Article - 18/09/2012 Michael Kühl: in search of the gene architects of the heart Michael Kühl is investigating the development of the heart using a broad range of different model organisms. The developmental biologist, director of the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Ulm, also uses evolutionary and systems biology approaches for his work. Kühl’s basic research does not follow an art for art’s sake principle, but also addresses the development of new therapies for the treatment of heart…https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/michael-kuehl-in-search-of-the-gene-architects-of-the-heart
Dossier - 10/09/2012 Horizon 2020 – the EU framework programme for research and innovation – a boost for top-level research in Europe In the face of the ongoing financial crisis Europe is working on a new research strategy that is aimed at creating new economic growth and jobs. The new EU framework programme for research and innovation Horizon 2020 replaces the 7th Framework Programme FP7 and will run from 2014 with a budget of 80 billion. In July 2012 Brussels launched the final FP7 calls for proposals for 2013 that offer numerous market-based instruments designed to bridge…https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/horizon-2020-the-eu-framework-programme-for-research-and-innovation-a-boost-for-top-level-research-i
Article - 27/08/2012 Cardiac or intestinal progenitor cells? What controls the fate of pluripotent stem cells? Cell fate decisions are made in the early mouse embryo when it is nothing more than a spherical mass of cells. A molecule known as eomesodermin determines whether pluripotent stem cells become cardiac or intestinal progenitor cells. Dr. Sebastian Arnold and his research group at the Freiburg University Medical Centre have recently discovered why one single molecule can have a twofold effect. These findings provide Arnold and his team with greater…https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/cardiac-or-intestinal-progenitor-cells-what-controls-the-fate-of-pluripotent-stem-cells
Article - 27/08/2012 A worm that turned The body plan of vertebrates resembles an earthworm turned on its back. Unsurprisingly, this radical idea initially met with great criticism but modern evo-devo research supports this idea of inversion. An evolutionarily conserved gene cassette determines the dorsoventral axis in the developing embryo. It does so in both vertebrates and invertebrates. However, the body plans of vertebrates and invertebrates are dorsoventrally inverted with…https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/a-worm-that-turned
Press release - 16/07/2012 Winners of the "Science2Start" ideas competition honoured BioRegio STERN Management GmbH honoured the three winners of the regional "Science2Start" ideas competition last Thursday evening. The award ceremony was part of the traditional summer soirée given by BioRegio STERN Management GmbH in collaboration with TTR Technologieparks Tübingen-Reutlingen GmbH, the Verein zur Förderung der Biotechnologie und der Medizintechnik e.V. (Society for the Promotion of Biotechnology and Medical Technology)…https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/winners-of-the-science2start-ideas-competition-honoured
Article - 30/04/2012 German Cardiac Society meeting 2012 - Medicine for sick hearts The recent German Cardiac Society meeting in Mannheim in April 2012 focused on the latest findings related to the prognosis, diagnosis and therapy of heart diseases. While great progress has been made in the therapy of disease symptoms, it will still take a long time before gene and stem cell therapies that target the causes of disease find their way into clinical application. The conference also presented the new German Centre for Cardiovascular…https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/german-cardiac-society-meeting-2012-medicine-for-sick-hearts
Article - 23/04/2012 Vascular grafts: biomolecules to prevent blood vessels from reclosing Obstructed blood vessels can be operated on and adequate blood flow restored. However, stents and bypasses are often subject to high reclosure rates. Excessive immune reactions close to where the intervention took place might prevent the regeneration of adjacent vessel walls and even lead to reclosure. New interventions involving RNA interference seem to be a way out of this dilemma.https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/vascular-grafts-biomolecules-to-prevent-blood-vessels-from-reclosing
Article - 26/03/2012 More public attention for exotic diseases - Part 1 An international conference on rare diseases was held in Freiburg Germany in February 2012 where BIOPRO talked with Prof. Dr. Bodo Grimbacher director of the Centre of Chronic Immunodeficiency CCI in Freiburg and Prof. Dr. Maximilian Muenke paediatrician and human geneticist from the National Human Genome Research Institute NHGRI in the USA. Between them the two experts have a great deal of experience in rare diseases amongst other areas. Read in…https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/more-public-attention-for-exotic-diseases-part-1
Article - 19/03/2012 Calcium channels – about channel proteins and why we forget things The controlled transport of calcium across cell membranes is crucial for many biological processes including the transfer of information into the brain kidney function and the rhythmic activity of the heart muscle. A team led by Prof. Dr. Norbert Klugbauer at the University of Freiburg is focused on elucidating the function of calcium channels the proteins that regulate them and the effects on learning and memory. The researchers are…https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/calcium-channels-about-channel-proteins-and-why-we-forget-things
Dossier - 12/03/2012 Regenerative medicine makes use of patients’ own resources Regenerative medicine offers new therapeutic options for many diseases in which organ function or structure are damaged or lost. The majority of regenerative therapies involve cell-based methods that are often combined with innovative biomaterials. Regenerative therapies combine know-how from the biosciences with state-of-the-art medical technology and also benefit from progress in the engineering and material sciences.https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/regenerative-medicine-makes-use-of-patients-own-resources
Press release - 07/03/2012 Implant to replace defective venous valve If heart valves don’t close properly, they are replaced. Conventional treatment of venous valve failure, however, has up to now always and exclusively been via medication. In future, an implant will assume the function of damaged valves. In close collaboration with other partners researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA in Stuttgart developed an automated production facility that can make venous…https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/implant-to-replace-defective-venous-valve
Press release - 09/02/2012 European tool enables companies to open up markets BioRegio STERN Management GmbH is one of five project partners in BIOMAT-In. This transnational EU project promotes innovations and cooperation in the biomaterials sector and is being funded for three years with a total of EUR 1.24 million. BioRegio STERN Management GmbH is committed to creating a successful pan-European cluster in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. It is receiving EUR 223,000 during this period to develop a…https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/european-tool-enables-companies-to-open-up-markets
Article - 19/12/2011 Wolfgang Rottbauer discovers zebrafish for use in cardiology Zebrafish is a popular model organism for many researchers around the world. Life scientists such as evolutionary biologists, neurobiologists and toxicologists frequently use the small vertebrate for their investigations. Wolfgang Rottbauer has discovered and established the zebrafish as a model organism for cardiovascular disease research. He has also made a name for himself in this field. However, Rottbauer recalls that his efforts were…https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/wolfgang-rottbauer-discovers-zebrafish-for-use-in-cardiology
Article - 12/12/2011 Rheumatoid arthritis biomarkers A plethora of biomarkers is available for the early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and associated tissue damage and disorders. In addition, new biomarkers that improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering from this common destructive autoimmune disease are constantly being discovered.https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/rheumatoid-arthritis-biomarkers
Press release - 07/12/2011 Oxidative stress: Less harmful than suspected? Oxidative stress is considered to be involved in a multitude of pathogenic processes and is also implicated in the proces of aging. For the first time, scientists of the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) have been able to directly observe oxidative changes in a living organism. Their findings in fruit flies raise doubts about the validity of some widely held hypotheses: The research team has found no evidence…https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/oxidative-stress-less-harmful-than-suspected
Press release - 03/10/2011 Astonishing discovery: iron-overloading of macrophages is the cause of venous leg ulcers Around three to five per cent of people in industrial nations suffer from chronic venous leg ulcers. Elderly people are particularly prone to developing these chronic wounds. A dermatologist from Ulm has now discovered the reason why chronic venous leg ulcers fail to heal even after months or years. The scientific community is astonished by the new findings.https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/astonishing-discovery-iron-overloading-of-macrophages-is-the-cause-of-venous-leg-ulcers
Article - 29/08/2011 Ute Schepers – the therapeutic potential of small RNAs and molecular transporters Small RNAs can specifically interfere with cellular mechanisms; or more precisely, with the cells’ protein biosynthesis machinery. Scientists have therefore decided to exploit this potential by using small RNAs against cancer cells or cells damaged in other ways. But the question arises as to how the small RNAs can reach the site where their role is to prevent the generation of dangerous proteins. Dr. Ute Schepers and her team from the Karlsruhe…https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/ute-schepers-the-therapeutic-potential-of-small-rnas-and-molecular-transporters
Press release - 26/05/2011 High Scientific Level at the Second International Workshop about Drug-Drug Interactions The organisation team of the Second International DDI drug-drug interactions Workshop has expressed great satisfaction with the course of the scientific meeting. Thus the DDI Workshop at Marbach Castle is on its way to become an established platform for the annual exchange between experts scientists members of the industry and regulatory bodies regarding DDI affairs.https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/high-scientific-level-at-the-second-international-workshop-about-drug-drug-interactions
Article - 23/05/2011 KIT researchers attempt to grow cardiomyocytes in Petri dishes Regenerative medicine specialists are aiming to be able to grow complete organs from stem cells some time in the future. However although the microscopically small cells are able to do many things they are not able to grow organs on their own. Dr. Alexandra Rolletschek and her team at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT are investigating how stem cells can be grown into heart muscle cells cardiomyocytes in Petri dishes. https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/kit-researchers-attempt-to-grow-cardiomyocytes-in-petri-dishes
Article - 16/05/2011 Oliver Röhrle and the biomechanics of the musculo-skeletal system Dr. Oliver Röhrle contributes to the excellent standards in the field of biomechanics at the University of Stuttgart. He has held one of the popular junior professorships in the Simulation Technology (SimTech) cluster of excellence since 2008 and has recently received a research prize for his work on the biomechanics of the musculo-skeletal system.https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/oliver-roehrle-and-the-biomechanics-of-the-musculo-skeletal-system
Press release - 17/04/2011 Molecular genetic diagnostics of inherited cardiomyopathies Scientists from Heidelberg University Hospital the German Cancer Research Center and the company Febit Biomed GmbH have now developed a method that facilitates the analysis and detection of disease-causing genetic modifications for the first time ever this method enables the genetic characterisation of cardiomyopathy patients. For patients and their relatives this means that the disease can now be reliably diagnosed and specific treatment and…https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/molecular-genetic-diagnostics-of-inherited-cardiomyopathies
Article - 11/04/2011 movisens GmbH – innovative systems for measuring psychophysiological parameters In an effort to reduce the number of visits to GPs or clinics whilst enabling doctors to closely monitor their patients ECG breathing or physical activity Karlsruhe-based movisens GmbH offers mobile systems for measuring physiological parameters. The companys clients include research institutions hospitals employers and the police and fire brigade.https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/movisens-gmbh-innovative-systems-for-measuring-psychophysiological-parameters
Press release - 03/04/2011 A vision of the future: whole-heart tissue engineering Scientists from the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the Heidelberg University Hospital have developed a bioreactor to produce a new heart from a patient’s own heart cells. The reactor mirrors the internal conditions of the human body. For example, the medium with the patient’s cells is pumped into the developing organ via small pulses that mirror the human heartbeat.https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/a-vision-of-the-future-whole-heart-tissue-engineering
Press release - 30/03/2011 Scientists Find Cause of Fatal Inflammation of the Heart Muscle Scientists of the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ), jointly with colleagues in the United States, have found out that inflammations of the heart muscle are caused by attacks of a specific type of immune cells. These immune cells attack the body’s own tissue because during their maturation they did not have the chance to develop tolerance against a protein that is only found in the heart muscle. https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/scientists-find-cause-of-fatal-inflammation-of-the-heart-muscle
Press release - 13/03/2011 Vascular stent that dissolves on its own The first ever implant in Germany of a bioresorbable, drug-coated stent in a cardiac patient has been carried out by physicians from the University of Heidelberg. In contrast to traditional metal stents, which remain permanently in the patients’ body, the innovative implant dissolves around two years after the procedure is carried out.https:////www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/vascular-stent-that-dissolves-on-its-own