Healthcare industry

Professor Dr. Christoph Borner from the University of Freiburg and his team are investigating the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis. Their research also provides insights into the medical treatment of cells that do not want to die - cancer cells.

The German Society for Medical Physics DGMP has awarded its science prize to the medical physicist Gerhard Glatting for his research into the specific irradiation of tumour tissue using radioactively labelled antibodies.

The test detects K-RAS mutations and could be an additional tool for targeted therapies of patients with colorectal cancer who stand to benefit from newly developed cancer therapies that rely on the genotype of the K-RAS oncogene.

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.

Many cancers are difficult to treat with drugs because they are resistant to them. A research group at Heidelberg is investigating the molecular mechanisms of multidrug resistance and has the goal to improve the treatment of cancer patients.

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…

The primary objective of greenovation Biotech GmbH is the implementation of a stable production platform for the manufacture of glycoproteins for industrial pharmaceutical applications in accordance with GMP guidelines. Now Gregor Mirow succeeds Hans Bodo Hartmann as the new managing director.

Renal cell carcinoma is a rare disease. In addition, the disease is difficult to treat, and the majority of pharmaceutical companies find the development of new drugs for its treatment too financially risky. Their argument: the market is too small to make up for the high development costs. The Tübingen biotech company immatics was courageous enough to do so and will now be rewarded. The immatics scientists have developed a therapy that not only…

The Lake Constance region offers a broad range of cancer therapies and is home to several institutes and companies that are dealing with cancer research. The BioLAGO biotechnology network offers them a joint platform for co-operation and exchange of information.

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.

Nycomed agreed with Bayer Schering Pharma on the sale of the preclinical anti-cancer program. The agreement is part of Nycomeds strategic decision not to further invest in oncology RD activities.

Researchers at the University Hospital in Ulm are investigating whether patients genotypes interfere with the effect and tolerability of specific cancer medicaments. This might help to estimate how patients respond to the therapy a certain EGF-R inhibitor.

For the first time ever a team from Heidelberg will participate in the renowned iGEM competition. A student team under the direction of Dr. Roland Eils is developing a biological machine that recognises and specifically kills pathogens or tumour cells.

The medical importance of vitamin D calciferol is most likely even higher than suggested by recently published studies. A study which also involves the endocrinologist Bernhard Böhm from Ulm has attracted enormous attention as it suggests that vitamin D deficiency increases mortality.

Despite having thousands of applicable ideas and having set up his own company, Prof. Alfred Nordheim sees himself as a true basic scientist. At this year’s International Genetics Congress in Berlin, the director of the Interfaculty Institute of Cell Biology at the University of Tübingen was elected president of the International Genetics Federation (IGF).

The new iNNOVATION fORUM of the Baden-Württemberg MicroMountains Network offered researchers and the medical device industry an intensive moderated dialogue and the chance to make new contacts and to improve their chances for future innovations.

The resolution of the magnetic resonance imager is so good that it can visualise molecular structures. Siemens has provided the cancer researchers from Heidelberg with the powerful imager.

Scientists of the Division of Theoretical Bioinformatics at the German Cancer Research Center DKFZ in Heidelberg have simulated on the computer how cells decide whether or not to migrate. The method forges new paths in cancer medicine.

Under the agreement Nycomed will receive the exclusive worldwide rights to develop manufacture and commercialise the subcutaneous formulation of veltuzumab for the treatment of all non-cancer indications.

Frank Kirchhoff an AIDS researcher from Ulm has learnt to pose important questions and find the right answers during his post-graduate studies. This recipe has brought him and his research group international recognition and makes him one of the best AIDS researchers worldwide. Important publications within a very short time and numerous awards are clear evidence of his outstanding achievements. In addition he has just started a clinical trial…

On the 1st of July 2008 a new Collaborative Research Centre SFB 773 was launched at the University of Tübingen to look into the Therapy resistance of solid tumours and potential remedies. In order to clarify the basic mechanisms in the development of resistance the German Research Foundation DFG has granted the researchers a total of 9.1 million euros in funding over a period of four years.

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.

Dr. Vladimir Katanaev a biologist at Constance University is investigating an intracellular signalling pathway that is of decisive importance for the embryonic development of multicellular organisms. The Wnt-Frizzled signalling pathway also plays an important part in the development of cancer.

What is the difference between knowledge and science? Why did the biotech bubble develop in the first place? Find out more as we talk to the freelance science journalist Sascha Karberg.

immatics biotechnologies GmbH announced that the company has received grants from three public research funding programs to advance its cancer immunotherapy programs with a special focus on glioblastoma and cancer stem cells.