Healthcare industry

In order to be able to manage the growing amount of information in the life sciences the international research community has developed numerous electronic databases over the last few years. Supported by sophisticated software programmes the stored information can now be analysed effectively. In parallel with work-intensive screening methods which involve many laboratory experiments scientists are increasingly relying on computer-based methods.

Prof. Dr. Harald Krug a toxicologist who runs the Materials-Biology Interaction division at Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research in St. Gallen Switzerland and his team are investigating the interactions of synthetic materials with biological systems. The team of 25 researchers is focusing in particular on the effect of particles and nanomaterials such as CNT on human and animal cells. The division has been an…

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.

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.

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…

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.

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.

Worldwide less than 10000 people suffer from Gauchers disease which is the most common lysosomal storage disease. Genzyme has been offering the drug Cerezyme for the treatment of this rare genetic disease since 1994. The companys subsidiary in Constance markets and sells this enzyme replacement therapy in Europe and Asia. The active substance is produced in Chinese hamster ovary cell cultures.

In contrast to the USA human granulocytic anaplasmosis infection rarely occurs in Germany. Dr. Friederike von Loewenich at the Freiburg Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene are investigating the reason for this discrepancy.

Tübingen-based Hölle & Hüttner AG is taking over the entire share capital of Cologne-based INTAVIS Bioanalytical Instruments AG retroactively as of 1 January 2008. Both companies specialise in the development and marketing of systems for the automation of biochemical and molecular biological processes.

Claus Schwechheimer at the Centre for Plant Molecular Biology at the University of Tübingen has succeeded in identifying a protein function in plants which if it is understood might lead to important progress in human cancer research.

In the EU it is mandatory to adequately label genetically modified food or animal feed. But how can producers make sure that their products are free from genetically modified organisms? The company Eurofins GeneScan GmbH from Freiburg can help.

SciLife is a new virtual presentation and communication platform for the scientific community. The platform is now also available free of charge to researchers who want to increase networking activities and who are looking for equipment and researchers.

Cells with irreparable DNA damage normally induce programmed cell death, or apoptosis. However, this mechanism often fails in tumor cells so that transformed cells are able to multiply and spread throughout the body. Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center have now discovered a possible cause of this failure.

In the Centre of Applied Photonics CAP at the University of Constance interdisciplinary teams of researchers are working on new optical technologies with a special focus on laser technology.

Mobile DNA elements are able to change their position in the genome and mobilise entire gene groups as well as switch genes on and off. Professor Bodo Rak and his team at the University of Freiburg are investigating the effect of mobile DNA fragments on the evolution of E. coli bacteria.

Researchers in Heidelberg have discovered a new strategy for an immunization against certain forms of cancer. They have determined that immune cells react strongly to the modified proteins in tumor cells in which a DNA repair defect has occurred. It is estimated that this repair defect is present in some 15 percent of all tumours.

Karlsruhe based quantiom bioinformatics has developed a software tool that enables the comparative analysis of chromosomes and that enables statements to be made on the correlation of genomic alterations and disease development.

Histone acetyltransferases HATs and their antagonists the histone deacetylases are important enzymes in epigenetic gene regulation. Scientists discovered new HAT inhibitors that are now being investigated for their potential as anti-cancer drugs.

After years of directing his focus more on the molecular processes in the development of different cell types Prof. Albrecht Sippel has gone back to his roots. Despite his retirement six months ago Sippel started to actively participate in the search for human genes in the faculties of thought and speech that distinguish us from our animal relatives.

Physical activity healthy nutrition more relaxation and no permanent sleep deficiency - is there a secret recipe for eternal youth? Alexander Bürkle from Constance along with scientists from all over Europe are aiming to identify the powerful biomarkers of human ageing.

Professor Peter Öhlschläger established his major scientific interests very early on. During his degree thesis at the German Cancer Research Centre DKFZ in Heidelberg the immunologist succeeded in combining his two major interests namely virology and cancer. Öhlschläger is now junior professor at the University of Constance and mainly deals with the development of therapeutic cancer vaccines.

In conjunction with reference laboratories of the World Health Organization WHO medtech company Curetis AG is developing new technologies and products that identify the pathogens of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and their resistance. The solutions are impressive.

Article - 20/04/2008

varionostic develops test systems for tumour markers

The Ulm-based company varionostic GmbH has received a research grant from the German Ministry of Economics and Technology. Details on the level of the grant were not disclosed. The company will research tumour markers and develop detection systems for DNA methylations.