Press release - 20/12/2022 Enzyme inhibition promotes bone formation and curbs the development of bone metastases In our bones, specialized cells called osteoblasts are responsible for building up bone substance. A team of researchers led by scientists from the DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim* and the University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf has now identified an enzyme that controls the activity of osteoblasts.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/enzyme-inhibition-promotes-bone-formation-and-curbs-development-bone-metastases
Press release - 20/12/2022 New approach prevents rejection of transplanted organs Inhibition of a protein complex in cells of the immune system prevents rejection of transplanted organs – this has been shown in a study by immunologists from the University of Konstanz, the Biotechnology Institute Thurgau (BITg) and Chongqing Cancer University Hospital.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-approach-prevents-rejection-transplanted-organs
Neurodegenerative diseases - 12/12/2022 Blood-based biomarkers allow the early prediction of Alzheimer's risks Most dementia diseases develop insidiously and are only detected at an advanced stage. Researchers at the University of Heidelberg and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have now identified the glial fibre acidic protein (GFAP) in the blood as a promising biomarker that can be used to determine an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease up to 17 years before diagnosis.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/blood-based-biomarkers-allow-early-prediction-alzheimers-risks
Press release - 09/12/2022 Epigenetic emergency switch improves defense against infections During infections, the hematopoietic system switches from normal to emergency mode. This improves the defense against the pathogens. Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) have now found an epigenetic switch in blood stem cells and progenitor cells of mice that can trigger the switch from one mode to the other.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/epigenetic-emergency-switch-improves-defense-against-infections
With insects to the circular economy - 30/11/2022 InBiRa: Insect biorefinery turns food leftovers into new products Insect larvae can convert food leftovers and waste into secondary raw materials for technical products and cosmetics. Researchers are looking to establish an insect biorefinery for this purpose at the Fraunhofer IGB in Stuttgart. The InBiRa project is financed with a total of 3.8 million euros in EU and Baden-Württemberg state funding.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/inbira-insect-biorefinery-turns-food-leftovers-new-products
Press release - 29/11/2022 Proteins from Pastures: Success for initial feed trials A tasty dish for chickens: Researchers from the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart were able to feed the animals the first 50 kilos of protein extract that were obtained from pasture. Yet the plants found in fields and meadows offer much more than a new source of protein for pigs and poultry: They could also constitute an alternative to soy for human nutrition. They also form a basis for organic-based plastics and paper, energy, and…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/proteine-aus-gruenland-schnitt-erste-fuetterungsversuche-verlaufen-erfolgreich
Press release - 24/11/2022 SARS-CoV-2 detection in 30 minutes using gene scissors Researchers of the University of Freiburg introduce biosensor for the nucleic acid amplification-free detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/sars-cov-2-nachweis-30-minuten-mit-der-genschere
Press release - 17/11/2022 New target for Alzheimer's therapies found DZNE researchers discover link between the protein medin and Alzheimer's disease. The protein medin is deposited in the blood vessels of the brains of Alzheimer's patients along with the protein amyloid-β. DZNE Researchers have discovered this so-called co-aggregation. They have now published their observation in the renowned journal Nature.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-target-alzheimers-therapies-found
Press release - 04/11/2022 How do our brain cells age? The health of nerve cells is closely linked to the auxiliary cells that surround them, the so-called glial cells. It still remains largely unknown what role glial cells play in age-related diseases.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/wie-altern-die-zellen-unserem-gehirn
Press release - 02/11/2022 How Cells Find the Right Partners During the growth and development of living organisms, different types of cells must come into contact with each other in order to form tissues and organs together. A small team working with Prof. Dr. Anne Classen of the Excellence Cluster CIBSS of the University of Freiburg has discovered that complex changes in form, or morphogenesis, during development are driven exclusively via the affinity of cells to each other.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/how-cells-find-right-partners
Press release - 02/11/2022 The guardian of the (epi-)genome Toxicologists from the University of Konstanz have found that the protein p53 continuously protects our cells from tumorigenesis by coordinating important metabolic processes that stabilize their genomes.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/guardian-epi-genome
Viral cancer therapy - 26/10/2022 Therapeutic viruses against tumours and metastases Viruses can overcome cell barriers and transfer information to their host cells. They know how to make their host cell’s infrastructure work for them. This makes them excellent biotechnological tools, which a research group from the Fraunhofer IGB in Stuttgart is using to its advantage. The team is developing a therapeutic virus that not only recognises and fights tumours, but also has the potential to reach metastases.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/therapeutic-viruses-against-tumours-and-metastases
Press release - 25/10/2022 Three ERC Synergy Grants For Universität Heidelberg Scientists Heidelberg University scientists are to receive three ERC Synergy Grants – three highly endowed grants of the European Research Council – for pioneering research projects by several teams working in collaboration.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/three-erc-synergy-grants-universitaet-heidelberg-scientists
Press release - 24/10/2022 How tumors suppress the development of metastases Why do metastases often only appear after the original tumor has been surgically removed? Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) and the Mannheim Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University have now published an explanation for this phenomenon. They were able to identify a messenger substance of the cancer cells that locally promotes the growth of the primary tumor.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/wie-tumoren-die-entstehung-von-metastasen-unterdruecken
Press release - 21/10/2022 Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung supports research project on wood-based materials at the University of Freiburg The Carl Zeiss Foundation is funding the "DELIVER - Data-driven Engineering of Sustainable Living Materials" project at the University of Freiburg in its "CZS Wildcard" program. In the project, scientists from the Freiburg Clusters of Excellence CIBSS and livMatS will develop sustainable wood-based materials whose properties can be precisely controlled.https://www.bio-pro.de/en/activities/biological-transformation/aktuelles/carl-zeiss-stiftung-supports-research-project-wood-based-materials-university-freiburg
Press release - 21/10/2022 Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung supports research project on wood-based materials at the University of Freiburg The Carl Zeiss Foundation is funding the "DELIVER - Data-driven Engineering of Sustainable Living Materials" project at the University of Freiburg in its "CZS Wildcard" program. In the project, scientists from the Freiburg Clusters of Excellence CIBSS and livMatS will develop sustainable wood-based materials whose properties can be precisely controlled.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/carl-zeiss-stiftung-foerdert-forschungsvorhaben-der-universitaet-freiburg-zu-holzbasierten-werkstoffen
Press release - 20/10/2022 Cytoskeleton acts as cells’ bouncer for bacteria Researchers of the University of Freiburg have discovered a previously unknown function of septins in defending cells against dangerous hospital pathogens.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/das-zellskelett-haelt-die-eintrittspforte-fuer-bakterien-geschlossen
Press release - 19/10/2022 Apogenix’ Asunercept Demonstrates Efficacy in Phase II Trial for the Treatment of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Apogenix, a biopharmaceutical company developing next generation immunotherapeutics, announced today that asunercept showed statistically significant benefits for hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the ASUNCTIS trial. The open-label multi-center phase II trial investigated efficacy and safety of asunercept in 435 patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 disease.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/apogenixs-asunercept-zeigt-wirksamkeit-phase-ii-studie-zur-behandlung-von-covid-19-patienten-im-krankenhaus
Press release - 19/10/2022 Molecular structure of one of the most important receptors in the immune system unraveled Researchers from Freiburg and Harvard publish the three-dimensional structure of the B cell antigen receptor, shedding new light on its composition.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/molecular-structure-one-most-important-receptors-immune-system-unraveled
Press release - 28/09/2022 First successful trial for early detection of HPV-related cancer of the pharynx Screening trials for the early detection of rare diseases often fail due to insufficient predictive power of the results. For the rare HPV-related cancer of the pharynx, scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) now relied on the combined detection of antibodies against two different viral proteins in a proof-of concept trial.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/erste-erfolgreiche-studie-zur-frueherkennung-von-hpv-bedingtem-krebs-im-rachenraum
Hummingbird Diagnostics GmbH - 22/09/2022 The great potential of blood-based microRNA analyses "The early bird catches the worm", is an apt description of what motivates Hummingbird Diagnostics GmbH from Heidelberg. The medium-sized biotechnology company analyses special biomarkers in blood, so-called microRNAs, in order to diagnose diseases at an early stage and to be able to make forecasts about the course of the disease and the success of therapy.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/great-potential-blood-based-microrna-analyses
Press release - 21/09/2022 ERC funding: How to deliver gene therapies to a specific target site? With its "Proof of Concept" grants, the European Research Council ERC supports scientists in further developing the commercial potential of their research results. Nina Papavasiliou from the DKFZ is now receiving the prestigious grant for the second time: she wants to advance the development of a "molecular delivery service" that ensures that therapeutic genes reach the right address in the body in a targeted manner.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/erc-funding-how-deliver-gene-therapies-specific-target-site
Press release - 09/09/2022 Breaking down proteins: How starving cancer cells switch food sources Cancer cells often grow in environments that are low in nutrients, and they cope with this challenge by switching their metabolism to using proteins as alternative "food". Building on genetic screens, an international team of scientists could identify the protein LYSET as part of a pathway that allows cancer cells to make this switch. Their findings are now published in the journal Science.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/neu-identifiziertes-protein-ermoeglicht-krebszellen-auf-alternative-nahrungsquellen-auszuweichen
Sustainable nutrition - 05/09/2022 Insect pasta: eating healthily and improving the world at the same time Insects on the dinner plate? Some people instantly dismiss the idea. Wrongly so, because in terms of animal welfare, ecological footprint and healthy nutrition, insect foods are much better than all other animal foods and are produced in a more controlled way. The fact that they can also taste really good is proven by the start-up Beneto Foods from Albstadt, which has developed protein-rich pasta in various flavours using cricket flour.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/insect-pasta-eating-healthily-and-improving-world-same-time
Press release - 31/08/2022 Using nanopores to detect epigenetic changes faster Changes known as epigenetic modifications play an important role in cancer development, among other things. Being able to analyze them quickly and reliably could, for example, contribute significantly to the further development of personalized therapy.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/using-nanopores-detect-epigenetic-changes-faster