Healthcare industry

Press release - 16/10/2013

BIOTECHNICA 2013 - Baden-Württemberg is a top life sciences spot.

The BIOTECHNICA trade show rolled out the red carpet for its exhibitors. Over 10,000 visitors walked over the carpet to inspect the exhibits that were on display at the Baden-Württemberg booth. The impressive exhibits of the companies showed that Baden-Württemberg has many highly innovative SMEs in the life sciences field.

Article - 09/09/2013

Karsten Borgwardt, a specialist in data mining

The use of cutting-edge genomics, proteomics and metabolomics methods generates ever-increasing amounts of data in ever decreasing timescales. Special mathematical and computational methods are required for deducing relevant information from specific patterns. The data mining specialist Karsten Borgwardt from Tübingen is developing such methods for specific application in the life sciences.

Article - 19/08/2013

The Heidelberg practice of whole-genome sequencing

After two years’ work, scientists from Heidelberg have now presented their opinion on the ethical and legal consequences of the total sequencing of the human genome. The paper presents principles and practical recommendations aimed at maintaining the balance between the wellbeing and interests of patients on the one hand and the freedom of research and clinical progress on the other.

Article - 12/08/2013

A complete exome sequence in one week

The exome is the part of the genome that is formed by exons i.e. the DNA regions that code for proteins and other functional products. Though comprising only about 1 of the total genome the majority of disease-causing mutations occur in the exome. Selectively sequencing the coding regions of the genome is quicker than whole-genome sequencing. Therefore exome sequencing plays an important role in the diagnosis of genetic diseases and cancer.…

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. However, rapid progress in genetic engineering and cell biology means that it is now necessary to look at certain issues in a new way and recognise that not everything that is technically feasible should actually be…

Article - 29/07/2013

Genetic fingerprinting - a useful method in fruit production

Genetic fingerprinting is a well-known technique used for paternity testing and in forensic science. However, the technique is also used in the field of agriculture. Molecular genetics makes it possible to develop and apply new research and breeding methods to the field of fruit production in order to improve production and quality standards. Dr. Haibo Xuan from the Competence Centre for Fruit Production (KOB) at Lake Constance has been working…

Article - 28/06/2013

A world champion of regeneration

Planarians can be cut into pieces, and each piece can regenerate into a complete organism. The flatworms are able to do this as they have a huge pool of adult totipotent stem cells that can differentiate into any body cell whatsoever, including germ cells. Scientists from the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies are using new algorithms to analyse the complex planarian genome structures with the aim of obtaining insights into the genetic…

Article - 24/06/2013

Cloned human beings are not to be feared

An international team of scientists led by Dr. Shoukhrat Mitalipov at the Oregon Health & Science University, USA, succeeded for the first time ever in cloning human embryonic stem cells by somatic cell nuclear transfer. This breakthrough raises questions about the potentials and dangers of creating human stem cells by cloning. Prof. Dr. Marcel Leist from the University of Konstanz, who uses human embryonic stem cells for his research, gives…

Article - 03/06/2013

With metabolomics food analytics goes all the way

In the not-too-distant future, food analysts hope they will be able do more than just detect mycotoxin traces and determine the concentration of individual nutrients such as vitamin C. Their ambition is in fact much broader: “We would like to understand the nutritional and physiological effect of food,” said Prof. Sabine Kulling from the Max Rubner Institute in Karlsruhe. As with other life sciences areas, metabolomics is seen as a key technology…

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.

Article - 06/05/2013

HeLa, a human bauplan in the Petri dish

Scientists from EMBL have recently sequenced the genome of HeLa cells, which are the world’s most commonly used human cell line. They found that the HeLa genome and that of normal human cells reveal striking differences, caused by chromothripsis and other aberrations. Some evolutionary researchers believe that HeLa cells are developing a new human bauplan as they adapt to cultivation in the Petri dish.

Article - 22/04/2013

HB Technologies AG - the automated research laboratory

Automated solutions for research and development have to fulfil special requirements; rather than being directed towards mass production, they need to be able to handle highly complex processes and minute amounts of sample. HB Technologies AG specifically focuses on this market, offering engineering services and products for use in the field of biotechnology.

Dossier - 01/04/2013

Retroviruses: from infectious agent to therapeutic assistant

Viruses are infectious particles that use the machinery and metabolism of a host cell to replicate. Despite some similarities with accepted forms of life viruses are not considered as such. The family of retroviruses is particularly known for its most notorious representative i. e. the human immunodeficiency virus HIV which leads to AIDS and for which no cure or effective vaccine is currently available. However retroviruses are not only of…

Article - 25/03/2013

IDP provides efficient help to address the flood of information

The Institute of Data Analysis and Process Design IDP at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW has developed intelligent software to analyse thousands of gene expression products simultaneously and automatically. This software considerably reduces the workload. The IDP has recently become a member of BioLAGO e.V. and specialises in statistical data analysis modelling and optimisation of processes and systems.

Article - 25/03/2013

Ralf Baumeister – tinkering, constructing and switching off genes

The focus of Ralf Baumeisters research a small nematode that is known as Caenorhabditis elegans is a rather simple organism. Nevertheless the worm can be used to study complicated behaviour including associated learning. This is how Prof. Dr. Ralf Baumeister from the Institute of Biology III at the University of Freiburg describes the animal that he works with on a daily basis. The worm has now got very little left to hide. And the genetic…

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…

Article - 18/03/2013

Identification of genes that play a crucial role in regulating cholesterol levels

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which were combined with RNA interference studies and microscope-based functional analyses, enabled researchers from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and Heidelberg University Hospital to identify genes that play key roles in the regulation of the blood cholesterol level. The new method leads to a better understanding of the relationships between the lipid metabolism and the development of…

Article - 11/03/2013

Trenzyme – optimal expression of recombinant proteins

Trenzyme GmbH in Konstanz offers services and products in the fields of genomics and proteomics. The company specialises in contract research and custom R&D services and is also working on new and improved products and processes. The company recently developed a new method for the rapid identification of optimal expression conditions for recombinant proteins.

Article - 04/03/2013

Genomic structural variations can cause cancer

Genome-wide sequencing analyses show that comprehensive structural variations of chromosomes can play a key role in the pathogenesis of many types of cancer. Dr. Jan Korbel’s research group at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg has been investigating chromosomal aberrations in paediatric brain tumours and early-onset prostate cancer.

Article - 25/02/2013

Computomics: unlocking the secrets of plant genome sequences

Thanks to the latest generation of sequencing technology, the deciphering of the complete genome of organisms is becoming faster and cheaper. The challenge is to compile the book of life from millions of DNA fragments and unlock the secrets of the human and other organisms. The young bioinformatics company Computomics in Tübingen is doing just this for crops. In contrast to the human genome, the genome of the majority of plants is still a book…

Article - 18/02/2013

AIDS researchers from Ulm to shed light on the success of the HIV-1 M group

Frank Kirchhoff AIDS researcher at the University of Ulm has come up with a plausible explanation for the pandemic spread of the human immunodeficiency virus 1 HIV-1 M group and its ability to adapt to the human immune system. In a recent study with colleagues from Germany and abroad Kirchhoff used molecular biology methods to investigate the group and compare it with the relatively rare HIV-1 N group. Kirchhoff hopes that the molecular…

Article - 11/02/2013

Johannes Krause examines historical pathogens: old pathogens in a new light

Palaeogeneticist Johannes Krause is drawn to ancient DNA. His work on the evolution of human pathogens shows that his findings are not purely of historical interest, but also enable conclusions to be made on future disease outbreaks and epidemics. In autumn 2012, Krause was awarded an ERC Starting Grant. Krause uses the grant to expand his research into plague and other historical pathogens that continue to be a threat to human health.

Article - 04/02/2013

DKFZ-HIPO – the Heidelberg Center for Personalised Oncology

The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the National Center for Tumour Diseases (NCT) have jointly initiated the Heidelberg Center for Personalised Oncology (HIPO) which provides cancer patients with high-throughput genetic and molecular analyses. In anticipation of the upcoming World Cancer Day on 4th February 2013, the potential of high-throughput genetic and molecular analyses in improving cancer therapy was presented at a workshop held…

Article - 18/12/2012

Gene therapy medicinal products: the first gene therapy product has been approved – where does the future lie?

Is gene therapy close to broad clinical application? Following negative headlines at the end of the 1990s gene therapy had almost disappeared from the public radar to become an issue almost exclusively dealt with by research laboratories. Gene therapy has now reappeared in the public domain since the European Medicines Agency EMA gave the Dutch biotech company uniQure the go-ahead for the application of somatic gene therapy for the treatment of a…

Press release - 14/12/2012

Need for Speed: High-speed Measurements of Molecular Motion in the Cell Nucleus

They were able to measure the binding of highly specialised protein complexes that specifically change the spatial structure of the genetic information thereby controlling the readout of the DNA information. The work of Dr. Karsten Rippe and his team was carried out at the BioQuant Center of Heidelberg University and the German Cancer Research Center. Their research has demonstrated that the positioning of nucleosomes complexes of DNA and…