Healthcare industry

Article - 04/07/2011

The adhesion of cells to the endothelium and to artificial surfaces

Professor Stefan W. Schneider from the Mannheim Medical Faculty is investigating the function of the vascular endothelium and its interaction with blood and tumour cells using microfluidics methods that enable him to measure the adhesion of cells to the walls of blood vessels under physiological flow conditions. As part of an interdisciplinary project, he is investigating the characteristics of wafer-thin surfaces covered with living cells, which…

Article - 18/04/2011

Can tissue be glued together in a non-invasive way?

At present, the use of substances to glue tissue together is only an idea, but it might eventually mean that surgeons will no longer need to use a needle and thread. The cellular and molecular biologist Rainer Wittig from the Ulm-based ILM hopes to develop such substances using a photochemical process. He is also planning to test substances that not only adhere to tissue but which will also be able to initiate the wound healing process.

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…

Article - 21/03/2011

Fluoron – a company that is well underway

Fluoron is a company that takes close contact with customers very seriously. This is why Christian Lingenfelder and his team frequently pack their suitcases to travel from place to place visiting Russian or Chinese operating theatres. Thousands of kilometres from the company’s production site in Ulm, the Fluoron team exchanges information with the retina surgeons for whom the company develops and produces highly pure biomaterials for use in…

Press release - 13/03/2011

Vascular stent that dissolves on its own

The first ever implant in Germany of a bioresorbable, drug-coated stent in a cardiac patient has been carried out by physicians from the University of Heidelberg. In contrast to traditional metal stents, which remain permanently in the patients’ body, the innovative implant dissolves around two years after the procedure is carried out.

Article - 06/12/2010

Bioplastics – materials that have the potential to be used in medical technology

At the recent International Symposium on Biopolymers ISBP in Stuttgart scientists discussed the use of biobased plastics for applications in the field of medical technology. The majority of strategies presented at the symposium will only be ready for market in a few years time. However they give an idea as to why bioplastics are likely to be applied to a greater extent in the field of medical technology.

Article - 09/08/2010

Computer-assisted drug design

Bioinformaticians from Tübingen have developed the “BALL” software platform that accelerates and simplifies the search for active agents. Computer modelling and simulation enables the assessment of molecule modifications and the optimisation of their function accordingly.

Article - 12/06/2010

Reliable evidence of efficacy using skin models and assays

In the molecular biology laboratory at the Albstadt-Sigmaringen University of Applied Sciences a team led by Prof. Dr. Jörg Bergemann is developing and optimising assays that enable the quantitative determination of DNA damage and the investigation of repair mechanisms. The researchers exclusively use in vitro test systems. Using tissue engineering methods the researchers are developing a skin model for pharmacological efficacy and…

Press release - 25/01/2010

Amedrix GmbH - New investment paves the way for own production operations

The High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) and Life Science Fonds Esslingen are jointly investing a total of 700,000 EUR in Amedrix GmbH, which was founded in January 2009. The Esslingen-based company develops innovative, acellular medical products based on animal collagen for wound regeneration and the reconstruction of degenerated soft tissue, for example. The new investment means that necessary steps can be taken to gain approval for first medical…

Press release - 08/01/2009

ILM – Bioactive interfaces

It is particularly important to consider the biocompatibility of material interfaces. For example, implant materials with a surface composition that favours cell growth have a decisive advantage. However there are other cases where biophobic material characteristics might be more suitable. For example, specifically modifying the surface of surgical metals might prevent pathogens from attaching and could also make the cleaning and deactivation of…

Schölly Fiberoptic GmbH based in the city of Denzlingen in the south of Germany has experienced rapid growth over the last few years with its endoscopic solutions. Over the last five years the company has doubled its revenues to 44 million euros per year.

The Centre for Regenerative Biology and Medicine ZRM in Tübingen has joined forces with Naturin GmbH based in Weinheim. The partners plan to develop new carrier materials on the basis of collagen which improve cell cultures and medical implants.

Micro-biolytics GmbH now based in the Esslingen-based Life Science Centre develops and produces microsystems solutions for bioanalytical issues. With the support of networks micro-biolytics is hoping to considerably expand its activities.