Press release - 25/09/2024 How do rare genetic variants affect health? AI provides more accurate predictions 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. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/how-do-rare-genetic-variants-affect-health-ai-provides-more-accurate-predictions
Press release - 17/09/2024 Five new cross-border doctoral networks at Universität Heidelberg Five transnational and cross-institutional doctoral networks at Heidelberg University are being funded as part of the “Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions”. They work together on current scientific topics with high innovation potential. Ruperto Carola coordinates an MSCA Doctoral Network on artificial intelligence in physics, two networks in medicine, life sciences and engineering. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/five-new-cross-border-doctoral-networks-universitat-heidelberg
Press release - 12/09/2024 Power-to-vitamins: microbes produce folate from simple basic ingredients Biotechnology team at University of Tübingen obtains valuable byproduct in protein production. This could be a potential to the contribution of feeding a growing world population without livestock farming.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/power-vitamins-microbes-produce-folate-simple-basic-ingredients
Press release - 09/09/2024 New Molecular Engineering Technique allows for complex Organoids A new molecular engineering technique can precisely influence the development of organoids. Microbeads made of specifically folded DNA are used to release growth factors or other signal molecules inside the tissue structures. This gives rise to considerably more complex organoids that imitate the respective tissues much better and have a more realistic cell mix than before. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-molecular-engineering-technique-allows-complex-organoids
Press release - 03/09/2024 NMR Spectroscopy: A Faster Way to Determine the “Sense of Rotation” of Molecules Researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Voxalytic GmbH developed a new method that allows, for the first time, to elucidate the chiral structure of molecules – the exact spatial arrangement of the atoms – by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This important step in the development of new drugs used to be a time-consuming process until now. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/nmr-spectroscopy-faster-way-determine-sense-rotation-molecules
Pipetting robot for academic research - 28/08/2024 goodBot GmbH: a third arm for researchers Repetitive tasks that researchers have to conduct in the lab tend to be tiring and often lead to errors. Precise pipetting is crucial for achieving reproducible results. Automation is underrepresented in research labs and existing pipetting robots are unsuitable for scientists. This is why Dr. Julius Wiener, Tobias Zundel and Oliver Brunner decided to found the company goodBot GmbH and develop a pipetting robot tailored to academic research.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/goodbot-gmbh-third-arm-researchers
Press release - 14/08/2024 New vaccine against cervical cancer combines prophylactic and therapeutic activities Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have developed a completely new vaccination concept. The vaccine is inexpensive and protects mice against almost all cancer-causing HPV types. In addition to preventing new infections, the vaccine also triggers cellular immune responses against HPV-infected cells and may therefore also have a therapeutic effect against existing infections.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-vaccine-against-cervical-cancer-combines-prophylactic-and-therapeutic-activities
Press release - 13/08/2024 Peptide Boronic Acids: New Prospects for Immunology A cutting-edge chemical process is the first to make it possible to quickly and easily produce modified peptides with boronic acids. As part of this work, scientists managed to synthesize a large number of different biologically active peptide boronic acids and investigate their properties. They open up new possibilities in the young research field of synthetic immunology and could go on to be used primarily in immunotherapy. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/peptide-boronic-acids-new-prospects-immunology
Research association - 24/07/2024 SPI-MP: pioneer in personalised medical technology Every person is unique – even when they are ill. This is why many approaches to personalised medicine have been under development. The Stuttgart Partnership Initiative - Mass Personalization (SPI-MP), which focuses on basic research into fabrication and biomaterial technologies for personalised biomedical systems, is at the heart of such research work. The projects range from artificial knee joint cartilage to state-of-the-art stroke diagnostics.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/spi-mp-pioneer-personalised-medical-technology
Press release - 03/07/2024 Max Planck scientists develop cost-efficient medical imaging method Max Planck scientists will present a low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner in Lindau. Two researchers from the MPI for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany, will present a model of a new low-field MRI system. It combines hyperpolarization with imaging techniques that can be run at low magnetic field strengths. The quality of the MRI images can be enhanced with the help of artificial intelligence.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/max-planck-scientists-develop-cost-efficient-medical-imaging-method
Press release - 03/07/2024 Advancement Award for Heidelberg Molecular Biologist For her ground-breaking scientific studies in the field of synthetic biology, the 2024 Alfried Krupp Advancement Award is to go to Prof. Dr Kerstin Göpfrich. The award, endowed with one million euros in funding, is granted annually by the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation to young academics holding their first professorship in the natural and engineering sciences.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/advancement-award-heidelberg-molecular-biologist
Press release - 24/06/2024 Digital babies created to improve infant healthcare Researchers at University of Galway, the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS) Heidelberg University, and Heidelberg University Hospital have created digital babies to better understand infants’ health in their critical first 180 days of life. The international team created computer models that simulate the unique metabolic processes of each baby. The models can help to better understand rare metabolic diseases.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/digital-babies-created-improve-infant-healthcare
Press release - 21/06/2024 Cyber Valley: World's first ELLIS Institute opens At the finale of the Cyber Valley Days, and Science Minister Petra Olschowski opened the ELLIS Institute Tübingen, heralding the next phase of the AI Innovation Campus. With the world's first ELLIS Institute, Cyber Valley is gaining further radiance. Olschowski also announced at the ceremony that the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is joining the Cyber Valley Community.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/cyber-valley-worlds-first-ellis-institute-opens
Gender-specific differences - 18/06/2024 Gender medicine: Why is good healthcare not a matter of course for everyone? Gender medicine is the study of gender-specific health differences. Many diseases manifest themselves differently in men and women and therapies do not always have the same effect depending on the sex of the patient being treated. There is currently not enough data on these differences. Research teams including the one led by Professor Dr. Dr. Sonja Loges from the University Medical Centre Mannheim and the DKFZ are seeking to change this.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/gender-medicine-why-good-healthcare-not-matter-course-everyone
Press release - 13/06/2024 Eyesight from a 3D Printer Printing a new cornea during an operation to restore a patient’s eyesight: This groundbreaking step in the fight against corneal disorders is set to become reality with a laser based process using personalized bioink. The method was developed by researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in collaboration with Carl Zeiss Meditec AG and Evonik Healthcare. Their project won the idea award in this year’s NEULAND innovation contest.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/eyesight-3d-printer
Press release - 07/06/2024 German Research Foundation honors researchers for animal testing alternatives Prof. Dr. Peter Loskill and Dr. Silke Riegger from the 3R Center Tübingen for in-vitro models and animal testing alternatives have been awarded the Ursula M. Händel Animal Welfare Prize 2024. The prize, endowed with 80,000 euros, was awarded to them in Würzburg for the development of organ-on-chip (OoC) systems as an alternative to animal testing.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/german-research-foundation-honors-researchers-animal-testing-alternatives
Epifadin from the nasal microbiome - 28/03/2024 From the nose: novel antibiotic substance discovered Antibiotics are becoming an increasingly blunt weapon against infectious diseases. The number of (multi-)resistant germs has been rising rapidly for years and even reserve antibiotics no longer work. Researchers at the University of Tübingen have now isolated a completely new antibiotic substance called epifadin from the microbiome of the human nose. It is effective against many different bacteria - including the dangerous hospital MRSA.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/nose-novel-antibiotic-substance-discovered
Stem cell research - 14/03/2024 Using organoids to gain a better clinical understanding of pancreatic cancer Prof. Dr. Alexander Kleger carries out translational research at Ulm University Hospital to gain a better understanding of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and develop individualised treatments. He and his team are using organoid models and stem cell-based systems and have succeeded in simultaneously cultivating all three main cell types of the pancreas from pluripotent stem cells.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/using-organoids-gain-better-clinical-understanding-pancreatic-cancer
Press release - 05/03/2024 New Center for Synthetic Genomics Applying and developing new technologies for DNA synthesis to pave the way for producing entire artificial genomes – that is the goal of a new interdisciplinary center, 'Center for Synthetic Genomics', that is being established at Heidelberg University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-center-synthetic-genomics
Press release - 04/03/2024 First Step Toward Early Diagnosis of Metastasis Team involving the University of Freiburg has developed a new analytical method for the basement membrane in human lungs.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/first-step-toward-early-diagnosis-metastasis
Neurosciences - 28/02/2024 Mesh microelectrode arrays: research with brain organoids on a new level How does the brain work? Brain organoids are derived from pluripotent stem cells and regarded as valuable model systems that can depict some aspects of neurological functioning. Dr. Peter Jones from NMI together with Dr. Thomas Rauen from the MPI for Molecular Biomedicine in Münster, has taken organoid research to a new level. His novel mesh microelectrode array (Mesh-MEA) greatly improves the growth and electrophysiological analysis of tissue.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/mesh-microelectrode-arrays-research-brain-organoids-new-level
Press release - 22/02/2024 A new approach to recording cellular activities In living cells, a vast number of transient events occur simultaneously. The recording of these activities is a prerequisite for a molecular understanding of life. Scientists at the MPI for Medical Research in Heidelberg and their collaboration partners have created a novel technology that allows cellular events to be recorded through chemical labeling with fluorescent dyes for later analysis, opening up new ways to study cellular physiology.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-approach-recording-cellular-activities
Press release - 18/01/2024 Indicator for liver health status identified A high-fat, high-sugar diet damages the liver in the long term. Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have now identified a characteristic change in the molecular signaling pathways of liver cells in mice that were exposed to such a diet for weeks. It fuels the division activity of hepatocytes and correlates with the risk of patients suffering liver failure after liver surgery.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/indicator-liver-health-status-identified
Press release - 05/01/2024 How memories are formed in the brain – a new role for the internal compass University of Tübingen neuroscientists discover new functions of head-direction cells suggesting they may contribute to episodic memory formation.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/how-memories-are-formed-brain-new-role-internal-compass
Press release - 18/12/2023 Researchers discover novel antibiotic substance from the human nose For the first time, the active substance epifadin has been isolated at the University of Tübingen – Epifadin is produced by specific bacteria in the nose and on the skin of humans, has an antibiotic effect, and is the first example of a previously unknown antimicrobial compound class.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/researchers-discover-novel-antibiotic-substance-human-nose