Press release - 24/05/2023 Epigenetic profiling identifies potential COPD treatment targets Impaired function of lung fibroblast is considered causative for symptoms of the incurable lung disease COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Using high-resolution epigenetic profiling, German and British scientists have now identified potential targets for COPD treatment. The team detected early epigenetic changes in the genome of COPD fibroblasts, providing new insights into the disease pathogenesis and potential therapeutic avenues.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/epigenetic-profiling-identifies-potential-copd-treatment-targets
Press release - 09/05/2023 New strategy for clinically relevant protein sequencing Proteins have characteristic amino acid sequences, the analysis of which is fundamental for research and medicine. These can be decoded; however, so-called protein sequencing is expensive and time-consuming. A large-scale research project led by Prof. Dr. Jan Behrends from the Institute of Physiology at the University of Freiburg now aims to establish a new technology for protein sequencing using nanopores, which will be rapid and cost-effective.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-strategy-clinically-relevant-protein-sequencing
Review - 09/02/2023 5th Gene Technology Report – a critical observation of a cutting-edge technology The societal importance of genetic technologies was demonstrated during the coronavirus pandemic, when it was possible to rapidly develop suitable vaccines thanks to genetic engineering methods. As a result, the Fifth Gene Technology Report published in autumn 2021 reads like a validation of many years of work, as well as making it clear that the will to continue the detailed long-term monitoring is very much present.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/5th-gene-technology-report-critical-observation-cutting-edge-technology
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 - 02/11/2022 The guardian of the (epi-)genome Toxicologists from the University of Konstanz have found that the protein p53 continuously protects our cells from tumorigenesis by coordinating important metabolic processes that stabilize their genomes.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/guardian-epi-genome
Press release - 31/08/2022 Using nanopores to detect epigenetic changes faster Changes known as epigenetic modifications play an important role in cancer development, among other things. Being able to analyze them quickly and reliably could, for example, contribute significantly to the further development of personalized therapy.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/using-nanopores-detect-epigenetic-changes-faster
Press release - 31/01/2022 Cancer research learns from space travel Researchers use epigenetic factors to investigate the role of stress in the development of tumor diseases. Experts believe that stress plays a major role in the development of tumors. One occupational group, for example, that experiences extreme stress over a short period of time is astronauts.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/cancer-research-learns-space-travel
Press release - 18/12/2021 WHO publishes first classification of childhood tumors The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), will soon publish the first edition of its classification of childhood cancers. The new WHO classification forms the basis of modern, precise cancer diagnostics for physicians and pediatric oncologists worldwide and is based on the latest international research findings.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/who-publishes-first-classification-childhood-tumors
Gene regulation as a starting point for cancer therapies - 02/12/2021 New investigation method for deciphering complex epigenetic networks The development and maintenance of uncontrolled cell division in tumours is often due to the unbalanced, complex interplay of regulatory epigenetic networks. Researchers at the Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry in Stuttgart have developed a new screening system to identify essential components that can serve as targets for anticancer drugs.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-investigation-method-deciphering-complex-epigenetic-networks
Cluster of the future - 25/11/2021 nanodiagBW: using nanopores to create completely new diagnostic possibilities Modern medicine has a wide range of molecular diagnostics at hand. In the next decade, this will increasingly be supplemented by prognostic methods. The BMBF Cluster of the Future finalist, nanodiag BW, is developing prognostic methods to identify epigenetic factors for diseases through a new type of bioanalytics – single molecule analysis in nanopores – which would make it possible to take personalised prevention approaches.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/nanodiagbw-using-nanopores-create-completely-new-diagnostic-possibilities
Press release - 25/11/2021 New Collaborative Research Centre at Ulm University Focusing on the factors that influence human aging After a highly competitive process Ulm University has been awarded its fifth Collaborative Research Centre (CRC). The new CRC 1506 ‘Aging at Interfaces’ addresses one of the most urgent medical challenges of our time: the aging of the human body and the diseases and constraints that are frequently associated with the aging process.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-collaborative-research-centre-ulm-university-focusing-factors-influence-human-aging
Press release - 18/11/2021 Overcoming resistance to treatment for breast, bowel, and pancreatic cancer As cancer progresses, the tumor cells continually change, ultimately resulting in a tumor consisting of a large number of different cell clones with different characteristics. This is referred to as "tumor heterogeneity". In many cases, the cancer cells become resistant to the treatments available.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/overcoming-resistance-treatment-breast-bowel-and-pancreatic-cancer
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
Press release - 16/11/2021 Cystic fibrosis & COPD: Mucus reprograms immune cells and promotes airway inflammation Scientists of the Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC) and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have discovered a new link between excessive airway mucus and chronic airway inflammation that is characteristic of cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The researchers showed that mucus in the airways reprograms certain cells of the immune system.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/cystic-fibrosis-copd-mucus-reprograms-immune-cells-and-promotes-airway-inflammation
Gene regulation - 20/07/2021 The many faces of the epigenetic regulator MOF Epigenetic modifications play a crucial role in coordinated gene transcription, and are required for a fertilised egg cell to be able to develop into an organism with different cell types. Dr. Asifa Akhtar from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg has been studying the essential epigenetic regulator protein MOF for 20 years.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/die-vielen-gesichter-des-epigenetischen-regulators-mof
Press release - 06/07/2021 High-throughput metabolic profiling of single cells Scientists from the EMBL and the German Cancer Research Center have presented a new method for generating metabolic profiles of individual cells. The method, which combines fluorescence microscopy and a specific form of mass spectroscopy, can analyze over a hundred metabolites and lipids from more than a thousand individual cells per hour. Researchers expect the method to better answer a variety of biomedical questions in the future.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/high-throughput-metabolic-profiling-single-cells
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
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 - 24/02/2021 Disease progression in childhood cancer: Lengthening of telomeres promotes relapse Neuroblastoma can spread relentlessly or shrink spontaneously. Scientists from the Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the University of Heidelberg and the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg have shown that some malignant neuroblastomas employ a trick to avoid cell death: they use a special mechanism to lengthen the telomeres at the end of their chromosomes. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/disease-progression-childhood-cancer-lengthening-telomeres-promotes-relapse
Press release - 02/11/2020 Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia: International classification model allows for customized treatment Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a rare blood cancer of early childhood. Previous research activities have shown that JMML patients can be divided into three groups based on certain genetic markers, DNA methylation. Depending on the subgroup, statements can be made about the course of the disease. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/juvenile-myelomonocytic-leukemia-international-classification-model-allows-customized-treatment
Article - 09/10/2019 Epigenomics from the Cyber Valley Cyber Valley Stuttgart-Tübingen is a European hotspot for artificial intelligence and home to many renowned experts and scientists. They are now joined by Gabriele Schweikert, who heads up the Computational Epigenomics research group in the Cyber Valley’s Division of Computational Biology. Schweikert is interested in exploring epigenetic mechanisms using machine learning methods.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/epigenomik-aus-dem-cyber-valley
Press release - 29/11/2018 Hattrick in Freiburg Three researchers at the MPI for Immunobiology and Epigenetics receive millions in funding from the European Research Council. Dominic Grün, Nicola Iovino and Ritwick Sawarkar from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg will each be awareded one of the prestigious Consolidator Grants of the European Research Council. This means that 6 million euros in funding will go to fundamental research in Freiburg over the next…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/hattrick-in-freiburg
Press release - 27/09/2018 One hundred percent success Two Clusters of Excellence for the University of Freiburg: Biological Signalling Studies and Bioinspired Materials Research. It is a major boost to cutting-edge research in Freiburg: in the current Excellence Strategy competition, scientists at the University of Freiburg have been granted two Clusters of Excellence, CIBSS – Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, and livMatS – Living, Adaptive and Energy-autonomous Materials…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/one-hundred-percent-success
Press release - 03/04/2018 Double success for Heidelberg stem cell researchers Two awards at once, both carrying high monetary prizes, go to young researchers from the Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Research and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM) at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ): Simon Raffel will receive the 2018 Walter Schulz Prize. Simon Haas will share the 2018 Otto Schmeil Prize with his colleague Lars Velten from EMBL. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/double-success-for-heidelberg-stem-cell-researchers
Article - 28/03/2018 New method for analysing epigenetic modifications - in the service of medical progress It is not just genetic factors that influence developmental processes and diseases; it is becoming increasingly evident that epigenetic changes play a major role too. Thanks to a new method developed at the University of Stuttgart, epigenetic processes can now be investigated in living cells.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-method-for-analysing-epigenetic-modifications-in-the-service-of-medical-progress
Article - 01/02/2018 Combined test systems to advance the development of drugs for treating Alzheimer’s Which substances are suitable for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's? Due to complex biochemical relationships, testing suitable drug candidates is difficult, especially in the early drug development phase. Many predictive test systems only cover individual aspects. A team from Baden-Württemberg and France is now combining different models to develop a new approach.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/combined-test-systems-to-advance-the-development-of-drugs-for-treating-alzheimers
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
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. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/the-human-proteome-the-next-major-goal
Article - 15/04/2013 Price pressure requires new product developments – the "Bioactive Plant Foods" network The Bioactive Plant Foods network which is coordinated by the Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum in Stuttgart is focused on developing innovative products that have a positive effect on human health and placing them on the market. Research resolves around the health-promoting effect of amaranth a short-lived plant with catkin-like cymes of densely packed red flowers. More than 20 partners from industry science and marketing have been working together since…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/price-pressure-requires-new-product-developments-the-bioactive-plant-foods-network
Article - 25/03/2013 Epigenetics for personalised cancer care for women Every year in the EU, 45,300 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 330,000 with breast cancer. Ovarian cancer has a mortality rate of around 64% and breast cancer around 27%*. The EU-funded research project EpiFemCare aims at improving cancer detection and subsequent patient care. The research project aims to develop blood tests based on epigenetic DNA modifications, i.e. the methylation of the base cytosine, for the identification of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/epigenetics-for-personalised-cancer-care-for-women
Article - 28/01/2013 Epigenetics and childhood blood cancer Juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia JMML is the most common chronic cancer of the blood in children and tends to have a poor response to chemotherapy. Prof. Dr. Christian Flotho and his team from the Centre of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine in Freiburg have shown that epigenetic mechanisms play a key role in the pathogenesis of JMML. As part of a German Research Foundation priority programme the researchers from Freiburg are working on…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/epigenetics-and-childhood-blood-cancer
Article - 19/11/2012 Uncovering the genetics of prostate cancer The prostate genome project, which is part of the International Cancer Genome Consortium, is focused on the genetic and epigenetic causes of the development and progression of this highly variable cancer and finding markers that enable the reliable diagnosis of the disease. The German research groups involved in the project are coordinated by the German Cancer Research Center and concentrate on prostate cancer patients under 50 years of age, as…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/uncovering-the-genetics-of-prostate-cancer
Press release - 12/11/2012 Searching for new strategies against prostate cancer The European Research Council (ERC) has announced that Roland Schüle, Scientific Director at the Department of Urology, University of Freiburg Medical Centre has been awarded an ERC Advanced Grant. Professor Schüle will receive €2.5 million for a period of 5 years for his research proposal to identify and characterize the molecular and physiological functions of the epigenetic enzyme LSD1 and to explore its role in prostate cancer.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/searching-for-new-strategies-against-prostate-cancer
Dossier - 05/11/2012 Cancer – basic research, successes and trends Science is approaching cancer treatment by using new systems biology approaches and setting up large-scale multidisciplinary projects such as the International Cancer Genome Consortium. Progress in genome, epigenome and gene expression analyses of cancer cells, new insights into the regulation and interaction of cells gained in cooperation with stem cell research and virus research contributes to gaining a causal understanding of cancer. This…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/cancer-basic-research-successes-and-trends
Article - 15/10/2012 ERC Starting Grants 2012: Baden-Württemberg achieves above-average success On September 10th 2012, the European Research Council (ERC) announced the results of the fifth funding round of its Starting Grants. Baden-Württemberg was awarded 13 grants, and is the state with the largest number of a total of 34 grants awarded to German life sciences researchers. Baden-Württemberg life sciences researchers will be receiving Starting Grants worth around 20 million euros.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/erc-starting-grants-2012-baden-wuerttemberg-achieves-above-average-success
Article - 17/09/2012 Biochemisty and the assembly of ammonium machines Researchers who intend to build enzymes in the laboratory need detailed knowledge about the function of the respective enzymes. Using modern biochemistry methods researchers led by Prof. Dr. Oliver Einsle from the University of Freiburg have in the last few years clarified the atomic structure of a complex bacterial protein that converts atmospheric nitrogen into a form that can be readily used by other organisms. The researchers have recently…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/biochemisty-and-the-assembly-of-ammonium-machines
Article - 06/08/2012 varionostic: specialist in epigenetic analyses Ulm-based varionostic helps epigenetics researchers to obtain information on gene activity. The company is specifically focused on the analysis of methyl groups (-CH3) that are attached to DNA and turn genes on and off. Just as the field of epigenetics, previously only known to insiders, has emerged as a biomedical area of research, the University of Ulm spin-off has matured and grown over the past six years since it was set up.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/varionostic-specialist-in-epigenetic-analyses
Press release - 03/08/2012 Dosage compensation in male flies: Balance between sexes The sex of many organisms is determined by the number of X chromosomes. In humans women have two X chromosomes whereas men have only one but also have an additional Y chromosome. Why this does not result in an imbalance in the expression of important genes on the X chromosome is what researchers at the Max Planck Institute in Freiburg have examined in collaboration with researcher in Cambridge UK. They have been able to show that the initiation…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/dosage-compensation-in-male-flies-balance-between-sexes
Press release - 04/06/2012 DFG establishes 20 new Collaborative Research Centres The support ranges from new therapies for multiple sclerosis via the heroic tradition in ancient time to functional microgels. Attached is a selection of research approaches in science in Baden-Württemberg.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/dfg-establishes-20-new-collaborative-research-centres
Article - 21/05/2012 Interactions between the genome and the environment Parental neglect appears to lead to epigenetic changes in children, which result in behavioural problems in later years. This is one issue amongst the many that were addressed at the colloquium “Gene und Umwelt – Wie wir werden, was wir sind” (Genes and the environment – how we become what we are) recently organized by the Daimler and Benz Foundation in Berlin.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/interactions-between-the-genome-and-the-environment
Article - 23/04/2012 Iris-Tatjana Kolassa – extreme stress takes a toll on cells Molecular psychology has huge potential for the future. The discipline has used imaging methods for diagnostic purposes for a long time, but Iris-Tatjana Kolassa, a 33-year-old psychologist from Ulm, is convinced that in future it will increasingly use molecular biology and medicine methods. The idea of remaining blinkered in her own discipline is a notion that is utterly foreign to Kolassa; whenever she senses synergies, whether it be with…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/iris-tatjana-kolassa-extreme-stress-takes-a-toll-on-cells
Article - 05/03/2012 Ubiquitin and related molecules do more than just degrade and recycle cellular waste The proteins of the ubiquitin family have long been regarded as cellular Post-its with to be discarded written on them. However over the last ten years it has become increasingly clear that the proteins of the ubiquitin family that cells use to label defective or unneeded proteins also regulate a broad range of important cellular processes. It has also been found that they are involved in the pathogenesis of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/ubiquitin-and-related-molecules-do-more-than-just-degrade-and-recycle-cellular-waste
Press release - 01/02/2012 Defects in the packaging of genetic material in malignant brain tumors Glioblastomas are regarded as particularly aggressive brain tumors. In children with glioblastoma, Heidelberg scientists have now discovered genetic alterations that affect the function of DNA packaging proteins known as histones. In a cell, histones serve as coils around which the DNA wraps. At the same time, histones regulate gene activity. Mutations in histone genes have never before been tied to a disease. The group comprising scientists of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/defects-in-the-packaging-of-genetic-material-in-malignant-brain-tumors
Article - 16/01/2012 Manfred Jung: drug discovery and the epigenetic code Prof. Dr. Manfred Jungs team at the University of Freiburg are chemical epigeneticists whose research involves the development of methods that enable them to identify and optimise new therapeutic drugs which are able to alter the epigenetic code of cancer and other cell types. The team use a perfidious worm for their research.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/manfred-jung-drug-discovery-and-the-epigenetic-code
Article - 19/12/2011 Patrick Heun: The DNA tangle and how it is organised Dr. Patrick Heun and his group of researchers at the Max Planck Institute MPI of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg are working on elucidating the spatial organisation of cell nuclei and how the structure of chromosomes is passed on to daughter cells during the division of cells. The researchers have come up with clear proof that the formation of centromeres depends on a single molecule. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/patrick-heun-the-dna-tangle-and-how-it-is-organised
Article - 12/12/2011 Comprehensive Biomarker Center GmbH – next-generation biomarkers Biomarker research has moved on from proteins to nucleic acids where one of the main priorities is the use of microRNA expression profiles. The Heidelberg-based biotech company Comprehensive Biomarker Center GmbH (CBC, formerly febit) has state-of-the-art technologies and the skills and knowledge to advance the development of new nucleic acid biomarkers for complex diseases in cooperation with partners from research and industry. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/comprehensive-biomarker-center-gmbh-next-generation-biomarkers
Press release - 05/12/2011 Cellzome founder wins EU women innovators award Cellzome announces 5 December 2011 that Dr. Gitte Neubauer has received the highly esteemed EU Women Innovators Award. The award recognizes her outstanding contribution in translating academic research into a commercial venture through the foundation of Cellzome. The prize value of 100.000 euros awarded by the European Commission Innovation Union was presented by Jos Manuel Barroso in a ceremony as part of the Innovation Convention 2011 in…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/cellzome-founder-wins-eu-women-innovators-award
Article - 14/11/2011 Marina Freudenberg and Chris Galanos – more than 40 years of bacterial defence research This years Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology was awarded to three renowned scientists one of whom is the American Bruce Beutler who was instrumental in clarifying the structure of the mammalian Toll-like 4 TLR4 receptor. Prof. Dr. med. Marina Freudenberg and Dr. Dr. h.c. Chris Galanos from the Freiburg-based Max Planck Institute MPI of Immunobiology and Epigenetics have co-authored the key publication that led to the award of the Nobel Prize…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/marina-freudenberg-and-chris-galanos-more-than-40-years-of-bacterial-defence-research
Press release - 21/09/2011 Epigenetic changes don’t last First comprehensive inventory of epigenetic changes over several generations shows that these often do not last and therefore probably have limited effects on long-term evolution. The team around Detlef Weigel, director of the Department for Molecular Biology, focused on one of the most important epigenetic marks, methylation of DNA.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/epigenetic-changes-don-t-last
Article - 25/07/2011 Silke Brüderlein has “green fingers” for cell cultures Many researchers in the biosciences work with cell cultures, but not all of them seem to understand them at a deeper level. The biologist Silke Brüderlein from the Institute of Pathology in Ulm is a specialist in cell culture and is well aware of the problems that might arise when working with cell cultures.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/silke-bruederlein-has-green-fingers-for-cell-cultures
Press release - 13/07/2011 Kinetochores prefer the “silent” DNA sections of the chromosome The centromere is a specialized region of the chromosome, on which a protein complex known as the kinetochore is assembled. During cell division, the kinetochore provides a point of attachment for molecules of the cytoskeleton, thereby mediating the segregation of chromosomes to the two opposing cell poles. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics and BIOSS in Freiburg have investigated the factors that play an…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/kinetochores-prefer-the-silent-dna-sections-of-the-chromosome