Article - 11/12/2017 KDM4 – an efficient target for the therapy of triple-negative breast cancer While breast cancer survival has clearly improved in recent years, women with triple-negative breast cancer have benefitted very little from progress in cancer medicine. Targeted therapies aimed at inhibiting epigenetic regulators might offer a potential new option for the treatment of breast cancer. Prof. Dr. Roland Schüle and Dr. Jochen Maurer have discovered an epigenetic enzyme called KDM4 and come up with a new cell model that significantly…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/kdm4-an-efficient-target-for-the-therapy-of-triple-negative-breast-cancer
Transregional research cooperation - 11/10/2017 New research consortium to develop new liver cancer treatments The causes, signs and symptoms of liver cancer are extremely complex. Investigating them requires the collaboration of many experts across university and regional boundaries. A new transregional research group is now studying the complex overall mechanisms at the cellular, genetic and molecular level in order to develop new concepts and drugs for treating liver and bile duct cancers.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-research-consortium-to-develop-new-liver-cancer-treatments
Article - 01/06/2017 Biotechnology – key technology of the 21st century According to a study published by the German National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) on 5th April, biotechnology is a key technology of the 21st century and has huge innovation potential. What are the trends within the industry and what are the challenges we face?https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/biotechnology-key-technology-of-the-21st-century
Article - 08/09/2016 A diamond might make sequencing more accurate DNA sequencing techniques have been developed along the lines of faster, further, cheaper. State-of-the-art methods make it possible to handle large projects in a relatively short period of time. However, the error rate is still very high. Dr. Maria Fyta and her team at the Institute for Computational Physics at the University of Stuttgart have carried out quantum-transport calculations which suggested that specific chemical modifications in the…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/a-diamond-might-make-sequencing-more-accurate
Article - 04/07/2016 Epigenetic modifications for the treatment of oesophageal cancer Oesophageal cancer is a rare but highly aggressive type of cancer with a rather poor prognosis. Dr. Theresa Ahrens, a researcher in a group led by Prof. Dr. Silke Laßmann and Prof. Dr. Martin Werner at the Institute of Clinical Pathology at the Freiburg University Medical Centre, has tested a variety of epigenetic drugs that can interfere with the development of oesophageal cancer. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/modifikation-epigenetic-modifications-for-the-treatment-of-oesophageal-cancer-als-therapie-bei-speiseroehrenkrebs
Dossier - 18/04/2016 Epigenetics – heritable traits without changing the DNA sequence Epigenetics, i.e. the inheritance of traits that does not involve a change in the DNA sequence, was once a controversial subject that has since become a central focus of biological research. Epigenetic inheritance is now studied by numerous national and international research programmes. Many cellular regulatory and differentiation processes are controlled by epigenetic mechanisms that take place on different levels, including the DNA, histone,…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/epigenetics-heritable-traits-without-changing-the-dna-sequence
Article - 17/12/2015 Inhibition of bromodomain affects stem cell differentiation DNA methylation and histone modification are epigenetic mechanisms that affect gene transcription. Moreover, protein complexes can regulate gene expression by modifying chromatin structure and function. Dr. Thomas Günther and his team from the Center for Clinical Research at the Freiburg University Medical Center are studying the effect of the inhibitor PFI-3 on the BAF complex. This protein complex modifies chromatin structure and controls the…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/nhibition-of-bromodomain-affects-stem-cell-differentiation
Article - 16/11/2015 Centromere regulation and cancer Dr. Sylvia Erhardt from the ZMBH in Heidelberg is specifically focused on the function of the centromere, the part of the chromosome indispensable for correct segregation of the chromosomes during cell division. Malfunctioning centromeres lead to changes in chromosome number, which is a hallmark of many types of cancer. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/centromere-regulation-and-cancer
Researcher profile - 09/11/2015 Michael Boutros – from the study of social gene networks to the management of the DKFZ Deregulation of cell signalling pathways is a major driver of cancer. Prof. Dr. Michael Boutros has pioneered the development of new methods for the analysis of genetic interactions in such complex networks. He has been acting Chairman and Scientific Member of the Management Board of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) since September 1st 2015. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/michael-boutros-from-the-study-of-social-gene-networks-to-the-management-of-the-dkfz
Epigenetics - 10/08/2015 Reading domains detect and identify histone modifications Prof. Dr. Albert Jeltsch from the Institute of Biochemistry at the University of Stuttgart and his team of researchers have now presented an alternative method to detect and identify changes in the post-translational modifications of histones. They envisage that their new method, which uses parts of natural proteins, so-called reading domains, will make such tests cheaper and simpler, and experimental data more reliable. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/reading-domains-detect-and-identify-histone-modifications
Article - 26/05/2015 Novel effect of B-Raf inhibitors against bowel cancer discovered Colorectal carcinoma is the most frequent type of bowel cancer and the second most common tumour disease in men and women in Germany. A particularly aggressive form occurs when a mutation is present in the proto-oncogene BRAF. As part of the Collaborative Research Centre 850 at the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research at the University of Freiburg, Dr. Ricarda Herr and Dr. Tilman Brummer are trying to find out how a mutated BRAF gene…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/novel-effect-of-b-raf-inhibitors-against-bowel-cancer-discovered
Overview Basic research The latest articles, press releases and dossiers on basic research in Baden-Württemberghttps://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/research
Overview Diagnostics The latest articles, press releases and dossiers on diagnostics in Baden-Württemberghttps://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/diagnostics
Article - 02/03/2015 EU supports biophysicists from Ulm to elucidate the structure of chromatin Human DNA consists of three billion base pairs, which corresponds to a total length of approximately two metres. DNA must be compressed 200,000-fold in order to fit into the tiny nuclei of mammalian cells. The thread-like complex of DNA and proteins is called chromatin. Although chromatin has been widely studied, relatively little is yet known about the spatial and temporal organisation of chromatin in interphase cells.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/eu-supports-biophysicists-from-ulm-to-elucidate-the-structure-of-chromatin
Article - 26/01/2015 A biomarker as indicator for the likelihood of developing aggressive prostate cancer Overexpression of the protein BAZ2A, which leads to alterations in epigenetic patterns, increases the malignant properties of tumour cells, including their mobility and their ability to form metastases. The findings of a team of researchers from Heidelberg, Zurich and Hamburg may have led to the discovery of an urgently needed prognostic biomarker that would make it possible to differentiate aggressive prostate cancer from the less malignant…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/a-biomarker-as-indicator-for-the-likelihood-of-developing-aggressive-prostate-cancer
Guest article - 19/01/2015 Rich in contrasts – three research months in Shanghai After graduating, Johannes Zang applied for a Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts China Scholarship to spend three months in Shanghai before going on to do his PhD. At the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, he was, amongst other things, involved in elucidating the crystal structures of proteins. He also had time to learn about the city of Shanghai, China and the Chinese…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/rich-in-contrasts-three-research-months-in-shanghai
Article - 15/12/2014 Heart muscle cell 1.0 and 2.0 – two epigenetic programmes in one cell All the cells in an organism have to adapt to changing requirements as they develop and grow - including muscle cells in the heart. Crucial to this process are the cells’ growth in size and epigenetic factors that play a role in modulating the expression of various genes. The role of epigenetics in cancer development has been the focus of research for quite some time. The question is, what role do epigenetic factors play in the development of the…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/heart-muscle-cell-1-0-and-2-0-two-epigenetic-programmes-in-one-cell
Article - 08/09/2014 Thomas Boehm – pushing back the frontiers of knowledge The comparison of different animal species enables us to understand the crucial principle of immune defence on condition that the right investigative approach is chosen. Prof. Dr. Thomas Boehm director of the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg has been doing just this for many years. Based on insights into fundamental immune system functions Boehms research is aimed at developing new strategies for the diagnosis…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/thomas-boehm-pushing-back-the-frontiers-of-knowledge
Article - 14/07/2014 Andreas Marx – “Chemical Biology” of DNA polymerases Whether inside the cell or in molecular biology laboratories, the synthesis of DNA would not be possible without DNA polymerases. The regulation and application of this versatile enzyme family is the subject of research carried out by Prof. Dr. Andreas Marx at the University of Konstanz in Southern Germany. In addition to basic research into naturally occurring DNA polymerases, Marx deals with the development of novel polymerases that can be used…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/andreas-marx-chemical-biology-of-dna-polymerases
Article - 30/06/2014 Targeting epigenetic DNA modifications for the diagnosis of cancer Epigenetic DNA modifications have been shown to play a role in carcinogenesis and are therefore a promising target for the early detection of cancer. Dr. Daniel Summerer and his research group at the University of Konstanz have developed a method that enables the direct and site-specific identification of epigenetic changes. The method represents a new approach in the field of epigenetic analysis as well as a major step towards simpler cancer…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/targeting-epigenetic-dna-modifications-for-the-diagnosis-of-cancer
Article - 31/03/2014 Lsd1 – a gatekeeper for differentiation onset of embryonic mouse stem cells Epigenetics is an emerging field of research that studies heritable changes in gene expression that are not caused by changes in the underlying DNA sequence. Prof. Dr. Roland Schüle, Director of Central Clinical Research at the Freiburg University Medical Centre, and his team are specifically focused on epigenetic modifiers that regulate the timely development of placental mouse tissue. Schüle and his team have discovered in mouse embryos that a…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/lsd1-a-gatekeeper-for-differentiation-onset-of-embryonic-mouse-stem-cells
Dossier - 10/03/2014 Cancer therapy and cancer diagnostics Thanks to improved diagnostics and therapy, today’s cancer patients can live considerably longer than patients several years ago. Nevertheless, some cancers, especially the strongly metastatic ones, are difficult to treat. Therapies targeting immune cells or cancer stem cells could potentially improve the current situation. The early detection and classification of tumours is crucial for the successful treatment of the disease, and molecular…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/cancer-therapy-and-cancer-diagnostics
Article - 29/07/2013 ‘Go back to start’ in the field of meiosis Researchers have long thought they knew exactly how meiosis, meiosis regulators and the complex that forms between homologous chromosomes during meiosis work. The research group headed by Dr. Andrea Pichler from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg has now discovered a new mechanism that plays an important role in meiosis. The study carried out by Pichler and her colleague Dr. Helene Klug has shown why it is…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/go-back-to-start-in-the-field-of-meiosis
Article - 10/06/2013 Stem-cell tests to provide protection to unborn babies The development of unborn babies may already be impaired in the womb by pollutants from the environment food and drugs to which their mothers are exposed. Reliable and informative toxicity tests are necessary in order to assess and prevent the effects toxic substances may have on unborn babies. Biologist Dr. Tanja Waldmann from Konstanz University is developing toxicity test systems based on human embryonic stem cells which contribute to improved…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/stem-cell-tests-to-provide-protection-to-unborn-babies
Article - 13/05/2013 Cardiomyopathies and epigenetic inheritance Epigenetic mechanisms, along with gene mutations, have been shown to play important roles in the development of heart diseases. Researchers from Heidelberg have discovered that the methylation of two specific genes has an impact on the development of dilated cardiomyopathy. These epigenetic modifications have the potential to be used as molecular markers and improve the diagnosis and therapy of these particular heart diseases.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/cardiomyopathies-and-epigenetic-inheritance