Article - 30/04/2010 Silke Hofmann: Why does our body sometimes fight its own skin? The skin is the largest organ in the human body. It is not known why the immune system sometimes forms autoantibodies against it. This process can lead to blistering diseases such as pemphigus or bullous pemphigoid. Dr. Silke Hofmann from the Department of Dermatology at the University of Freiburg is investigating the molecular mechanisms that lead to such diseases. As she finds dermatology a very fascinating subject she does not restrict herself…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/silke-hofmann-why-does-our-body-sometimes-fight-its-own-skin
Article - 26/04/2010 PACT Pharmaceuticals – signalling pathways and RNA interference In March 2010 PACT Pharmaceuticals the founding concept of Professor Dr. Michael Boutros team at the German Cancer Research Centre was selected as one of ten outstanding business concepts in the Science4Life business plan competition intermediary award. Around 200 business plans were originally submitted. PACT develops innovative cancer therapeutics that target the signalling pathways involved in tumour pathogenesis. PACT develops innovative…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/pact-pharmaceuticals-signalling-pathways-and-rna-interference
Article - 26/03/2010 How do killer cells manage to survive? It is not easy for the body to protect itself once a virus has broken through the body’s lines of defence and caused a chronic infection. This task is made even more difficult when the intruders are viral hepatitis pathogens that attack the liver, the place where immunological tolerance is induced. Jörg Reimann (physician) and Reinhold Schirmbeck (biologist) are working on the development of T-cell-mediated therapeutic vaccination strategies to…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/how-do-killer-cells-manage-to-survive
Article - 18/03/2010 Cancer treatment adapted to individual patient requirements There is still no treatment available for a number of non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas. Chemotherapy, which is the standard method of treating the lymphomas, has unpleasant side effects. Researchers led by Prof. Dr. Hendrik Veelken at the Freiburg University Medical Centre in cooperation with Freiburg-based CellGenix Technologie Transfer GmbH have developed a promising new treatment strategy. Results of the Phase I and the Phase II study, which has…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/cancer-treatment-adapted-to-individual-patient-requirements
Article - 15/03/2010 Campaign to eradicate malaria After many decades, efforts to develop an effective vaccine against malaria have finally brought researchers closer to their goal. However, the goal of eradicating malaria completely can only be reached through a complex strategy, to which researchers from Heidelberg are making intensive contributions.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/campaign-to-eradicate-malaria
Article - 15/03/2010 Andreas Diefenbach: A molecular approach to disease mechanisms Prof. Dr. Andreas Diefenbach began his academic career as a philosophy student. Nowadays, the immunologist at the Freiburg University Medical Centre investigates how cells of the innate immune system fight off cancer and infections. He believes that, in contrast to all other subjects, immunology is an area that very much focuses on concepts. Diefenbach’s research frequently gives rise to situations needing new paradigms.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/andreas-diefenbach-a-molecular-approach-to-disease-mechanisms
Article - 13/03/2010 Assembling life from building blocks? As part of its “Bioethics Forum”, the German Ethics Council recently held a meeting in Berlin to inform the public about the fundamentals of synthetic biology and potential ethical problems and consequences in terms of our ideas about life and mankind in general arising from the progress made in this new field of research. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/assembling-life-from-building-blocks
Article - 04/03/2010 Asthma and COPD – how to control centres of inflammation In today’s world, not all asthma patients benefit from adequate treatment. There is no cure at all for people who suffer from COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A group of researchers led by Dr. Marco Idzko at the Freiburg University Medical Centre are looking for new strategies to treat lung diseases such as these. They have already discovered that ATP, which is the major energy currency molecule in the body, has an effect on the…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/asthma-and-copd-how-to-control-centres-of-inflammation
Article - 22/02/2010 Immune system discovers mould fungi through surface structures Mould fungus spores which are found in air aerosols are constantly being taken up in the air we inhale. As a rule this poses no danger to healthy people. However depending on the quantity of spores inhaled and the duration of exposure mould fungi could possibly lead or contribute to lung diseases and allergies. Dr. Mardas Daneshian and his team at the University of Constance are focusing on the immunostimulatory capacity of fungal spores. The…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/immune-system-discovers-mould-fungi-through-surface-structures
Press release - 28/01/2010 Kenta and Rentschler to develop antibodies against hospital-acquired infections The young Swiss company Kenta Biotech will work with the Laupheim-based contract manufacturer Rentschler to develop a fully human monoclonal antibody against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/kenta-and-rentschler-to-develop-antibodies-against-hospital-acquired-infections
Article - 14/01/2010 A biological test for environmental toxins Every day, we breathe in gas emitted by waste incineration plants, evaporation from chemicals in wooden furniture and particulate matter from car exhausts or office equipment. Scientists in Dr. Richard Gminski’s group at the Institute of Environmental Medicine and Hospital Hygiene (IUK) at the Freiburg University Medical Centre are investigating the components that can cause damage to body cells. The researchers are using living human cells to…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/a-biological-test-for-environmental-toxins
Press release - 08/01/2010 Harmless or lethal? Insilico Furthers Research on Fungal Infections Candida albicans is a harmless yeast fungus – at least most of the time. However, if the immune system is weak, then the fungus normally found on everyone’s skin and mucous membranes can become a lethal threat. Insilico Biotechnology is participating in a joint project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), in which interactions between fungus and human host cells are to be studied on the molecular level with the…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/harmless-or-lethal-insilico-furthers-research-on-fungal-infections
Article - 15/12/2009 Arming the immune system against cancer The theory that immune cells are able to attack tumours has long been a theory with only a minority of supporters. However, this theory is currently experiencing a renaissance. In the future, it might even be possible to specifically alter T-lymphocytes in order to improve their ability to identify and destroy certain tumour types. Prof. Dr. Hanspeter Pircher and his team at the Freiburg University Medical Centre are focusing on the development…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/arming-the-immune-system-against-cancer
Article - 14/12/2009 Clever surveillance system keeps yeast in check The spectrum of human diseases (mycoses) caused by fungi ranges from trivial nail infections to life-threatening systemic infections. The latter are mainly caused by Candida albicans. The dermatologist Prof. Dr. med. Martin Schaller from Tübingen is investigating how this fungus, which is actually part of the normal microbial flora of humans, becomes a pathogen. At the same time, he is looking into the role the patient’s immune system plays in…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/clever-surveillance-system-keeps-yeast-in-check
Press release - 08/12/2009 Vaccination of honeybees against the Varroa mite is possible For the first time ever, honeybees were orally ‚vaccinated’ with a genetically engineered product that was later detected in the bloodsucking Varroa mite. This product is a DNA-plasmid that is normally used for man, horses, swine and also for fish. The inventor of this innovative DNA-vaccination system for bees is Matthias Giese, PhD, who launches his own Institute for Molecular Vaccines (IMV) in Heidelberg/Germany starting in 2010.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/vaccination-of-honeybees-against-the-varroa-mite-is-possible
Article - 08/12/2009 Sentinels against microbial invaders Dendritic cells are sentinels of the innate immune system that activate the adaptive immune system when infectious microorganisms enter the body. Prof. Dr. Klaus Heeg and his team from the Department of Infectiology at the University of Heidelberg are focusing on the complex signalling pathways that link the innate and adaptive immune systems.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/sentinels-against-microbial-invaders
Article - 03/12/2009 Matthias Giese: DNA vaccine to combat worldwide honeybee deaths Varroa mites attach to the body of bees and weaken them by sucking hemolymph infecting them with viruses that are believed to be the cause of the mass death of European honeybee colonies. Matthias Giese of the Heidelberg-based Institute for Molecular Vaccines developed a DNA vaccine that might just lead to a breakthrough in the quest to get rid of the Varroa parasites. Giese tells us about his project in the following interview.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/matthias-giese-dna-vaccine-to-combat-worldwide-honeybee-deaths
Article - 10/11/2009 Fungi as human pathogens The majority of fungal infections are unpleasant rather than dangerous. But they can be life-threatening for individuals with weakened immune systems. The number of deaths caused by systemic mycoses is currently experiencing a big increase. The pathogenicity of opportunistic fungi such as Candida albicans might potentially be related to their unusual reproduction abilities.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/fungi-as-human-pathogens
Press release - 12/10/2009 Cancer Cells Suppress the Body’s Own Defense Mechanisms Cancer cells use tricks to evade the immune system. Thus, for example, they attract specific blood cells which suppress the body’s own defense mechanisms. Scientists of the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ), collaborating with colleagues of the University Surgical Hospital in Heidelberg and an international research team, have investigated these processes in bowel cancer. The results of their research have now…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/cancer-cells-suppress-the-body-s-own-defense-mechanisms
Article - 12/10/2009 Gudula Schmidt: E. coli and the rigid cytoskeleton Many bacterial toxins destroy the shape and function of their host cells – some of them degrade the cytoskeleton, others have a tendency to inhibit the elasticity of the cytoskeleton. Prof. Dr. Gudula Schmidt and her team at the University of Freiburg are investigating the effect of the substance CNF-1 and have already discovered the mechanism that is initiated by this toxin.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/gudula-schmidt-e-coli-and-the-rigid-cytoskeleton
Press release - 12/10/2009 Immatics appoints Carsten Reinhardt as Chief Medical Officer The biopharmaceutical company immatics biotechnologies GmbH announced the appointment of Dr Carsten Reinhardt as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) effective October 1, 2009. “I am very pleased to be joining immatics at this exciting stage of the company’s development” said Dr Reinhardt.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/immatics-appoints-carsten-reinhardt-as-chief-medical-officer
Press release - 12/10/2009 Natural killer cells against cancer: Georges Köhler Prize awarded to scientist at the German Cancer Research Centre Dr. Adelheid Cerwenka was awarded the Georges Köhler Prize 2009 for her outstanding achievements in her research on natural killer cells and their importance in the defence against tumours. The Georges Köhler Prize, which is sponsored by the Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG and awarded by the German Society of Immunology, comes with a purse of €3000. The prize is given to scientists under 40 for outstanding research into the immune system.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/natural-killer-cells-against-cancer-georges-koehler-prize-awarded-to-scientist-at-the-german-cancer
Article - 22/09/2009 More than just waste removers Cells need to get rid of misfolded proteins as quickly as possible, something that for a long time has appeared to be the major function of the enzyme ubiquitin and other similarly structured proteins. It has since become clear that ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins also interfere considerably with the signalling networks of cells. Dr. Klaus-Peter Knobeloch and his colleagues at the Freiburg Neurocentre are investigating the molecular…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/more-than-just-waste-removers
Article - 03/09/2009 The lipid metabolism and the immune system What has the lipid metabolism of the human body got to do with inflammation? Scientists in Dr. Petra May’s group at the Centre for Neuroscience at the University of Freiburg recently found that molecules which normally regulate the availability of cholesterol and other water-insoluble substances, also interact with the signalling networks of the immune system. According to their findings, a receptor which mediates the uptake of certain…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/the-lipid-metabolism-and-the-immune-system
Dossier - 26/08/2009 Model organisms Given that everything is very individual in nature, how can a biologist come up with general statements about how life functions? The answers can only be found using models that represent the entire whole. Modern research uses representative species from the kingdom of bacteria, fungi, plants and animals to glean information about fundamental biological principles. How can the knowledge gained be transferred to other organisms, including humans?…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/model-organisms
Article - 20/08/2009 Evidence of a beneficial effect from a respiratory poison Many surgical interventions are associated with the temporary interruption of an organ’s blood supply. In the lung, for example, this might lead to cell death. The anaesthesiologist Dr. med. Torsten Loop and his team at the Freiburg University Medical Centre are investigating the possibilities of protecting organs during surgery. The researchers have found a special gas that has a protective effect, but that normally tends to inhibit respiration.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/evidence-of-a-beneficial-effect-from-a-respiratory-poison
Press release - 10/08/2009 How do immune cells recognise infectious pathogens? Scientists of the University of Heidelberg and the German Cancer Research Centre have clarified the functional principles of an important receptor for bacterial infections: immune cells recognise bacterial and viral pathogens with a receptor known as toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), which mediates biochemical reaction chains in order to fend off intruders. This discovery made by the Heidelberg researchers paves the way to develop new anti-infective…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/how-do-immune-cells-recognise-infectious-pathogens
Press release - 07/08/2009 Hirschsprung’s disease: research into the biological and clinical principles of stem cell therapy Hirschsprung’s disease is a congenital disease of the intestinal nervous system, which can lead to life-threatening bowel disorders. A new research project, which is being coordinated by the Centre for Regenerative Biology and Medicine (ZRM) in Tübingen, is paving the way for a novel cell therapy. The project is being carried out in co-operation with the NMI in Reutlingen and is being funded by a 1.1-million-euro BMBF-grant. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/hirschsprung-s-disease-research-into-the-biological-and-clinical-principles-of-stem-cell-therapy
Press release - 03/08/2009 An investment in the future is being made at the University of Constance A few weeks ago the Max Planck Society approved the establishment of a new International Max Planck Research School IMPRS for Organismal Biology at the Excellence University of Constance. The International Research School will be established in order to investigate the complex interactions between the organism and environment as well as between organisms. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/an-investment-in-the-future-is-being-made-at-the-university-of-constance
Article - 14/07/2009 Tiny particles are a weapon against tumours Prostate carcinoma is one of the most common malignant diseases claiming more than 84000 lives per year in the EU and the United States. In cooperation with the University of Constance the Thurgau Biotechnology Institute BITg is working on ways to remove prostate carcinomas and other tumours that are difficult to treat by using tiny particles made of biologically degradable polyester. Prof. Dr. Marcus Groettrup and his team of researchers have…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/tiny-particles-are-a-weapon-against-tumours
Press release - 09/07/2009 Marcus Groettrup: Discovery in the kingdom of cells Prof. Marcus Groettrup has been closely investigating the daily defence battle of the human immune system for a number of years. The researcher from Constance has now found a substance that has the potential to revolutionise the treatment of rheumatism.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/marcus-groettrup-discovery-in-the-kingdom-of-cells
Article - 02/07/2009 A virus that hides while it waits for an opportunity to replicate Thomas Mertens, Medical Director of the Institute of Virology in Ulm, has a strong scientific and clinical interest in the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a big virus with a big impact which, despite its size, is overshadowed by known viruses such as the HI virus that is the object of research for Mertens’ colleagues. HCMV research is a challenging area where quick successes are rare.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/a-virus-that-hides-while-it-waits-for-an-opportunity-to-replicate
Press release - 30/06/2009 Gentle rather than radical: ways to improve the treatment of autoimmune diseases Autoimmune diseases are usually treated with drugs that block the entire immune system rendering the body very susceptible to all kinds of infections. A team of Constance researchers under the leadership of Prof. Marcus Groettrup has developed a treatment method that only targets part of the immune system and is therefore far better tolerated by patients. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/gentle-rather-than-radical-ways-to-improve-the-treatment-of-autoimmune-diseases
Press release - 22/06/2009 Many animal experiments are superfluous Researchers at the Esslingen University of Applied Sciences are working on an alternative to the large number of animal experiments that are still being carried out. Researchers under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Bettina Weiß have received a grant from the Landesstiftung Baden-Württemberg foundation for work on this particular research area.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/many-animal-experiments-are-superfluous
Article - 10/06/2009 Dirk Linke - a vaccine is ready - just in case There is a well-known saying: travel broadens the mind. This is not the only consequence of travel – the biochemist Dr. Dirk Linke from Tübingen travelled to India on holiday and brought back an idea for a new scientific project. Since his return, his idea, the possibility of developing a vaccine with a wide-ranging effect against some of the most frequent diarrhoea pathogens, has even generated financial backing from prominent supporters.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/dirk-linke-a-vaccine-is-ready-just-in-case
Article - 11/05/2009 Can stem cells treat diabetes? Stem cells are seen as the miracle cure of the future for many degenerative diseases. Scientists and physicians also hope that stem cells will exert their regenerative effect in the treatment of diabetes type 1 which is caused by damaged tissue. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/can-stem-cells-treat-diabetes
Article - 21/04/2009 Two separate defence systems? Are the innate and the adaptive immune systems really completely independent from each other? Dr. Mathias Lucas from the University of Freiburg investigates receptor proteins that are found in the cells of both systems. It is possible that such systems might not only play a role in infections or cancer, but also in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/two-separate-defence-systems
Press release - 30/03/2009 Stem Cells: Deathly Awakening by Interferon Interferon-alpha, a messenger substance of the immune system, awakens dormant hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow to become active, thus making them vulnerable for the effect of many drugs. This finding was published in Nature by researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) jointly with colleagues from Lausanne. The researchers suppose that this might also be a way to stimulate tumor stem…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/stem-cells-deathly-awakening-by-interferon
Press release - 16/03/2009 ZKRD: Germans are generous haematopoietic stem cell donors German citizens made as many as 4.166 haematopoietic stem cell donations in 2008. The cells were donated in order to help patients suffering from leukaemia as well as other malignant blood or immune system diseases. “Haematopoietic stem cell donations are often the only chance of a cure for many of these sufferers,” explained Dr. Dr. Carlheinz Müller, Managing Director of the Central German Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ZKRD). https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/zkrd-germans-are-generous-haematopoietic-stem-cell-donors
Article - 12/03/2009 Chronic inflammatory intestinal diseases – the search for greater tolerance Intestinal flora plays a key role in the development of Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis. Dr. Julia-Stefanie Frick a microbiologist from Tübingen is investigating why some of these usually harmless bacteria suddenly lead to severe inflammation. Her research which has recently been awarded a research prize might now pave the way to preventive therapy.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/chronic-inflammatory-intestinal-diseases-the-search-for-greater-tolerance
Press release - 12/03/2009 New strategy for the investigation of haematopoietic stem cells With the newly developed mouse model irradiation is no longer required. While the mutation in the growth factor receptor Kit KitWWv weakens the recipients stem cell compartment and makes room for the incoming donor cells the other two mutations are known to prevent rejection of donor haematopoietic stem cells by the recipients immune system. Thus these mice appear to accept all blood stem cells regardless of the mouse strain origin of the…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-strategy-for-the-investigation-of-haematopoietic-stem-cells
Press release - 02/03/2009 Paralysed parasites Researchers at Heidelberg University Hospital have discovered a protein that is vital for the toxoplasmosis pathogen. This quite common infectious disease which is mainly transferred to humans from cats is especially dangerous for pregnant women as it can harm an unborn child.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/paralysed-parasites
Article - 18/02/2009 Dormant stem cells can be awakened with interferon alpha With a number of new papers published in renowned scientific journals Prof. Dr. Andreas Trumpp has been able to further cement his outstanding reputation as one of the world leaders in stem cell research. Trumpp who has been professor and head of the Department of Cell Biology at the German Cancer Research Centre DKFZ since summer 2008 also became head of the newly founded Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/dormant-stem-cells-can-be-awakened-with-interferon-alpha
Article - 02/02/2009 CureVac enters premier biotech league with new cancer vaccine At present active immunotherapy seems to produce the best results in the treatment of cancer. The Tübingen-based biotech company CureVac is now hoping to achieve a breakthrough in cancer therapy with a worldwide unique vaccine. The first clinical trials have recently commenced.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/curevac-enters-premier-biotech-league-with-new-cancer-vaccine
Article - 05/12/2008 Secret biological recipes for a long life Staying healthy as you get older that is probably what many people would wish for. As part of the European research network LifeSpan 130 scientists are now looking into how to make this wish come true. Prof. Dr. Graham Pawelec from the University Hospital of Tübingen UKT is one of the 130 scientists and his principal focus is immunological ageing processes. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/secret-biological-recipes-for-a-long-life
Article - 28/11/2008 Skin might be able to close the translation gap Karin Scharffetter-Kochanek dermatologist and head of the Department of Dermatology and Allergology at the University Hospital of Ulm has spent a long time investigating skin ageing. Her specific focus on skin has not however restricted her understanding of ageing to barely deterministic or mechanistic details. Quite the opposite is true.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/skin-might-be-able-to-close-the-translation-gap
Press release - 18/11/2008 Oxygen radicals alter immune cells Researchers from Heidelberg have discovered that certain oxygen compounds are produced in greater quantities in the body due to cancer or inflammation and that this leads to the alteration of a protein that controls the flexibility and adaptability of certain immune cells.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/oxygen-radicals-alter-immune-cells
Article - 16/11/2008 Looking for a formula to determine biological age The Europe-wide MARK-AGE project involving scientists from 14 countries commenced on the 1st April 2008. Scientists have joined forces to investigate the factors involved in ageing. They are using standardised questionnaires and analysing data acquired from physical and biochemical examinations of the blood and urine from 3700 volunteers. The team of experts includes the medical expert Professor Alexander Bürkle and the mathematician Prof.…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/looking-for-a-formula-to-determine-biological-age
Article - 13/11/2008 Ageing stem cells loose ability to adhere to stroma Hartmut Geiger a biochemist and stem cell researcher at Ulm University Hospital is using genetic methods to investigate the molecular basis of the physiological ageing of haematopoietic stem cells. After having spent a period in Cincinnati Geiger is currently head of the clinical research group Molecular and cellular ageing from the mechanisms of action to clinical perspectives.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/ageing-stem-cells-loose-ability-to-adhere-to-stroma
Article - 29/10/2008 Cannabinoids - important for memory? Cannabis intoxication is certainly not the original purpose of the cannabinoid receptors in the human brain. Nowadays there are known body substances which dock to the receptor molecules of nerve cells in a similar way to cannabis. A group of researchers led by pharmacologist Prof. Dr. med. Bela Szabo at the University of Freiburg is investigating the role of this molecular system in the human brain.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/cannabinoids-important-for-memory
Article - 24/10/2008 The game needs to be discovered Prof. Dr. Michael Reth is active in the field of immunology and signalling. He is an experienced scientist who is well aware of the difficulty and the cumbersome nature of deciphering signals and signalling pathways. The Freiburg bioss excellence cluster - the Centre of Biological Signalling Studies - is Reths brainchild. Karin Bundschuh from BioRegio Freiburg spoke with the scientist who works at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and the…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/the-game-needs-to-be-discovered
Article - 20/10/2008 Dangerous hide and seek game in the lungs A group of researchers led by Prof. Dr. Frank-Michael Müller from Heidelberg has shown that mould fungi like Aspergillus fumigatus are able to develop biofilms in the lungs and protect themselves against the bodys immune defence system and drugs.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/dangerous-hide-and-seek-game-in-the-lungs
Article - 05/10/2008 DFG to fund Traumatology Clinical Research Unit A new Clinical Research Unit at the University of Ulm is to investigate the early inflammation response and the positive impact on the immune system in casualty injuries. The insights gained will be transferred to patients.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/dfg-to-fund-traumatology-clinical-research-unit
Article - 05/10/2008 Award for AIDS researcher from Ulm The Dr. Ernst Wiethoff Award 2008 for innovative clinical research worth 25000 euros was presented to Jan Münch from the Institute of Virology at the University Hospital of Ulm. Münch discovered a new protein that blocks the HI virus.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/award-for-aids-researcher-from-ulm
Press release - 01/10/2008 Karin Scharffetter-Kochanek: research that gets under the skin Prof. Karin Scharffetter-Kochanek has recently become a member of the renowned Leopoldina Academy of Sciences. In her research the skin has become a model system that serves as the basis for a trans-organ systemic approach looking at the underlying mechanisms and the complex interactions with other organs.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/karin-scharffetter-kochanek-research-that-gets-under-the-skin
Article - 26/09/2008 University Hospital of Ulm combines forces The Comprehensive Infectious Diseases Centre at the University of Ulm was recently presented to the public. The centre is responsible for coordinating the cooperation between specialists in the diagnosis and therapy of complex infectious diseases.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/university-hospital-of-ulm-combines-forces
Article - 22/09/2008 Controlled suicide Professor Dr. Christoph Borner from the University of Freiburg and his team are investigating the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis. Their research also provides insights into the medical treatment of cells that do not want to die - cancer cells.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/controlled-suicide
Press release - 25/08/2008 Cross-border fight against cancer The Lake Constance region offers a broad range of cancer therapies and is home to several institutes and companies that are dealing with cancer research. The BioLAGO biotechnology network offers them a joint platform for co-operation and exchange of information.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/cross-border-fight-against-cancer
Article - 25/08/2008 Rare kidney tumour leads the way to a new cancer therapy Renal cell carcinoma is a rare disease. In addition, the disease is difficult to treat, and the majority of pharmaceutical companies find the development of new drugs for its treatment too financially risky. Their argument: the market is too small to make up for the high development costs. The Tübingen biotech company immatics was courageous enough to do so and will now be rewarded. The immatics scientists have developed a therapy that not only…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/rare-kidney-tumour-leads-the-way-to-a-new-cancer-therapy
Press release - 27/07/2008 White blood cells with 'icing' work far better Scientists from Heidelberg Munich and Aachen have shown that the adhesion molecules required by leukocytes to adhere to vascular walls depend on sugar chains for effective immune defence reactions to occur. The results could open up new strategies for the treatment of inflammatory processes.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/white-blood-cells-with-icing-work-far-better
Article - 19/05/2008 "Fast-track" route to a PhD degree The Chemical Biology graduate school at Constance University was officially opened on 7th May 2008. It was created as part of Germanys excellence initiative and has been training doctoral students since the beginning of April 2008.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/fast-track-route-to-a-phd-degree
Press release - 19/05/2008 Viruses caught red-handed Prof. Thilo Stehle biochemist at the University of Tübingen wants to capture and accurately study the moment at which a virus binds to a cell. He is hoping that further insights into this process might some time enable the development of drugs.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/viruses-caught-red-handed
Article - 13/05/2008 Just follow your nose Sharks can sense a few drops of blood in water. In fact they are able to smell blood in dilutions of as little as one to 10 billion. Is it just sharks or piranhas that have such an acute sense of smell? The answer is no - all fish have a highly developed sense of smell.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/just-follow-your-nose
Article - 11/05/2008 New strategy against cervical cancer The German Cancer Research Centre and the Spanish company Chimera Pharma SL have signed an exclusive licensing and cooperation agreement. The two partners will develop a therapeutic vaccine against cervical cancer.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-strategy-against-cervical-cancer
Article - 28/04/2008 Mast cells of the immune system Immune cells sometimes kick over the traces. This could lead to allergic reactions. At the Freiburg Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology a group of researchers led by Professor Michael Huber is investigating the mechanisms that can prevent this from happening.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/mast-cells-of-the-immune-system
Article - 21/04/2008 Human blood system in mice Scientists from Mannheim Heidelberg an Freiburg working together in the cooperative research area Vascular Biology have developed a method that can be used to create a human vascular system in mice which stays functional even after several months.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/human-blood-system-in-mice
Article - 20/02/2008 Threadworms throughout time Threadworms are versatile research objects and are excellent models for investigating fundamental evolutionary principles. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology use the Caenorhabditis and Pristionchus threadworm genera to study the molecular mechanisms of biodiversity.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/threadworms-throughout-time
Article - 09/02/2008 A better alternative from the perspective of embryo protection Karin Bundschuh of BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg asked Dr. Jens Clausen how these developments should be viewed from an ethical perspective. The bioethicist spent many years studying the status of embryos the ethics of cloning and stem cell research.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/a-better-alternative-from-the-perspective-of-embryo-protection
Article - 25/01/2008 Glycosylation pattern as potential target for intervention Tumours develop sophisticated strategies to escape the immune defence. One of these strategies is the modification of the cells sugar coat. Specific immune cell receptors bind to these sugars thereby preventing the tumour cell from being discovered by the immune system. Medics from the University of Tübingen are investigating the mechanisms involved and are looking for therapeutic targets. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/glycosylation-pattern-as-potential-target-for-intervention
Article - 20/12/2007 Viruses are the major cause of myocardial diseases About 500000 people in Germany suffer from dilatative cardiomyopathy DCM. Viral infections are the major cause of this myocardial disease. Its molecular and cellular mechanisms are being investigated in a transregional SFB project at the University of Tübingen.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/viruses-are-the-major-cause-of-myocardial-diseases