Healthcare industry

Professor Dr. Christoph Borner from the University of Freiburg and his team are investigating the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis. Their research also provides insights into the medical treatment of cells that do not want to die - cancer cells.

The German Society for Medical Physics DGMP has awarded its science prize to the medical physicist Gerhard Glatting for his research into the specific irradiation of tumour tissue using radioactively labelled antibodies.

The test detects K-RAS mutations and could be an additional tool for targeted therapies of patients with colorectal cancer who stand to benefit from newly developed cancer therapies that rely on the genotype of the K-RAS oncogene.

Although the MedCare TechArea was not one of the five top clusters to recently receive an award from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research the cluster and its MedCare TechArea will be further developed.

This internet portal an initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research provides foreign researchers and scientists with a wealth of easily accessible information about research opportunities in Germany.

Press release - 13/09/2008

Transform ideas into successful companies

With Science2Start - targeted promotion and support of start-up companies in the life sciences sector BioRegio STERN Management GmbH is keen to set new companies on course for success.

In some types of spinocerebellar ataxia and spastic paraplegia the number of people affected is so small that the search for the causes of the disease seems to be an almost hopeless endeavour. Human geneticist Prof. Dr. Olaf Rieß and neurologist Prof. Dr. Ludger Schöls from the University Hospital Tübingen are now hoping to promote research and improve the medical treatment of such patients with the aid of two new European networks.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy DMD is a severe disease affecting boys characterised by rapid progression of muscle degeneration so that boys as young as 10 to 12 years of age have to use a wheelchair and leading to death in young men. In Germany about 2500 children and young adults suffer from DMD.

Mayers major interest is cell division which he sees as an interesting and also a beautiful aesthetic process. Prof. Dr. Thomas U. Mayer occupies the chair of molecular genetics at the University of Constance where he enjoys working in close contact with colleagues from the field of chemistry.

The Rhine-Neckar biotechnology cluster BioRN was distinguished as one of the five most significant high-tech regions in Germany and will receive part of the 200 million Euro federal grant.

The Early Discovery department of the research-based pharmaceutical company Nycomed GmbH deals with early drug research from the identification of targets to the generation of lead structures. This process involves high-throughput drug screening. On behalf of www.bio-pro.de Michael Statnik talked with Dr. Stefanie Polej about the process of the automated analysis of molecule activities in the Constance-based company.

Press release - 02/09/2008

Elke Guenther: inspired by basic research and application-oriented

The biologist Prof. Dr. Elke Guenther is head of the Department of Electrophysiology at the NMI where her work involves safety pharmacology the development of biosensors and the characterisation of ion channels in the cell membranes in a broad range of different organ systems.

The German Federal Cabinet agreed on a draft bill on human genetic testing Gene Diagnostics Law. The law protects people against the danger of potential discrimination that could result from knowledge of the genetic properties of individuals. The draft bill prohibits secret tests to determine parentage.

Many cancers are difficult to treat with drugs because they are resistant to them. A research group at Heidelberg is investigating the molecular mechanisms of multidrug resistance and has the goal to improve the treatment of cancer patients.

Sometimes a few nanogrammes of toxin are all that is needed to kill someone. Prof. Dr. Dr. Klaus Aktories from the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacy at the University of Freiburg is investigating why some bacterial toxins are so extremely toxic. Together with his team of researchers Aktories has identified the molecular mechanism of action of Clostridium difficile toxins.

Researchers at the University of Stuttgart are leaders in the field of diagnosis and analysis of plant viruses. In a two-week Summer School the researchers imparted their knowledge to virologists from all over the world.

Professor Dr. Günther Schützs work on the cell- and development-specific gene regulation using nuclear receptors has led amongst other things to new insights into the steroid hormone-dependent early development and differentiation of the nervous system the molecular mechanisms of learning and the development and regulation of drug addiction. Schütz has now been appointed Helmholtz professor which will enable him to continue his work beyond…

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.

Proteins that are involved in the development of an organism must be activated at the right time and then inactivated if no longer required. Scientists in Tübingen investigate the specific degradation of these proteins through specialised and highly selective systems of the cell.

The primary objective of greenovation Biotech GmbH is the implementation of a stable production platform for the manufacture of glycoproteins for industrial pharmaceutical applications in accordance with GMP guidelines. Now Gregor Mirow succeeds Hans Bodo Hartmann as the new managing director.

Heidenheim-based Hartmann Group further accelerated its growth in the first six months of 2008. The company reports a growth in sales revenues to 678.5 million euros up 7.4 and increased its consolidated operating net income by 22.1 to 22.5 million euros. The greatest growth was achieved by the Operating Theatre Management segment.

Cytonet GmbH & Co. KG, Germany’s leading cell therapy company, has provided the first clear evidence for the efficacy of its liver cell therapy in severe congenital metabolic disorders of newborns. The study was conducted in cooperation with the University Children’s Hospital in Heidelberg.

Article - 25/08/2008

Markers that reveal the correct biological age

Researchers at the University of Ulm have just identified a number of proteins that reveal the biological age of a person. These biomarkers might be used in medical applications to adapt the medical treatment of older people to their individual biological age.

The Lake Constance region offers a broad range of cancer therapies and is home to several institutes and companies that are dealing with cancer research. The BioLAGO biotechnology network offers them a joint platform for co-operation and exchange of information.

Renal cell carcinoma is a rare disease. In addition, the disease is difficult to treat, and the majority of pharmaceutical companies find the development of new drugs for its treatment too financially risky. Their argument: the market is too small to make up for the high development costs. The Tübingen biotech company immatics was courageous enough to do so and will now be rewarded. The immatics scientists have developed a therapy that not only…