Healthcare industry

Article - 29/10/2018

Aminolipine: formaldehyde-free substitute for preserving biological tissues

For almost 125 years, undertakers as well as physicians in the fields of anatomy and pathology have used formaldehyde to preserve biological tissue and whole cadavers. Yet, formaldehyde is highly toxic and linked to cancer. A team led by Prof. Dr. Bernhard Hirt from the Institute of Clinical Anatomy and Cell Analysis at the University Hospital in Tübingen has developed a formaldehyde-free replacement substance.

Press release - 03/04/2018

Double success for Heidelberg stem cell researchers

Two awards at once, both carrying high monetary prizes, go to young researchers from the Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Research and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM) at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ): Simon Raffel will receive the 2018 Walter Schulz Prize. Simon Haas will share the 2018 Otto Schmeil Prize with his colleague Lars Velten from EMBL.

Press release - 21/02/2018

German Cancer Award for Michael Baumann

Michael Baumann, Chairman and Scientific Director of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg, receives the 2017 German Cancer Award in the category "Translational Research". The science award, which is sponsored by the German Cancer Society and the German Cancer Foundation, is one of the most prestigious distinctions in cancer medicine in Germany.

Article - 17/05/2016

Innovative biochip for discovering drugs for treating neuronal conditions

Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and epilepsy are three prominent examples of neuronal conditions (disorders affecting the nerve cells) for which drugs for treatment are intensively sought. Paolo Cesare from the NMI in Reutlingen has developed an innovative 3D system for testing drugs that does not require animal testing. In 2015, the MEAFLUIT system was awarded first prize in BioRegio STERN Management GmbH's Science2Start idea competition.

Article - 04/12/2015

Exploring the retinal code

Dr. Philipp Berens from the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience at the University of Tübingen uses computer models to study how light that enters the retina is turned into events that trigger nerve impulses. The bioinformatician has recently received the BMBF’s Bernstein Award for Computational Neuroscience.

Press release - 09/10/2014

Stefan Hell - Nobel Prize in Chemistry

For the second time a researcher at the DKFZ has been awarded the highest distinction in science: Professor Stefan Hell, director of the Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen and department head at the DKFZ, has been awarded this year´s Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his pioneering work in the field of ultra high resolution fluorescence microscopy. This follows the 2008 Nobel Prize in Medicine for Harald zur Hausen.

Article - 08/09/2014

Thomas Boehm – pushing back the frontiers of knowledge

The comparison of different animal species enables us to understand the crucial principle of immune defence on condition that the right investigative approach is chosen. Prof. Dr. Thomas Boehm director of the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg has been doing just this for many years. Based on insights into fundamental immune system functions Boehms research is aimed at developing new strategies for the diagnosis…

Article - 18/11/2013

The HAE Accelerator – "compete to speed up your start-up"

The HAE Accelerator is an international programme involving biomedical clusters in Cambridge (UK), Leuven (Belgium) and Heidelberg (Germany) that seeks to identify, train and put innovative start-up teams in the three countries in contact with international VC investors. Of the three business ideas that were awarded a HAE Investors’ Choice Award in September 2013, InoCard from Heidelberg came first with a new gene therapy for myocardial…

Press release - 22/11/2012

CeGaT and Genomatix are finalists of Boston Children’s Hospital’s CLARITY challenge

CeGaT (Center for Genomics and Transcriptomics) GmbH, the Department of Prostate Cancer Research, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn and Genomatix Software GmbH were announced as finalist (Top 3) of the CLARITY challenge, organized by Boston Children’s Hospital.

Press release - 16/11/2012

ERC Advanced Grant for immunobiologist from the University of Freiburg

Prof. Dr. Michael Reth has been awarded an Advanced Grant of the European Research Council ERC. The 2.24 million Euro award will be used to fund research over the next 5 years. The Albert-Ludwigs-University scientist wants to use this special funding to explore the nanoscale organization of proteins in biological membranes. With his nanoscale explorer program Reth and his group wish to obtain new insights into membrane processes of normal and…

Press release - 12/11/2012

Searching for new strategies against prostate cancer

The European Research Council (ERC) has announced that Roland Schüle, Scientific Director at the Department of Urology, University of Freiburg Medical Centre has been awarded an ERC Advanced Grant. Professor Schüle will receive €2.5 million for a period of 5 years for his research proposal to identify and characterize the molecular and physiological functions of the epigenetic enzyme LSD1 and to explore its role in prostate cancer.

Article - 22/10/2012

The crème de la crème of contact allergy tests goes in vitro

As of 2013 all cosmetic products containing a chemical with inherent skin sensitisation potential must be tested without the traditional animal testing. Prof. Dr. Stefan Martin from the Department of Dermatology at the University of Freiburg Medical Centre and his partners have been looking for alternatives to animal testing and have come up with the most specific in vitro test there has ever been. The researchers involved in the project have…

Merck Serono, a division of Merck, Darmstadt, Germany, announced on 10th Oktober 2012 during the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) congress in Lyon, France, that the company has initiated a new global research award to improve understanding of multiple sclerosis for the ultimate benefit of patients.

Article - 15/10/2012

Nobel Prize for the reprogramming of cells

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2012 was awarded jointly to Sir John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent, i.e. immature cells capable of developing into all tissues of the body. This finding is of revolutionary importance for the field of medicine.

Article - 15/10/2012

Vegetables help fend off bacteria in the intestines

Their discovery in the human intestines came as quite a surprise up until a few years ago LTi lymphoid tissue inducer - cells were only known to be involved in the embryonic development of the immune system. A team of researchers led by Prof. Dr. Andreas Diefenbach from the University of Freiburg Medical Centre has since been able to show the protective role played by LTi cells in fortifying the intestinal wall as a reaction to nutrients found…

Article - 15/10/2012

Carmen Ruiz de Almodóvar and the link between the nervous and vascular systems

Dr. Carmen Ruiz de Almodóvar from the Heidelberg University Biochemistry Centre has been awarded an ERC Starting Grant to study the molecular similarities between the nervous and vascular systems. The researcher showed that angiogenic factors such as VEGF also control the growth of neuronal cells and may be responsible for disorders in the development of nervous systems.

Article - 15/10/2012

ERC Starting Grants 2012: Baden-Württemberg achieves above-average success

On September 10th 2012, the European Research Council (ERC) announced the results of the fifth funding round of its Starting Grants. Baden-Württemberg was awarded 13 grants, and is the state with the largest number of a total of 34 grants awarded to German life sciences researchers. Baden-Württemberg life sciences researchers will be receiving Starting Grants worth around 20 million euros.

Article - 08/10/2012

Martin Beck and the nuclear pore atlas

Dr. Martin Beck from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg was awarded an ERC Starting Grant for his project “Atlas of Cell-Type Specific Nuclear Pore Complex Structures”. The combination of cryo-electron microscope tomography, proteomics and biochemical methods will enable the creation of a high-resolution three-dimensional image of the nuclear pore complex.

Article - 17/09/2012

Thomas Paulöhrl: spatially and temporally controlled light-induced reactions

Thomas Paulöhrl, polymer chemist from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), was awarded the 2012 Lanxess Talent Award for his achievements in further developing light-induced click strategies that can now be used for generating various surface structures and three-dimensional frameworks. His Ph.D. thesis not only provides the basis for new ways to efficiently modify material, it also opens up new research opportunities in medical drug…

Press release - 01/08/2012

With broccoli against infections

The microbiologist and immunologist Prof. Dr. Andreas Diefenbach, Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Freiburg Medical Centre, has been awarded a European Research Council "Starting Grant" for his project "NutrImmune". The ERC Starting Grant is one of Europe’s most prestigious grants for young investigators.

Press release - 16/07/2012

Winners of the "Science2Start" ideas competition honoured

BioRegio STERN Management GmbH honoured the three winners of the regional "Science2Start" ideas competition last Thursday evening. The award ceremony was part of the traditional summer soirée given by BioRegio STERN Management GmbH in collaboration with TTR Technologieparks Tübingen-Reutlingen GmbH, the Verein zur Förderung der Biotechnologie und der Medizintechnik e.V. (Society for the Promotion of Biotechnology and Medical Technology)…

Article - 05/06/2012

Max Planck Director Izaurralde honored for groundbreaking research

Professor Dr. Elisa Izaurralde has made important contributions to the field of RNA biology in recent years. The managing director of the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tübingen explores the complex mechanisms of cellular gene regulation. For her work on mRNA regulation she has now been honored with the prestigious Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine.

Press release - 01/06/2012

immatics wins 2012 TiE50 Award

Immatics biotechnologies GmbH, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing advanced therapeutic vaccines that are active against cancer, today announced that it has been named a 2012 TiE50 winner. These prestigious awards recognize entrepreneurship, innovation and management excellence within the life sciences, software, internet, mobile and energy sectors.

Press release - 01/06/2012

DFG Europa-Preis awarded to winners of national "Jugend forscht" competition

Four young researchers had two reasons to celebrate at this year's awards ceremony for Germany’s "Jugend forscht" competition in Erfurt. Not only did the young researchers place first in their respective fields, they were also awarded the Europa-Preis of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation).

Article - 29/05/2012

Exploring special antibiotics synthesis pathways

Kirromycin, an antibiotic produced by soil bacteria, reveals unusual steps for biosynthesis that might also be of interest for biotechnological applications. Dr. Ewa Maria Musiol was the first to shed light on the functions of specific acyltransferases involved in the biosynthesis of the antibiotic. She also received the 2012 DECHEMA PhD Award for Natural Products Research for these achievements.