Article - 16/04/2019 Tumour monitoring using liquid biopsy Liquid biopsy, the analysis of cancer biomarkers and circulating tumour cells in body fluids such as blood, is revolutionising the diagnosis and monitoring of cancer. It has also been possible to expand circulating tumour cells from the blood under laboratory conditions. It is expected that in the future, liquid biopsy will be able to precisely characterise tumour cells at every stage of a cancer.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/tumour-monitoring-using-liquid-biopsy
Dossier - 18/06/2012 Biobanks treasure chests for biomedical research The Research Committee at the German Bundestag, the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag and the German Ethics Council are all interested in this biomedical research tool, which is both necessary and meaningful. However, opinions with regard to the ethical, legal and technical approach to biobanks differ. Since March 2012 it has become absolutely clear that Germany will not pass a biobanking law during the current mandate. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/biobanks-treasure-chests-for-biomedical-research
Press release - 17/05/2021 New findings in genome research The working group around Dr. Philipp Rathert at the Institute for Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry investigates the regulation of epigenetic networks of certain cancers and ways of treating them. The working group published its new findings in April. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-findings-genome-research
Press release - 19/12/2024 Antibody that neutralizes inhibitory factors involved in nerve regeneration leads to enhanced motor function after acute spinal cord injury Antibodies can improve the rehabilitation of people with acute spinal cord injury. Researchers at 13 clinics in Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Spain have investigated this with promising results. For the first time, it was possible to identify patient groups that displayed a clinically relevant treatment effect. A follow-up study will start in December 2024. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/antibody-neutralizes-inhibitory-factors-involved-nerve-regeneration-leads-enhanced-motor-function-after-acute-spinal-cord-injury
Press release - 16/01/2025 New weapons against viruses Dr. Petr Chlanda, virologist and research group leader at the Heidelberg Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University, has been awarded more than 720,000 euros in funding from the European Union for his research into new therapies against viruses. His work is part of the interdisciplinary, international DEFENDER project, which is developing innovative approaches to combat emerging and re-emerging viruses. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-weapons-against-viruses
Expert interview on NTDs – part 2 - 29/05/2019 Neglected tropical diseases - Gisela Schneider: the burden of disease "Leaving no one behind". The motto of the 2030 Agenda with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which was signed by the United Nations (UN) in 2015 makes clear that combatting poverty and its consequences is an essential part of sustainable development. The fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is defined as a major aim of the Agenda’s sustainable development goals. The World Health Organisation (WHO) regards twenty…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/neglected-tropical-diseases-gisela-schneider-the-burden-of-disease
Dossier - 25/03/2013 Biotechnology goes automated Processes that previously required pipetting analysis and production to be carried out manually are increasingly now controlled by automated systems. However this has not necessarily involved a complete reinvention of the wheel instead automation systems used in the plant construction and mechanical engineering sectors are being adapted and optimised for application in the life sciences. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/biotechnology-goes-automated
Press release - 03/02/2022 The 5G-OR Project is a Winner of the joint Franco-German Program for the Development of innovative Applications for 5G private Networks 5G-OR is one of the 4 winning projects jointly selected by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action in Germany and the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Relaunch in France for the call “Technical developments and application ecosystems for 5G private networks”. The joint Franco-German 5G-OR project takes up the challenge in the healthcare domain.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/5g-or-project-winner-joint-franco-german-program-development-innovative-applications-5g-private-networks
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
Personalised medicine - 16/09/2021 Pharmacogenomics enables individualised drug prescription Every person is unique, and their reaction to medications can be just as individual. For this reason, unexpected side effects occur time and again with common drugs, sometimes with life-threatening consequences. At the Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute for Clinical Pharmacology (IKP) in Stuttgart, the influence of hereditary factors on these harmful reactions is being investigated in order to enable individualised therapies.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/pharmacogenomics-enables-individualised-drug-prescription
Press release - 11/12/2024 Top German research prize goes to Freiburg cancer researcher The Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-Prize 2025 goes to Prof. Dr Robert Zeiser for his outstanding research in haematology and immunology. Zeiser’s research at the University of Freiburg and the Medical Center – University of Freiburg have led, among other things, to new types of cancer therapy that has increased survival rates and the patients’ quality of life.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/top-german-research-prize-goes-freiburg-cancer-researcher
Press release - 20/01/2025 PAMSARC: New study at the NCT Heidelberg links research and clinical action Young patients suffering from two aggressive sarcoma types can now participate in the innovative PAMSARC therapy study at the NCT Heidelberg. The study uses molecular biological methods and tests the extent to which a new drug can improve the poor prognosis for these tumours.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/pamsarc-new-study-nct-heidelberg-links-research-and-clinical-action
Baden-Württemberg receives the EU Commission's "Regional Innovation Valley" label - 01/07/2024 Customised healthcare for all: BIOPRO is a partner in the EU project PRECISEU The EU research project PRECISEU, which started in June 2024 and will run for five years, aims to connect innovation ecosystems across Europe and advance personalised medicine throughout Europe. BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg is one of 25 partner organisations from 11 European countries that are working on the further development of customised healthcare as part of the research project.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/customised-healthcare-all-biopro-partner-eu-project-preciseu
Press release - 30/10/2024 Diabetes switch in DNA: Non-coding region in the genome influences ONECUT1 gene They are underestimated genetic control elements: it is known that changes in the genome can trigger diabetes. But now researchers at the University Hospital Ulm and the INSERM Cochin Institute in Paris have shown that a previously under-researched region of the genome also plays a crucial role in the development of this disease. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/diabetes-switch-dna-non-coding-region-genome-influences-onecut1-gene
Press release - 13/06/2024 Position of the cell nucleus affects epigenetics and therefore gene activity and cell function Depending on whether the cell nucleus of an epithelial cell is located on the outer or inner side of the tissue, the genome is more or less acetylated - genes can therefore be translated easier or harder. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have demonstrated this for the first time in the development of the Drosophila wing. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/position-cell-nucleus-affects-epigenetics-and-therefore-gene-activity-and-cell-function
Vision Zero in oncology - 02/09/2019 Call for a comprehensive master plan for preventing and treating cancer While a cancer-free world may seem unrealistic given the increasing numbers of cancer cases, we need to reach a social consensus that cancer deaths are unacceptable and that everything possible must be done to prevent them. Leading cancer researchers around the world are calling for more investment in prevention research and cancer screening to move towards the vision of a near cancer-free world.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/call-for-comprehensive-master-plan-preventing-treating-cancer
microRNA as a prognostic biomarker - 13/01/2022 Heart attack diagnosis: fast and unambiguous thanks to artificial intelligence People that arrive in emergency rooms with chest pain require swift action in order to rule out a heart attack or to initiate vital life-saving therapy. However, despite many advances, current tests are not yet optimal: they either take hours or produce false-positive results. Researchers at Heidelberg University Hospital are now using AI in an approach that takes microRNAs from a blood sample to specifically diagnose ‘acute coronary syndrome’.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/heart-attack-diagnosis-fast-and-unambiguous-thanks-artificial-intelligence
Press release - 15/11/2024 Selenium proteins as a possible new target for cancer research An important enzyme helps the body produce selenium proteins – this discovery could open up new strategies for treating cancer in children. This has been published by scientists from the University of Würzburg, the University Sao Paolo, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Heidelberg Stem Cell Institute HI-STEM*.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/selenium-proteins-possible-new-target-cancer-research
Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB - 24/04/2020 A rapid pyrogen test: the human immune system as model Every year, around 11 million people die of sepsis (blood poisoning) caused by microorganisms or microbial residues, known as pyrogens, entering the bloodstream. The smallest amounts can trigger fever. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart have developed a pyrogen test that does not require a laboratory and is not tested on animals. It is expected to be placed on the market soon.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/A-rapid-pyrogen-test-the-human-immune-system-as-model
Press release - 03/01/2025 New approaches against metastatic breast cancer: mini-tumors from circulating cancer cells Tumor cells circulating in the blood are the "germ cells" of breast cancer metastases. They are rare and could not be propagated in the culture dish until now, which made research into therapy resistance difficult. A team from the DKFZ, the Heidelberg Stem Cell Institute HI-STEM and the NCT Heidelberg has now succeeded for the first time in cultivating stable tumor organoids directly from blood samples of breast cancer patients.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-approaches-against-metastatic-breast-cancer-mini-tumors-circulating-cancer-cells
Dossier - 05/08/2013 Progress expands bioethical boundaries Bioethics is a rich and continually evolving field. In the broadest sense, bioethics relates to the way human individuals treat any form of life. The issue of whether human beings have the right to do whatever they want goes way back. Rapid progress in genetic engineering and cell biology means that it is necessary to look at certain issues in a new way and recognise that not everything that is technically feasible should actually be carried out.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/progress-expands-bioethical-boundaries
TGU Varimol - 24/07/2020 Click chemistry for new medical procedures Using a simple molecular click process, biochemists have been able to connect ring-shaped molecules with each other and couple therapeutically active substances to these molecules. Drugs can thus be specifically delivered to diseased cells and used for imaging processes or biosensors. The Stuttgart-based start-up Varimol is using this new technology to provide its customers with tailored applications that are as simple to use as a kit.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/click-chemistry-new-medical-procedures
Microstructure Technology - 17/07/2020 An electronic nose for many applications Sensory organs are sophisticated masterpieces of nature. That is why humans have often tried to copy them. Be it cameras or microphones - there are technical objects that have always been based on natural models such as the eye or the ear. For a long time, however, no artificial sense of smell has featured in the technical repertoire. Now researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have developed an electronic nose. It can…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/electronic-nose-many-applications
Assay to support the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases - 22/06/2022 Tracking down pathogenic immune complexes Soluble complexes of antibodies and their target structures circulating in the blood can trigger serious systemic inflammations. Dr. Philipp Kolb and Haizhang Chen from the Institute of Virology at the Freiburg University Medical Centre have developed a sensitive, cell-based test system for detecting these immune complexes. The system can be used to diagnose systemic autoimmune diseases, and also severe cases of COVID-19.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/tracking-down-pathogenic-immune-complexes
Neurodegenerative diseases - 12/12/2022 Blood-based biomarkers allow the early prediction of Alzheimer's risks Most dementia diseases develop insidiously and are only detected at an advanced stage. Researchers at the University of Heidelberg and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have now identified the glial fibre acidic protein (GFAP) in the blood as a promising biomarker that can be used to determine an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease up to 17 years before diagnosis.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/blood-based-biomarkers-allow-early-prediction-alzheimers-risks
Photon-counting technology - 01/02/2023 PC3 consortium: innovative computed tomography for Baden-Württemberg The University Hospitals of Freiburg, Tübingen and Mannheim have been cooperating with each other since 2021 to test new types of computed tomography devices. With the help of photon-counting technology, the aim is not only to improve patient care, but also to encourage local companies to develop downstream data processing technologies.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/pc3-consortium-innovative-computed-tomography-baden-wuerttemberg
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 - 04/12/2024 Joint research in key technologies: NMI and KIT sign cooperation agreement The NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have signed a groundbreaking cooperation agreement. This partnership combines the expertise of both institutions in the fields of production and characterization of materials for biological systems and energy storage as well as the application of statistical methods in medicine.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/joint-research-key-technologies-nmi-and-kit-sign-cooperation-agreement
Article - 22/10/2019 Using CAR T cells for treating cancer After successes in the treatment of advanced blood cancers, CAR T-cell immunotherapy has become a major beacon of hope in oncology. The first therapies have received regulatory approval. Despite their success, these immunotherapies can have serious side effects. The company AVA Lifescience develops antibodies with high tumour specificity to use as the basis for effective precision-guided CAR T-cell therapies that are better tolerated by patients.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/using-car-t-cells-for-treating-cancer
Development of the genomDE genome database - 04/12/2020 Whole genome sequencing for diagnosing rare diseases Grouped together, rare diseases are by no means a rare phenomenon; however, they are rarely correctly diagnosed and rarely properly treated. In most cases, there is no effective medication available. Rare disease centres staffed by experts have been set up in many German cities to speed up the often long and painful search for the right diagnosis and treatment. Whole genome sequencing is a component of general healthcare, used to identify…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/whole-genome-sequencing-diagnosing-rare-diseases
Press release - 18/11/2021 Overcoming resistance to cancer treatment: bone and soft tissue tumors in adolescents as a model system Treatment resistance is a central problem in the treatment of cancer. Bone and soft tissue tumors – known as sarcomas – in adolescents and young adults often stop responding to treatment too. This is because cancer cells develop a large number of new characteristics as the disease progresses and often become resistant to drugs that were originally effective.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/overcoming-resistance-cancer-treatment-bone-and-soft-tissue-tumors-adolescents-model-system
Dossier - 11/10/2023 The quantum revolution in the healthcare industry From ultra-fast quantum computers to highly sensitive sensors - quantum technologies could take medicine a giant step forward. Possible areas of application range from drug development and early cancer detection to reading brain waves to control prostheses or exoskeletons. The German state of Baden-Württemberg plays a key role in the development of sensors in particular.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/The-quantum-revolution-in-the-healthcare-industry
Press release - 06/02/2023 Fewer side effects thanks to personalised medicine Patients have 30 percent fewer serious side effects when medication doses are tailored to their genetic profile. This is what an international research consortium has found out, including the Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology at the Bosch Health Campus. With an individual DNA medication pass, as used in the study, treatments can be made more effective and safer in the future.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/weniger-nebenwirkungen-dank-personalisierter-medizin
Press release - 23/05/2024 Predicting cancer risks on the basis of national health data Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the European Bioinformatics Institute EMBL-EBI, Hinxton, UK, are using the Danish health registers to predict individual risks for 20 different types of cancer with a high degree of accuracy. The prediction model can also be transferred to other healthcare systems. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/predicting-cancer-risks-basis-national-health-data
Article - 04/11/2020 Rapid coronavirus test delivers results in 43 minutes The Hahn-Schickard Institute and Spindiag GmbH in Freiburg im Breisgau have joined forces to develop a rapid test used at the point of care. The test takes just 43 minutes to show whether a patient is infected with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The rapid test is expected to be given market approval in Germany and the EU during the final quarter of 2020.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/rapid-coronavirus-test-delivers-results-43-minutes
CeGat GmbH - 06/08/2020 CeGaT: Specific coronavirus antibody test for all Have I perhaps already had COVID-19 in the past? This is a question many of us have been asking. Reliable tests that would provide the answer have simply not been available until now. However, the Tübingen-based biotech company CeGaT is now offering a coronavirus antibody test to anyone who wants one, thus answering this question with the highest probability currently possible. Response to the offer has been huge in the few weeks since the test…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/cegat-specific-coronavirus-antibody-test-all
Tumour organoids facilitate drug discovery - 20/07/2023 Drug screening for children with cancer using patient-specific miniature tumours Standard drugs often don’t work in children and adolescents with recurrent cancer. Researchers from the Hopp Children's Tumour Centre (KITZ) and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg have been looking to open up new therapy options for those affected, and have cultivated individual miniature tumours from biopsy samples to test the effectiveness of a variety of drugs within a few weeks.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/drug-screening-children-cancer-using-patient-specific-miniature-tumours
Press release - 22/08/2024 Validated targets for personalized cancer immunotherapy Knowledge of the target structures for the immune cells is a basic prerequisite for the development of personalized cancer immunotherapies. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center and the NCT Heidelberg are publishing a sensitive method based on mass spectroscopy to identify such tumor-specific "neoepitopes". The analytical method is designed to detect these low abundance protein fragments and requires minimal amounts of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/validated-targets-personalized-cancer-immunotherapy
Press release - 26/11/2024 Collaborative research centres on kidney and brain prolonged On 25 November, the German Research Foundation (DFG) announced the continued funding of two existing Collaborative Research Centres (CRC) at the University of Freiburg’s Faculty of Medicine. In CRC 1453 Nephrogenetics (NephGen), doctors and researchers are using genetic information to search for mechanisms underlying kidney diseases.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/collaborative-research-centres-kidney-and-brain-prolonged
New edition - 24/05/2019 Tumour metastasis Cancer is usually not curable when metastases have formed in the body. Metastases are often resistant to drugs that have successfully eliminated the primary tumour. The basic features of the complex process of metastasis are now known, but many details still remain elusive. Intensive research activities are focusing on new therapeutic concepts aimed at developing effective anti-metastatic therapies.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/tumour-metastasis
Article - 17/03/2021 Epigenetic switches in bacteria as biosensors The analysis of pathogen biomarkers and biomarkers for the diagnosis of diseases can be crucial for health. However, the detection of pathogens and diseases depends on a sensitive and reliable method that delivers rapid results. Biosensors have such properties. Researchers at the Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry (IBTB) at Stuttgart University have constructed an epigenetic circuit composed of plasmids that might make it…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/epigenetic-switches-bacteria-biosensors
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
Article - 10/01/2019 Stocktaking and recommendations for action: the BBAW’s fourth gene technology report In the new gene technology report, the interdisciplinary working group of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences (BBAW) takes stock of gene technology developments in Germany during the past few decades, and discusses the societal, legal and ethical challenges associated with these technologies in the future. The report is highly topical due to the controversy surrounding the ruling of the European Court of Justice on CRISPR/Cas9 genome…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/stocktaking-and-recommendations-for-action-the-bbaws-fourth-gene-technology-report
Microfluidics in medical technology - 24/03/2021 Ultra-compact: valves with shape memory actuators Karlsruhe-based company memetis shows that this is possible. Intelligent components for controlling fluids open up huge potential in the medical technology and biotechnology sectors - from vaccine development and cell line analysis to drug research and point-of-care solutions.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/ultra-compact-valves-shape-memory-actuators
Press release - 25/09/2024 How developmental signals can contribute to Genomic Mosaicism Certain developmental signals play a significant role in maintaining our genetic blueprints. They prevent alterations in the genome, known as mosaicism. The underlying biological mechanism helps the DNA to produce an identical copy of itself during cell division using the original genetic blueprint. However, it can also contribute to genomic mosaicism during nerve cell development.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/how-developmental-signals-can-contribute-genomic-mosaicism
Review article (new edition) - 08/07/2020 Immunology – at the forefront of medical progress Immunology is constantly changing with the emergence of new technologies and areas of application, and has branched out in many directions. Immunological approaches are central to everything – be it the development of innovative active substances and vaccinations against cancer, the search for new therapies against neurodegenerative diseases or autoimmune diseases, or combatting well-known infectious diseases or new virus epidemics.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/immunology-forefront-medical-progress