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…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/with-metabolomics-food-analytics-goes-all-the-way
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 - 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. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/hela-a-human-bauplan-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.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/hb-technologies-ag-the-automated-research-laboratory
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…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/retroviruses-from-infectious-agent-to-therapeutic-assistant
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 - 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…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/ralf-baumeister-tinkering-constructing-and-switching-off-genes
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.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/idp-provides-efficient-help-to-address-the-flood-of-information
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…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/identification-of-genes-that-play-a-crucial-role-in-regulating-cholesterol-levels
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. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/trenzyme-optimal-expression-of-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.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/genomic-structural-variations-can-cause-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…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/computomics-unlocking-the-secrets-of-plant-genome-sequences
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…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/aids-researchers-from-ulm-to-shed-light-on-the-success-of-the-hiv-1-m-group
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. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/johannes-krause-examines-historical-pathogens-old-pathogens-in-a-new-light
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…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/dkfz-hipo-the-heidelberg-center-for-personalised-oncology
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…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/gene-therapy-medicinal-products-the-first-gene-therapy-product-has-been-approved-where-does-the-futu
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…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/need-for-speed-high-speed-measurements-of-molecular-motion-in-the-cell-nucleus
Article - 10/12/2012 A machine learning method for the prediction of regulatory interactions Heidelberg bioinformaticians have developed a novel method for the automated prediction of regulatory interactions. The regulatory interaction predictor, a machine-learning based approach for predicting interactions between DNA-binding transcription factors and their target genes and obtaining important insights into the gene regulatory networks in complex cells.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/a-machine-learning-method-for-the-prediction-of-regulatory-interactions
Press release - 05/12/2012 Next Generation Sequencing of GATC Biotech AG accredited by German DAkkS Being the first in Europe, the Next Generation Sequencing Laboratories of the Constance Genome and Diagnostics Centre has been accredited according to ISO 17025 from the national accreditation body for the Federal Republic of Germany (DAkks). The independent governmental institution has acknowledged the high quality standard of the sequencing service on technology platforms Illumina HiSeq and Roche GSFLX sequencing.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/next-generation-sequencing-of-gatc-biotech-ag-accredited-by-german-dakks
Dossier - 26/11/2012 Genetic diagnostics: technology reaches the limits of what is medically reasonable Rapid progress in sequencing technologies is poised to set the imagination of biomedical researchers on fire. Experts now believe that progress is about to make possible what seemed to be utopian a few years ago – it seems likely that it will soon be possible to sequence the human genome in only a few minutes and store and automatically analyse it using tiny automates. However, is everything that is technically feasible also reasonable?https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/genetic-diagnostics-technology-reaches-the-limits-of-what-is-medically-reasonable
Press release - 22/11/2012 CeGaT and Genomatix are finalists of Boston Children’s Hospital’s CLARITY challenge CeGaT (Center for Genomics and Transcriptomics) GmbH, the Department of Prostate Cancer Research, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn and Genomatix Software GmbH were announced as finalist (Top 3) of the CLARITY challenge, organized by Boston Children’s Hospital.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/cegat-and-genomatix-are-finalists-of-boston-children-s-hospital-s-clarity-challenge
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
Press release - 12/11/2012 Spot the difference: The 1000 Genomes Project The 1000 Genomes Project presents a map of normal human genetic variation – everything from tiny changes in the genetic code to major alterations in our chromosomes. In a DNA version of ‘spot-the-difference’, EMBL scientists and their colleagues studied the genomes of 1092 healthy people from Europe, the Americas and East Asia, systematically tracking what makes us different from each other. Their results, published in Nature, open new approaches…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/spot-the-difference-the-1000-genomes-project
Press release - 12/11/2012 immatics appoints Peter Chambré as Chairman immatics biotechnologies GmbH, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing advanced therapeutic vaccines that are active against cancer, today announced the appointment of Peter Chambré as Chairman of the Board with immediate effect. Peter Chambré has had extensive senior management experience in the biopharmaceutical sector and now holds several Chairman positions in the life sciences industry. He will replace Thomas Widmann, who has…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/immatics-appoints-peter-chambr-as-chairman