Stem cell research - 14/03/2024 Using organoids to gain a better clinical understanding of pancreatic cancer Prof. Dr. Alexander Kleger carries out translational research at Ulm University Hospital to gain a better understanding of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and develop individualised treatments. He and his team are using organoid models and stem cell-based systems and have succeeded in simultaneously cultivating all three main cell types of the pancreas from pluripotent stem cells.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/using-organoids-gain-better-clinical-understanding-pancreatic-cancer
Press release - 31/01/2024 Precursor of Cholesterol Protects Cancer Cells From Cell Death and Makes them Aggressive A precursor of cholesterol can protect cancer cells from a form of cell death known as ferroptosis. Scientists of the University of Würzburg, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), and the Stem Cell Institute HI-STEM* published this finding in the journal Nature. The results opens up exciting prospects for further improving the treatment of cancer and other diseases associated with oxidative stress and ferroptosis.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/cholesterin-vorstufe-schuetzt-krebszellen-vor-zelltod-und-macht-sie-aggressiver
Press release - 05/01/2024 Prostate cancer: Newly-developed inhibitor shows massive potential More than 65,000 men fall ill with prostate cancer each year in Germany. Twelve thousand of them develop a treatment-resistant form which eventually ends in death. Now, a team of researchers from the Medical Faculty at the University of Freiburg has developed an active substance that might in future represent a new treatment option. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/prostate-cancer-newly-developed-inhibitor-shows-massive-potential
Press release - 18/12/2023 Researchers discover novel antibiotic substance from the human nose For the first time, the active substance epifadin has been isolated at the University of Tübingen – Epifadin is produced by specific bacteria in the nose and on the skin of humans, has an antibiotic effect, and is the first example of a previously unknown antimicrobial compound class.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/researchers-discover-novel-antibiotic-substance-human-nose
Sustainable binder alternative - 18/12/2023 Copied from insects: new biological wood binder under development Plastic is all around us; and unfortunately, it is not going away any time soon. The search for more sustainable solutions is fully underway. However, binders that degrade only with difficulty or not at all are still used to bond natural materials such as wood and straw - not yet truly environmentally friendly. Fraunhofer researchers are working on an insect-inspired wood binder that makes bonded wood products both resistant and biodegradable.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/copied-insects-new-biological-wood-binder-under-development
All-enzyme hydrogels in action - 13/12/2023 Biocatalytic foams enable the sustainable synthesis of complex molecules Conventional chemical synthesis processes consume large amounts of energy and environmentally harmful solvents. Prof. Dr. Christof Niemeyer’s team at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology has generated porous, solid foams from crosslinked enzymes that allow the production of high-quality compounds under significantly more environmentally friendly conditions. The novel biocatalysts are also extremely resistant and have a long shelf life.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/biocatalytic-foams-enable-sustainable-synthesis-complex-molecules
Computer-assisted genome mining - 04/12/2023 Natural product genomics opens up new avenues in the search for antibiotics Antibiotic-resistant pathogens are increasingly endangering our health. Since most of the drugs currently in use are based on secondary metabolites produced by bacteria or fungi, the research group of Prof. Dr. Nadine Ziemert in Tübingen is developing bioinformatic tools to specifically search the genome of these organisms for previously unknown antimicrobial agents.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/natural-product-genomics-opens-new-avenues-search-antibiotics
Microorganisms degrade biobased turf infill - 17/10/2023 Eco-friendly artificial turf: a sports pitch that’s good for people and the environment There are thousands of artificial turf pitches in Germany. They are extremely practical, but often not at all environmentally friendly. When it rains or the pitch is used, plastic particles from the rubber granules can be released into the envronment, where they remain. Researchers at the University of Stuttgart along with the company TECNARO are now developing an artificial turf with an infill that biodegrades as soon as it leaves the pitch.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/eco-friendly-artificial-turf-sports-pitch-s-good-people-and-environment
Press release - 27/07/2023 Materials Research: Biocatalytic Foams of Tremendous Stability and Activity Industrial biocatalysis with enzymes is deemed to be a “game changer” in the development of a sustainable chemical industry. Enzymes can be used to synthesize an impressive range of complex molecules. Researchers of KIT have now developed a new class of materials by producing enzyme foams of tremendous stability and activity. The researchers have already filed a patent application on the process to produce enzyme foams.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/materials-research-biocatalytic-foams-tremendous-stability-and-activity
Press release - 25/07/2023 Green Genetic Engineering: Making Mendel’s Dream Come True with Molecular Scissors Molecular biologist Professor Holger Puchta from KIT is granted funding within a Reinhart Koselleck Project by the German Research Foundation (DFG) for work on specific restructuring of plant genomes. Puchta, a pioneer of green genetic engineering, has used molecular scissors in plants for 30 years now. His new project is aimed at using the CRISPR/Cas method to freely combine genes in crops, thus making Gregor Mendel’s dream come true.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/green-genetic-engineering-making-mendels-dream-come-true-molecular-scissors
Press release - 23/06/2023 The molecular control centre of our protein factories Researchers from Konstanz and Zurich have deciphered a biochemical mechanism that ensures that newly formed proteins are processed correctly when they leave the cell's own protein factories. This solves a decade-old puzzle in protein sorting.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/molecular-control-centre-our-protein-factories
Press release - 05/06/2023 New findings about human metabolic processes Researchers at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Freiburg have gained significant new insights into metabolic processes in the kidney. The scientists from the Institute of Genetic Epidemiology at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg measured tiny molecules, so-called metabolites, which occur in blood and urine and reflect our metabolism, in samples from more than 5,000 study participants.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-findings-about-human-metabolic-processes
Press release - 16/05/2023 Mast cells have an important impact on the development of chronic myeloid leukemia Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a type of blood cancer that arises from malignant changes in blood-forming cells of the bone marrow. It mainly occurs in older individuals and represents about 20 percent of all adult leukemia cases. A research team from the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research at the University of Freiburg has now demonstrated for the first time that mast cells play a crucial role in the development of CML.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/mast-cells-have-important-impact-development-chronic-myeloid-leukemia
Press release - 24/04/2023 Hidden RNA repair mechanism discovered in humans Konstanz researchers discover the function of a previously unexplored protein: In three characteristic steps, "C12orf29" links the ends of RNA strands. Proteins that perform this kind of RNA ligation were previously unknown in humans. The results of the study suggest that it is important for RNA repair during cellular stress.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/hidden-rna-repair-mechanism-discovered-humans
Press release - 06/04/2023 Alternative glucose breakdown ensures the survival of cancer cells A key enzyme in sugar metabolism is inactivated particularly easily and efficiently by oxidative stress. Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) have now shown that with this oxidation, cells switch to an alternative sugar breakdown pathway and can thus escape oxidative stress. Cancer cells in particular benefit from this mechanism, which can also protect them from therapy-related damage.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/alternative-glucose-breakdown-ensures-survival-cancer-cells
Press release - 23/03/2023 Targeted computer modelling to accelerate antiviral drug development Effective drugs against viral diseases like COVID-19 are urgently needed now and in the future. The emergence of viral mutants and yet unknown viruses could push vaccines to their limits. The DZIF scientist and bioinformatician Andreas Dräger from the University of Tübingen is working on a computer-based method that can help to accelerate the time-consuming identification and development of antiviral agents. Using a novel analysis technique that…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/computermodellierung-zur-schnelleren-entwicklung-antiviraler-medikamente
Press release - 31/01/2023 ERC Consolidator Grants for Two Researchers from KIT In the 2022 allocation round for the award of the prestigious Consolidator Grants of the European Research Council, researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have been successful. For their projects in the fields of photovoltaics and medical sensor technology, physicist Ulrich W. Paetzold and chemist Frank Biedermann will receive approximately two million euros over the next five years.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/erc-consolidator-grants-fuer-zwei-forscher-des-kit
Press release - 24/01/2023 Genome Editing Procedures Optimised Heidelberg scientists succeed in boosting the efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 and related methods and modifying initially inaccessible DNA sequences.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/verfahren-der-genom-editierung-optimiert
Press release - 20/12/2022 Enzyme inhibition promotes bone formation and curbs the development of bone metastases In our bones, specialized cells called osteoblasts are responsible for building up bone substance. A team of researchers led by scientists from the DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim* and the University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf has now identified an enzyme that controls the activity of osteoblasts.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/enzyme-inhibition-promotes-bone-formation-and-curbs-development-bone-metastases
Press release - 20/12/2022 Strong and biodegradable A polyester plastic of great mechanical stability, which is also easily recyclable and even compostable: Stefan Mecking, chemist at the University of Konstanz, and his research group present a new material.https://www.bio-pro.de/en/activities/biological-transformation/aktuelles/strong-and-biodegradable
Press release - 20/12/2022 Strong and biodegradable A polyester plastic of great mechanical stability, which is also easily recyclable and even compostable: Stefan Mecking, chemist at the University of Konstanz, and his research group present a new material.https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/pm/strong-and-biodegradable
Press release - 09/12/2022 Epigenetic emergency switch improves defense against infections During infections, the hematopoietic system switches from normal to emergency mode. This improves the defense against the pathogens. Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) have now found an epigenetic switch in blood stem cells and progenitor cells of mice that can trigger the switch from one mode to the other.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/epigenetic-emergency-switch-improves-defense-against-infections
Press release - 19/09/2022 How stressed tumor cells escape cell death: new mechanism discovered Because of their highly active metabolism, many tumors are susceptible to a special type of cell death, ferroptosis. Nevertheless, cancer cells often manage to escape this fate. Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center have now discovered a new mechanism by which normal as well as cancer cells protect themselves against ferroptosis.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/how-stressed-tumor-cells-escape-cell-death-new-mechanism-discovered
Press release - 09/09/2022 Breaking down proteins: How starving cancer cells switch food sources Cancer cells often grow in environments that are low in nutrients, and they cope with this challenge by switching their metabolism to using proteins as alternative "food". Building on genetic screens, an international team of scientists could identify the protein LYSET as part of a pathway that allows cancer cells to make this switch. Their findings are now published in the journal Science.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/neu-identifiziertes-protein-ermoeglicht-krebszellen-auf-alternative-nahrungsquellen-auszuweichen
Project BW2Pro - 29/08/2022 Biowaste to Products: biorefinery transforms biowaste into new products In 2020, Germany’s population collected over 5 million tonnes of biowaste. Most of this was composted, and some was fermented into biogas. Scientists in Baden-Württemberg think there's room for more. Within the project ‘Biowaste to Products’ (BW2Pro) they want to transform biowaste into new products in a biorefinery. The idea is to produce biodegradable plant pots, mulch material, fertilisers, enzymes and biobased plastics in addition to…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/biowaste-products-biorefinery-transforms-biowaste-new-products