Article - 13/02/2012 Almut Köhler – cadherin-mediated cell adhesion and dispersion Cadherins ensure that cells within tissues are bound together. However this is only one side of the coin. Dr. Almut Köhler from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT and her group of researchers are investigating a cadherin type that is even able to actively promote cell migration in developing frog brains and tumour tissue.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/almut-koehler-cadherin-mediated-cell-adhesion-and-dispersion
Article - 13/02/2012 A strange combination: green tea extract and light for treating Alzheimer’s Andrei Sommer from the University of Ulm and colleagues from Ulm, Heidelberg and Berlin have succeeded in reducing amyloid beta deposits in human neuroblastoma cells by up to 60 per cent in vitro. The researchers found that the apparently strange combination of green tea and red light has the potential to lead to the development of new therapies for Alzheimer’s. There are currently no treatments available that stop or reverse the progression of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/a-strange-combination-green-tea-extract-and-light-for-treating-alzheimer-s
Article - 13/02/2012 Times are getting harder for thieves - biocoding equals security People can now mark their possessions with artificial DNA thus making it more likely for thieves and people who fence stolen goods to be caught red-handed. Each marker is as unique as a genetic fingerprint and can be easily visualized using UV light. The artificial DNA can also be used to prove ownership. Donald van der Laan CEO of Forensische Markierungstechnologie GmbH based in Schriesheim talks about the sophisticated features of the forensic…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/times-are-getting-harder-for-thieves-biocoding-equals-security
Article - 06/02/2012 Ten outstanding ideas in biotechnology and medical technology The results of the feasibility studies funded under the Idea Competition in Biotechnology and Medical Technology were presented in the Haus der Wirtschaft in Stuttgart between 16th and 18th January 2012. Ten of the 42 project ideas were recommended for further funding.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/ten-outstanding-ideas-in-biotechnology-and-medical-technology
Article - 23/01/2012 Karen Lienkamp: intelligent surface materials fight off microbes Resistant germs are tough and will settle anywhere. They grow on all types of surface which is a major cause for concern for medical doctors and industrial researchers alike. The chemist Dr. Karen Lienkamp Junior Fellow at the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies FRIAS and head of a group of junior researchers at the University of Freiburg develops surface materials for biomedical applications and industrial production facilities. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/karen-lienkamp-intelligent-surface-materials-fight-off-microbes
Press release - 14/12/2011 Towards a Therapy to Healing Stroke The thalamus is the central translator in the brain: Specialized nerve cells (neurons) receive information from the sensory organs, process it, and transmit it deep into the brain. Researchers from the Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG) of KIT have now identified the genetic factors Lhx2 and Lhx9 responsible for the development of these neurons. Their results contribute to understanding the development of the thalamus. In the long term,…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/towards-a-therapy-to-healing-stroke
Press release - 07/12/2011 An Eye on Stem Cells Prof. Dr. Joachim Wittbrodt and Dr. Lázaro Centanin from the Heidelberg University's Centre for Organismal Studies have shown that in the Medaka fish a single retinal stem cell has the potential to develop into all retinal cell types. These results using the techniques of permanent genetic cell labeling have been published in the journal „Cell Stem Cell".https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/an-eye-on-stem-cells
Press release - 05/12/2011 Flexible Rack Systems Sort Molecules Researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) have developed a flexible and efficient new process for the separation of enantiomers. Enantiomer separation is indispensable for the production of many pharmaceuticals. In their process, the scientists use porous molecular frameworks (MOFs) that are assembled in layers on solid substrates using a specifically developed method. The results have now been…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/flexible-rack-systems-sort-molecules
Press release - 28/11/2011 CeCo Labs develops new method for isolating bacterial cell walls CeCo Labs UG, founded as a spin-off from the University of Tübingen, has developed an internationally unique method for isolating bacterial cell walls. These are used in research to investigate antibiotic resistance, for example. Unlike conventional techniques, the method developed by CeCo Labs is able to supply a very high number of ultra-pure cell walls extremely quickly. Orders have already been placed by customers across the globe.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/ceco-labs-develops-new-method-for-isolating-bacterial-cell-walls
Article - 24/10/2011 Cadherins and Wnt signals – cell adhesion or growth and dispersion? The proteins of the cadherin family form a kind of molecular zip that binds cells closely together thereby preventing cancer cells from migrating for example. Prof. Dr. Doris Wedlich and her team from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT were involved in the discovery that cadherins are not only involved in cell adhesion but also have other functions.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/cadherins-and-wnt-signals-cell-adhesion-or-growth-and-dispersion
Article - 29/08/2011 Ute Schepers – the therapeutic potential of small RNAs and molecular transporters Small RNAs can specifically interfere with cellular mechanisms; or more precisely, with the cells’ protein biosynthesis machinery. Scientists have therefore decided to exploit this potential by using small RNAs against cancer cells or cells damaged in other ways. But the question arises as to how the small RNAs can reach the site where their role is to prevent the generation of dangerous proteins. Dr. Ute Schepers and her team from the Karlsruhe…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/ute-schepers-the-therapeutic-potential-of-small-rnas-and-molecular-transporters
Press release - 24/08/2011 KIT Researcher Win the Mimics Innovation Awards 2011 in the Category “Innovations in Computer Aided Engineering” The contribution “A Preprocessing Approach for Innovative Patient-Specific Intranasal Flow Simulations” of Krause (EMCL), Gengenbach (EMCL), Mayer (SCC), Zimny (EMCL) and Heuveline (Head of EMCL) has won the Mimics Innovation Awards 2011 in the category 2 “Innovations in computer aided engineering” which is associated with a prize of 5,000 Euro.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/kit-researcher-win-the-mimics-innovation-awards-2011-in-the-category-innovations-in-computer-aided-e
Article - 22/08/2011 Jörg Overhage investigates how bacteria react to stress Bacteria have been around for a very long time and they will probably still be around in the future. They are able to adapt to any factor that is potentially fatal to cells heat hunger radiation toxic chemicals or immune attacks. However tolerance to stress is not only characteristic of individual bacteria bacteria join forces whenever inhospitable conditions arise. A team of researchers led by Dr. Jörg Overhage at the Karlsruhe Institute of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/joerg-overhage-investigates-how-bacteria-react-to-stress
Press release - 04/08/2011 Testing water quality - Test kit makes in situ testing easy Moisture and warmth create the ideal living conditions for a wide range of micro-organisms which can pose a risk to human health. Now, a new quick testing kit for bacteria means that the microbiological contamination of water or other surfaces can be measured directly in situ, with no need for expensive and time-consuming laboratory tests.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/testing-water-quality-test-kit-makes-in-situ-testing-easy
Press release - 20/07/2011 Roche acquires mtm laboratories AG, expanding offering in cervical cancer Roche announced on July 19th that it has signed an agreement under which it will acquire 100 percent of mtm laboratories AG (mtm), a privately-held company based in Heidelberg, Germany. mtm is a global leader in developing in vitro diagnostics with a focus on early detection and diagnosis of cervical cancer, the largest early detection market in oncology. mtm will become part of Roche’s Tissue Diagnostics (Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.) business…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/roche-acquires-mtm-laboratories-ag-expanding-offering-in-cervical-cancer
Article - 20/06/2011 How plants change their shape – researchers at KIT investigate cytoskeletal processes Organisms have two possibilities when they encounter inhospitable environmental conditions: to run away or to adapt. As plants have no legs, they therefore need to adapt rapidly to unstable environmental conditions. A plant is hugely flexible in terms of its shape and one of the things that makes this possible is its cytoskeleton, a scaffold consisting of specialized filaments. A group of researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/how-plants-change-their-shape-researchers-at-kit-investigate-cytoskeletal-processes
Article - 23/05/2011 KIT researchers attempt to grow cardiomyocytes in Petri dishes Regenerative medicine specialists are aiming to be able to grow complete organs from stem cells some time in the future. However although the microscopically small cells are able to do many things they are not able to grow organs on their own. Dr. Alexandra Rolletschek and her team at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT are investigating how stem cells can be grown into heart muscle cells cardiomyocytes in Petri dishes. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/kit-researchers-attempt-to-grow-cardiomyocytes-in-petri-dishes
Article - 02/05/2011 Production of high-density peptide arrays Frank Breitling and Alexander Nesterov-Müller from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT are working on the development of a second-generation peptide laser printer and a peptide chip printer based on computer chips. This development will enable the low-cost production of high-density peptide arrays consisting of up to one million peptides as well as opening up completely new areas of application.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/production-of-high-density-peptide-arrays
Dossier - 02/05/2011 Molecular bionics – inspirations from the microworld for the macroworld Knowledge about the molecular organisation of structural and functional biological properties has led to the establishment of a new field of research molecular bionics. Everything that can be learnt from the macromolecular observation of interesting natural phenomena is complemented in this field by observations on the smallest i.e. molecular level. Processes and materials that have been optimised in the course of evolution are thus able to…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/molecular-bionics-inspirations-from-the-microworld-for-the-macroworld
Article - 11/04/2011 movisens GmbH – innovative systems for measuring psychophysiological parameters In an effort to reduce the number of visits to GPs or clinics whilst enabling doctors to closely monitor their patients ECG breathing or physical activity Karlsruhe-based movisens GmbH offers mobile systems for measuring physiological parameters. The companys clients include research institutions hospitals employers and the police and fire brigade.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/movisens-gmbh-innovative-systems-for-measuring-psychophysiological-parameters
Article - 21/03/2011 Andrea Hartwig – trace elements, toxic metals and the thin line in between For more than 25 years Prof. Dr. Andrea Hartwig has been investigating the quantities of metal compounds that have a beneficial or toxic effect on human health. As a basic researcher the new chair of the Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT has managed to clarify many mechanisms of action of toxic metals including on the molecular level.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/andrea-hartwig-trace-elements-toxic-metals-and-the-thin-line-in-between
Press release - 21/03/2011 Polymer brushes with mini proteins protect implants Patients who have had surgical implants are at risk of developing serious complications due to bacterial infections. This affects around two to six per cent of patients with implants. Scientists from the KIT Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG) have now succeeded in developing a protective layer that prevents bacteria from adhering to implants and creating dangerous biofilms that can lead to serious infections. The protective layer has proven…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/polymer-brushes-with-mini-proteins-protect-implants
Press release - 26/02/2011 Science & Management “Science & Management“ is the name of an innovative doctoral programme offered by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in association with the international Collège des Ingénieurs. This is a world-first in Germany that enables students to combine a doctoral thesis in the sciences with an MBA - Master of Business Administration - degree. Study periods and project work in European countries are part of the programme, which will be open for…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/science-management
Article - 17/01/2011 nadicom GmbH: novel strategies to prove microcrobes guilty Microscopic life is omnipresent and it also appears in places where it is not wanted. The Karlsruhe-based nadicom Gesellschaft für angewandte Mikrobiologie mbH offers a broad range of services to companies and environmental authorities to help them deal with and control the omnipresence of microorganisms.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/nadicom-gmbh-novel-strategies-to-prove-microcrobes-guilty
Press release - 18/12/2010 Gold for a construction kit full of viruses With a new strategy for the treatment of tumours, the team at the Freiburg Centre for Biological Signalling Studies (BIOSS) excellence cluster once again secured a top place in the international iGEM competition held by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, USA. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/gold-for-a-construction-kit-full-of-viruses