Healthcare industry

In conjunction with reference laboratories of the World Health Organization WHO medtech company Curetis AG is developing new technologies and products that identify the pathogens of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and their resistance. The solutions are impressive.

The benchmark paper on the Genetic Diagnostics Act which has long been heralded by the governing coalition foresees the binding counselling of people concerned. The coalition is opposed to allowing employers to require their employees to undergo genetic tests.

In the second article in the series on the platforms successful cooperations BioValley presents an encouraging approach for improving the quality of life of severely ill cancer patients and the successful establishment of an industrial biochip platform.

The first European Conference for Clinical Nanomedicine is to be held soon in Basel. BIOPRO has therefore discussed this promising area of application with Beat Löffler and Dr. Patrick Hunziker the founders of the European Foundation for Clinical Nanomedicine.

The major focus of the planned research initiative is precompetitive and application-oriented basic and initial research.

Since the 1st March 2008 the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at the University Hospital in Heidelberg has a new medical director Professor Dr. Hans-Ulrich Kauczor 45 succeeds Professor Dr. Günter Kauffmann.

Young medical professionals or young scientists are eligible to apply for funding.

Biametrics Marken and Rechte GmbH has developed new analytical devices based on reflectometric interference spectroscopy thus adopting the trend of label-free detection methods. This is because labelling tends to interfere with the natural activity of the biomolecules under investigation.

mtm laboratories has launched the Cervatec assay for the early diagnosis of cervical cancer. The Cervatec assay will initially be commercialized as an adjunct to the Pap test for the screening of women aged 35 and younger.

Although the biomolecule DNS has provided many explanations and hopeful projections opinions are divided over the question of DNA being the carrier of genetic information. There is a huge need for clarification. Biologists clinicians psychologists lawyers and bioethicists discussed in Tübingen.

In 1998 James Thomson was the first to generate stem cells from human embryos. BIOPRO will present the new methods in the field of embryonic stem cell research. Stem cell experts regeneration biologists medics and ethicists will explain whether they think that the new methods are useful or not.

Article - 10/02/2008

4th Biomarker Workshop at the NMI in Reutlingen: another success

The Biomarker Workshop held at the NMI in late January has become a fixed date for a growing number of proteomics researchers. With an attendance of 130 this years workshop exceeded all previous ones. Those who were keen to find out more about the latest trends and findings were presented with a successful mix of basic and applied research information.

The University of Tübingen opened its new laboratory for Preclinical Imaging and Imaging Technology of the Werner Siemens Foundation. The professorship is the only one in Europe combining preclinical imaging and the development of new imaging technologies.

Dossier - 01/02/2008

Glycobiotechnology - sugar research is picking up speed

Alongside DNA and proteins sugar structures play an important role in cellular transport and communication processes. They are also part of the molecular control and regulation machinery making them of particular interest to biotechnologists. The pharmaceutical industry as well as the food sector and material sciences have realised the potential of sugar structures.

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.

Press release - 20/01/2008

LifeCodexx AG - Clarity within the genetic data jungle

Constance based GATC Biotech founds the subsidiary company LifeCodexx AG. LifeCodexx is the first web-based information service for the storage and utilisation of biological and medical data from the analysis of genetic codes and protein codes in the EU.

Scientists at the German Cancer Research Centre DKFZ have now succeeded in generating peptides on a microchip - faster and thus cheaper than with previous methods.

Nele Wellinghausen has always been interested in plants and animals. As a teenager she studied ferns and won the German Jugend forscht competition. Nowadays the medical expert carries out research on microorganisms specifically on pathogens that lead to sepsis.

About 500000 people in Germany suffer from dilatative cardiomyopathy DCM. Viral infections are the major cause of this myocardial disease. Its molecular and cellular mechanisms are being investigated in a transregional SFB project at the University of Tübingen.