Healthcare industry

The NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute in Reutlingen organised its biannual MEA conference from 8 to 11 July 2008. More than 200 developers and microelectrode array users from 18 countries came together in Reutlingen to present their latest developments and results.

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.

So-called silent mutations have no effect on the composition of a protein. They are therefore not considered to promote cancer. However, scientists from the German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), partner site Essen, now describe in a case of kidney cancer an overlooked silent mutation with a major impact on prognosis.

Article - 03/03/2016

Liquid biopsies – beacons of hope for cancer diagnosis?

Researchers around the world, including researchers from the Freiburg University Medical Center, are working on developing simple blood tests, so-called liquid biopsies, that can be used to obtain accurate information about tumour staging and the progress of therapy. An international liquid biopsy symposium was held in Freiburg in October 2015 and has produced valuable insights.

Article - 14/12/2016

Transcranial brain stimulation to counteract chronic tiredness

You may well be familiar with the ”leaden” feeling associated with lack of sleep. However, chronic tiredness lasting many months might be a sign of a serious disease. Dr. Lukas Frase, together with Prof. Dr. Christoph Nissen’s team at the Freiburg University Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, has come up with a method to help patients with abnormally high sleep needs. The method uses weak electrostimulation and has the…

Article - 06/02/2012

Ten outstanding ideas in biotechnology and medical technology

The results of the feasibility studies funded under the Idea Competition in Biotechnology and Medical Technology were presented in the Haus der Wirtschaft in Stuttgart between 16th and 18th January 2012. Ten of the 42 project ideas were recommended for further funding.

Press release - 05/09/2017

Cell marking opens up a window into the body

A new and particularly reliable method for marking cells can simplify research into diseases such as myocardial infarction, diabetes or Alzheimer's and reduce the use of test animals: Scientists from the University of Tübingen have developed a method by which they can target specific cell types in mice and monitor their behavior using positron emission tomography (PET). PET-based cell tracking allows scientists to observe complex life…

Article - 16/01/2009

Study: nutritional and dietary treatments for ADHD

Doctors and researchers have been at odds for many years as to whether long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids have an effect on the behaviour and cognition of ADHD children. It is hoped that a study at Ulm University will bring more clarity to the debate and potentially come up with an alternative to the controversial psychostimulant therapy.

Dossier - 13/05/2013

The human proteome – the next major goal

The “Human Proteome Project”, a ten-year global initiative that is making a systematic effort to map all human proteins, has moved from the planning to the experimental stage. How significant and how effective the project will be depends on how much the resources offered are used by proteome researchers and on the data that the researchers bring into the project.

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.

Smallest 3D printed miniature endoscope in the world detects cholesterol plaques and thrombs inside human and mouse arteries.

Article - 21/07/2014

Predicting the efficiency of cancer drugs using mathematical models

A research consortium was established at the Stuttgart Research Center Systems Biology SRCSB at the University of Stuttgart in January 2013 with the goal of establishing models that help predict the action of targeted therapeutics. The scientists combine molecular biology experiments with complex mathematical models in order to achieve a holistic understanding of disease and therapy.

Article - 22/12/2014

The immune system – both weak and overreactive in the absence of CTLA4

The ability to recognise a pathogen and combat it effectively is certainly one of the most complex and sophisticated processes the human body has evolved. People with an immunodeficiency or autoimmune disease may have a genetic defect in one of the genes involved in the immune response. Working with immunologists from London scientists Desire Schubert and Prof. Dr. Bodo Grimbacher from the Centre for Chronic Immunodeficiency CCI at the Freiburg…

The great potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for the life sciences – from basic research in biology to medical applications – has largely been neglected to date. A new research unit aims to support AI research in the life sciences and to forge international links with the activities in Heidelberg.

Experienced medical physicists are able to detect everything without needing an operating table or a scalpel to construct a detailed picture of a patient’s cardiovascular system. Dr. Michael Markl is one of these experts, who nevertheless require top technological equipment, i.e. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to gain comprehensive insights into the vascular system.

Article - 12/06/2017

IHO: global consulting for the molecular diagnosis of leukaemia

IHO GmbH from Mannheim offers a professional solution for the international exchange of information and services concerning the molecular diagnosis of leukaemia. This drives forward the harmonisation of these methods and brings therapy monitoring to a new global level.

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.

Article - 06/03/2011

Heidelberg Translational Lung Research Centre

University and non-university research institutions in Heidelberg that carry out research into lung diseases have established an expert network – the Heidelberg Translational Lung Research Centre – which is part of the new BMBF-funded German Centre for Lung Research. In Heidelberg, research focuses on the development and treatment of cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and lung cancer.

Article - 19/01/2015

Kay Gottschalk and the physics of cells

You learn a great deal about the physical aspects of cells when you talk to Prof. Dr. Kay-E. Gottschalk. For example, their ability to react as solid and liquid, to adapt their environment to suit themselves and to exert and respond to forces. The 42-year-old has great respect for the smallest of living units, i.e. cells, which he calls smart composite materials. Working on the boundaries of medicine, biology, chemistry and physics, Gottschalk…

Expert interview - 08/08/2018

Ludolph: diagnosing and treating neurodegenerative disorders

Ulm has long been a world leader in diagnosing and treating rare neurological disorders, notably amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Huntington's disease (HD). We spoke with Professor Albert C. Ludolph, spokesperson for the Ulm DZNE site, medical director of the Clinic for Neurology at the RKU (University and Rehabilitation Clinics of Ulm) and world-renowned ALS researcher.

Article - 24/03/2014

DNA – from Watson and Crick to modern molecular biology

Watson and Crick deciphered the structure of DNA around 60 years ago and thus provided the key to understanding how genetic information is passed on. Since this discovery, which laid the foundation for molecular biology, new insights and developments have significantly changed many research areas and have also found their way into our everyday lives. DNA sequencing, genetic fingerprinting or personalised medicine – Watson and Crick’s heritage is…

Neurodegenerative diseases - 30/09/2021

Artificial intelligence enables early diagnosis of dementia

We are all afraid of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Yet, therapies are increasingly becoming available. Although they do not cure what causes a disease, they can at least slow down its progression, provided it is diagnosed as early as possible. The Tübingen-based start-up AIRAmed has developed software that uses artificial intelligence to measure and detect changes in the brain long before they…

Dossier - 18/10/2010

New machines for the life sciences

Hardware and software applications have become an integral part of the everyday life of life sciences researchers, developers and service providers. It is impossible to imagine life science applications without effective hardware and software applications – from computer-assisted drug screening to the automatic production of biosensors for rapid, mobile, purse-size bacterial test devices. Trends such as automation and miniaturisation lead to ever…

Article - 29/03/2016

The zebrafish can mend its own heart

In adults, cells such as nerve or cardiac muscle cells have lost the ability to regenerate. This is why myocardial infarction is so dangerous – damaged cardiac muscle cells do not grow back and scar tissue forms in their place. Prof. Dr. Gilbert Weidinger and an international team of researchers have deciphered a mechanism responsible for the regeneration of the zebrafish heart.

Scientists of the German Cancer Research Center DKFZ in Heidelberg have now shown that inspection of both sides of the colon also reduces cancer risk in the right part of the colon by more than 50 percent. The overall risk was found to be 77 percent lower. This means that colonoscopy provides very good protection from colon cancer - even though it is not a 100 percent guarantee.