years. The goal is to identify individual burdens and challenges early and comprehensively and make this information actionable for patients, care teams, and health systems.

A project funded by the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg is investigating the interplay between RNA modifications and epigenetic mechanisms during cell division – and its potential significance for treatment resistance in cancer.

With clinical medicine and medical technology Heidelberg University is again among the best players in Medical Sciences worldwide. In the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2026 clinical medicine rose by one place over last year to rank 17th internationally in clinical medicine and so leads the field in Germany. Medical technology is in 21st place internationally and continues to be ranked third in Germany.