Certain developmental signals play a significant role in maintaining our genetic blueprints. They prevent alterations in the genome, known as mosaicism. The underlying biological mechanism helps the DNA to produce an identical copy of itself during cell division using the original genetic blueprint. However, it can also contribute to genomic mosaicism during nerve cell development.

Whether we are predisposed to particular diseases depends to a large extent on the countless variants in our genome. However in the case of genetic variants the influence on the presentation of certain pathological traits has been difficult to determine. Researchers have introduced an algorithm based on deep learning that can predict the effects of rare genetic variants.

Personalized medicine with individually tailored therapies is becoming more a reality in cancer. This requires a look into the genetic material of tumors, a molecular diagnostic tumor profile. A research group from the German Network for Personalized Medicine (DNPM) has recorded the quality standards according to which genome analyses are carried out in Germany. The data is a prerequisite for integrating gene sequencing into routine care.

Dr Simon Binder has been awarded a five-year, 1.5 million euro grant from the Carl Zeiss Foundation for his research into novel neuroimplants. Binder will establish the early career research group ‘Biohybrid Neuroimplants based on Soft Hydrogel Electrodes’ at the University of Freiburg. It is affiliated with the research institutions BrainLinks-BrainTools.

Sustainable medical technology - 10/10/2024

Rethinking plastics in medical technology

Good healthcare relies heavily on medical products made from plastic. However, the widespread use of synthetic materials, particularly disposable items, creates vast amounts of waste, depletes resources and leads to a substantial carbon footprint. To create more environmentally friendly plastic products in the future, substantial changes to production processes are essential.

At the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, a three-dimensional skin model has now been set up for the first time that directly displays the skin's reaction to substances: The reporter skin. Thanks to the built-in reporter, the cellular response can be measured precisely and quickly – using a living model.