Article - 01/12/2014 Stem cell research for preventing radiation-induced developmental damage Although ionizing radiation is known to cause cell damage and genetic modifications, its effects on embryonic development are still poorly understood. This is why Prof. Dr. Suzanne Kadereit from the Albstadt-Sigmaringen University of Applied Sciences is involved in a cooperative project that uses human embryonic stem cells for studying the effects of ionizing radiation on prenatal brain development. She heads up the only university of applied…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/stem-cell-research-for-preventing-radiation-induced-developmental-damage
Article - 20/10/2014 QIAGEN Lake Constance – pocket-sized laboratories for the efficient identification of pathogens Quick, simple and decentralized – this is how QIAGEN Lake Constance GmbH envisages diagnostics applications in the future. The Stockach-based QIAGEN subsidiary develops test systems for point-of-need diagnostics, i.e. tests that can be carried out in close proximity to the sample collection point, for example in GP surgeries. They enable the rapid identification of pathogens, and as a result the timely initiation of suitable treatment.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/qiagen-lake-constance-pocket-sized-laboratories-for-the-efficient-identification-of-pathogens
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 - 08/09/2014 Molecular effects of traumatic stress After a traumatic experience, people often suffer not only mental, but also physical effects. Dr. María Moreno-Villanueva from the University of Konstanz has investigated the molecular effects of traumatic stress in people and has found a higher than normal number of DNA strand breaks. In the worst cases this can lead to diseases such as cancer. However, her study also shows that successful psychotherapy can reverse DNA damage. Her findings will…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/molecular-effects-of-traumatic-stress
Article - 18/08/2014 VAXIMM: Vaccines that impede cancer growth VAXIMM GmbH, a young biotechnology company from Mannheim, Germany, specialises in the development of vaccines for cancer treatment. The company’s first product candidate, VXM01, is a live oral vaccine that targets the VEGFR-2 receptor and hence the blood supply of tumours. VXM01 is currently undergoing clinical testing in pancreatic cancer patients.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/vaximm-vaccines-that-impede-cancer-growth
Guest article - 21/07/2014 China - experiencing something new every single day The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts finances a scholarship scheme called “Research stay for application-oriented bioscientists and biotechnologists in Shanghai and Jiangsu/China”. A recent winner of this scholarship, Felix Wertek, spent six months at the Chinese Academy of Science in Shanghai and collected first-hand impressions of Chinese laboratory practice. Here, Felix reports about his exciting time in the Chinese…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/china-experiencing-something-new-every-single-day
Article - 21/07/2014 Predicting the efficiency of cancer drugs using mathematical models A research consortium was established at the Stuttgart Research Center Systems Biology SRCSB at the University of Stuttgart in January 2013 with the goal of establishing models that help predict the action of targeted therapeutics. The scientists combine molecular biology experiments with complex mathematical models in order to achieve a holistic understanding of disease and therapy. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/predicting-the-efficiency-of-cancer-drugs-using-mathematical-models
Article - 24/03/2014 Vaccine against papillomaviruses protects from skin cancer Papillomaviruses are thought to cause non-melanoma skin cancer in people exposed to UV radiation, especially those who have suppressed immune systems. Researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Charité University Hospital in Berlin have developed a vaccine that protects mice against such skin tumours. The vaccine is even effective in mice that have previously been infected with papillomaviruses and that have suppressed…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/vaccine-against-papillomaviruses-protects-from-skin-cancer
Article - 27/01/2014 immatics biotechnologies GmbH: active against cancer immatics biotechnologies GmbH is a biopharmaceutical company wholly concerned with the development of advanced immunotherapies that are active against different types of cancer, including renal cell, colorectal, brain and gastric cancer. The company currently has a workforce of 80 at its headquarters in Tübingen and subsidiary in Munich. It capitalises on the know-how in the analysis of tumour cells and vaccine development gained through its…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/immatics-biotechnologies-gmbh-active-against-cancer
Article - 29/11/2013 QIAGEN Lake Constance: a “disk player” for rapid diagnoses The diagnosis of infectious diseases frequently not only depends on the reliable identification of the pathogenic species that has caused them, but also on obtaining rapid results in order to immediately initiate appropriate therapy or further diagnostic measures. Tests are normally carried out in central laboratories, samples need to be sent to the laboratories and the results are rarely immediate. As part of the BMBF-funded project “ResCheck”,…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/qiagen-lake-constance-a-disk-player-for-rapid-diagnoses
Dossier - 09/09/2013 New trends in the field of immunology B- and T- lymphocytes along with macrophages have long been regarded as the most important cells of the human immune system and have thus been a major focus of research. This has now changed and it is now the dendritic cells that are regarded as the major components of the adaptive immune system and have become a major focus of scientific interest. Research into innate immune defence mechanisms has also become more important due to the discovery…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/new-trends-in-the-field-of-immunology
Article - 07/08/2013 New regulations covering the use of laboratory animals The new directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes was adopted on 22nd September 2010 and was implemented into the German Animal Welfare Act which came into force in February 2013. These regulations have implications for companies and researchers alike. In recent years a growing number of alternative methods to animal testing have been developed. Dr. Nina Hasiwa CEO of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-regulations-covering-the-use-of-laboratory-animals
Article - 09/05/2013 Immunoproteasome Drug Targeting: Immunoproteasome inhibitors allow control of autoimmune diseases Marcus Groettrup is the chair of immunology at the University of Konstanz and has been active in the field of immunology for many years. In 2009 Groettrup made a discovery that led to him setting up a company. His analysis of immunoproteasomes whose main function is to degrade unneeded or damaged proteins showed that these protein complexes also play a major role in the development of autoimmune diseases. Based on this knowledge Groettrup…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/immunoproteasome-drug-targeting-immunoproteasome-inhibitors-allow-control-of-autoimmune-diseases
Article - 25/02/2013 Molecular monitoring of premature infants Premature births are not uncommon in Germany where around seven percent of newborns are born before week 37 of pregnancy. The WHO estimates that the numbers of preterm births are growing due to the increasing age of mothers. Doctors caring for the tiny patients are faced with a dilemma because regular blood samples required for the clinical monitoring of important blood parameters cannot be taken due to the infants low body volume.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/molecular-monitoring-of-premature-infants
Article - 04/02/2013 G protein-coupled receptors and their importance for research and development Brian Kobilka and Robert Lefkowitz were awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their groundbreaking discoveries of the inner workings of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). These transmembrane receptors play a key role in the processing of odours and the recognition of hormones. The work of the two American scientists has had an impact on many researchers around the world. In the following interview, Professor Dr. Daniel Legler, head of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/g-protein-coupled-receptors-and-their-importance-for-research-and-development
Article - 07/01/2013 Small RNAs and immunological reactions Patients with common variable immunodeficiency CVID lack antibodies that would protect them against infections. Only a handful of patients develop the disease because of a single defect in any of the genes involved in CVID pathogenesis. A group of researchers led by Dr. Ulrich Salzer at the Centre for Chronic Immunodeficiency CCI at the University of Freiburg Medical Centre investigates how small RNA molecules control B-lymphocyte development as…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/small-rnas-and-immunological-reactions
Press release - 18/12/2012 Phenex enters into a research collaboration and license agreement with Janssen Phenex Pharmaceuticals AG Phenex today announced it has entered into an agreement with Janssen Biotech Inc. and its affiliates Janssen to jointly discover compounds that target the nuclear hormone receptor RORT and may have utility in the treatment of chronic autoimmune and inflammatory disorders including rheumatoid arthritis psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/phenex-enters-into-a-research-collaboration-and-license-agreement-with-janssen
Article - 15/10/2012 Vegetables help fend off bacteria in the intestines Their discovery in the human intestines came as quite a surprise up until a few years ago LTi lymphoid tissue inducer - cells were only known to be involved in the embryonic development of the immune system. A team of researchers led by Prof. Dr. Andreas Diefenbach from the University of Freiburg Medical Centre has since been able to show the protective role played by LTi cells in fortifying the intestinal wall as a reaction to nutrients found…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/vegetables-help-fend-off-bacteria-in-the-intestines
Article - 10/09/2012 Jan Wehkamp to investigate the causes of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases It takes a great deal of courage to question a common scientific doctrine especially for scientists at the very beginning of their careers. But around ten years ago Dr. Jan Wehkamp did not shy away from doing just that and as a result he and his scientific partner Professor Dr. Eduard Stange came up with a new explanation for the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/jan-wehkamp-to-investigate-the-causes-of-chronic-inflammatory-bowel-diseases
Press release - 07/08/2012 immatics announces publication of IMA901 cancer vaccine data in Nature Medicine immatics biotechnologies GmbH, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing advanced therapeutic vaccines that are active against cancer, today announced that key data covering the scientific and clinical development of its lead cancer vaccine, IMA901, have been published in Nature Medicine. The paper highlights that renal cell carcinoma patients experience longer survival times when their immune system produces an immune response to…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/immatics-announces-publication-of-ima901-cancer-vaccine-data-in-nature-medicine
Press release - 01/08/2012 With broccoli against infections The microbiologist and immunologist Prof. Dr. Andreas Diefenbach, Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Freiburg Medical Centre, has been awarded a European Research Council "Starting Grant" for his project "NutrImmune". The ERC Starting Grant is one of Europe’s most prestigious grants for young investigators.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/with-broccoli-against-infections
Article - 26/03/2012 More public attention for exotic diseases - Part 2 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-2
Article - 20/02/2012 Klaus Pfizenmaier: bridging the fields between immunology and biomedicine Prof. Dr. Klaus Pfizenmaier has been focusing on cytokines, and in particular on the tumour necrosis factor TNF, for the last 25 years. Pfizenmaier and his team of researchers at the Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology at the University of Stuttgart have unravelled numerous facets of TNF, which is a key and versatile signalling molecule. These discoveries have led to the development of groundbreaking therapy concepts and drug candidates for…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/klaus-pfizenmaier-bridging-the-fields-between-immunology-and-biomedicine
Article - 09/01/2012 Nutritional medicine: Can certain foods help treat cancer? Researchers at the Centre for Nutritional Medicine (ZEM), a joint institution of the Universities of Hohenheim and Tübingen, are investigating whether and to what extent certain food components can support the treatment of cancer and are hoping to derive scientifically founded dietary recommendations from their findings.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/nutritional-medicine-can-certain-foods-help-treat-cancer
Article - 19/12/2011 Gundram Jung – a pioneer in antibody-mediated cancer immunotherapy Physicist, medical doctor, researcher and now also a founder of a company – Professor Dr. Gundram Jung’s career has never gone in a completely straight line although his goal has always been the same: to develop innovative immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. Jung’s genetically modified antitumour antibodies are now close to clinical application. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/gundram-jung-a-pioneer-in-antibody-mediated-cancer-immunotherapy
Dossier - 12/12/2011 Development of new molecular biomarkers Biomarkers are playing an increasing role in drug discovery and development. They can be used as molecular indicators for diseases and disease risks as well as for monitoring the effectiveness of therapy. Highly specific molecular biomarkers are being identified using state-of-the-art technologies from the fields of genomics, proteomics and metabolomics.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/development-of-new-molecular-biomarkers
Press release - 30/11/2011 Researchers are challenging a common model of immunology Up to now, scientists have assumed that mast cells, a certain type of immune cells, play a central role in the development of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Current studies conducted at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) have now provided evidence to refute this assumption. Now it is only the mast cells’ central function in allergies that remains undisputed.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/researchers-are-challenging-a-common-model-of-immunology
Press release - 15/11/2011 Lung cancer: CureVac presents results of a Phase I/IIa trial with an mRNA based vaccine CureVac GmbH, the mRNA vaccine company, presented at the 26th Annual SITC Meeting in Washington the results of a Phase I/IIa trial in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with CV9201, an mRNA-based cancer vaccine, in patients with NSCLC stage IIIB/IV after first-line chemo-radiotherapy or chemotherapy, respectively.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/lung-cancer-curevac-presents-results-of-a-phase-i-iia-trial-with-an-mrna-based-vaccine
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
Article - 17/10/2011 Papillomaviruses as cancer-causing agents and how they can be fought off Studies presented at the recent International Papillomavirus Conference in Berlin demonstrate that vaccination can prevent infection with the types of HPV that cause the majority of cervical cancers. New improved vaccines to prevent HPV infections as well as therapeutic vaccines that are effective in people that are already infected are currently being developed. In addition, research has shown that other cancers can also be caused by infective…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/papillomaviruses-as-cancer-causing-agents-and-how-they-can-be-fought-off
Article - 17/10/2011 “The only way of keeping competition in the international market at bay” Biotech companies operate mostly on a global level. This is either because they follow their customers or because their major markets are abroad or because their domestic markets are so small that they are obliged to market their products abroad. Patents do not play a key role in all industries, but are of decisive strategic importance in the biotechnology sector. "However, patents are not always the best," says Ulrike Cremer, a patent…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/the-only-way-of-keeping-competition-in-the-international-market-at-bay
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 - 12/09/2011 TransLimm brings new immunotherapies to patients more rapidly With the establishment of the Center for Translational Immunology TransLimm the University of Tübingen has initiated a network whose objective is to quickly and effectively transfer innovative therapies into clinical application. Patients suffering from acute leukaemia might soon benefit from therapies involving antibodies optimized by recombinant antibody technology. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/translimm-brings-new-immunotherapies-to-patients-more-rapidly
Article - 29/07/2011 Labor Dr. Merk und Kollegen - Viruses under control It is difficult to imagine how Ochsenhausen-based Labor Dr. Merk und Kollegen (LMK) would be able to develop, produce and test medical products for bacterial and viral contaminations without using cell cultures. The medium-sized company also produces viruses for testing and has stored more than 80 different viruses – enveloped and non-enveloped ones, animal and human pathogens – at -80˚C.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/labor-dr-merk-und-kollegen-viruses-under-control
Article - 27/06/2011 The EURAT project at the Marsilius Kolleg in Heidelberg Bioinformaticians, human geneticists, molecular biologists, oncologists, pathologists, lawyers and theologians are all participating in the project “Ethical and legal aspects of the total sequencing of the human genome” (EURAT) being carried out at Heidelberg University’s Marsilius Kolleg. The project partners are developing a common viewpoint and working out solutions for problems arising from the possibilities of total genome sequencing. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/the-eurat-project-at-the-marsilius-kolleg-in-heidelberg
Press release - 20/06/2011 CureVac presents new data for prostate and lung cancer vaccines CureVac GmbH presented promising new data for prostate cancer vaccine CV9103 and lung cancer vaccine CV9201 at the ASCO Conference in Chicago. Final trial results confirm safety and excellent antigen-specific immunogenicity of prostate cancer vaccine CV9103. And initial promising data from phase I/IIa trial of lung cancer vaccine CV9201 further supports the potential of CureVac’s RNActive® vaccination technology in cancer immunotherapy and…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/curevac-presents-new-data-for-prostate-and-lung-cancer-vaccines
Dossier - 30/05/2011 Knowledge and technology transfer as a social responsibility Technology transfer that efficiently exploits the intellectual property created by publicly funded research is necessary in order to turn scientific discoveries into successful innovations that improve people’s quality of life and boost the economy. The efforts made to rapidly transfer research results from the laboratory into clinical application for the benefit of patients leads to new strategic partnerships and structures in the field of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/knowledge-and-technology-transfer-as-a-social-responsibility
Article - 23/05/2011 Alzheimer’s disease puzzle remains unsolved despite new findings and theories 105 years after the first description of the Alzheimers disease by the German neuropsychiatrist Alois Alzheimer the disease still remains a mystery. Around 25000 researchers worldwide are focusing on Alzheimers and are coming up with a broad range of theories and hypotheses on its pathogenesis and potential therapies.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/alzheimer-s-disease-puzzle-remains-unsolved-despite-new-findings-and-theories
Press release - 23/05/2011 University of Hohenheim – scientists with a growing awareness of functional foods The gastrointestinal tract and its nervous system have numerous functions related to the uptake of food and they also play an important role in the development of adiposity. The Institute of Nutritional Medicine at the University of Hohenheim Germany carries out numerous projects aimed at investigating the relationships between food uptake digestive and nervous systems thus making the institute an excellent partner in the Bioactive Plant Foods…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/university-of-hohenheim-scientists-with-a-growing-awareness-of-functional-foods
Article - 02/05/2011 Production of high-density peptide arrays Frank Breitling and Alexander Nesterov-Müller from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT are working on the development of a second-generation peptide laser printer and a peptide chip printer based on computer chips. This development will enable the low-cost production of high-density peptide arrays consisting of up to one million peptides as well as opening up completely new areas of application.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/production-of-high-density-peptide-arrays
Article - 21/03/2011 Immunotherapy: the rocky road to clinical application Hans-Georg Rammensee has one major goal: he wants to contribute to the successful application of immunotherapy in clinical settings and is convinced that this will only be possible once individualised immunotherapies are used. Individualised immunotherapy refers to the induction of a specific immune response against specific tumour-associated antigens. Rammensee has made major progress in this area and is now focused on overcoming the obstacles…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/immunotherapy-the-rocky-road-to-clinical-application
Article - 20/03/2011 Non-pathogenic bacteria for the treatment and prevention of allergies Researchers and physicians from the Department of Dermatology at Tübingen University Hospital are investigating huge numbers of non-pathogenic bacteria with the aim of shedding light on their potential for the prevention and treatment of allergies. The mode of action of highly promising candidates is being investigated in further detail. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/non-pathogenic-bacteria-for-the-treatment-and-prevention-of-allergies
Article - 07/03/2011 Thomas Brunner: steroid synthesis in the intestine A research team led by Prof. Dr. Thomas Brunner at the University of Konstanz has found out that intestinal epithelial cells are able to synthesise anti-inflammatory steroids glucocorticoids following immunological stress which makes a considerable contribution to the maintenance of local immune homoeostasis. Brunner plans to use his findings to develop a therapeutic approach for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/thomas-brunner-steroid-synthesis-in-the-intestine
Article - 07/03/2011 Farming lifestyle: microbial diversity keeps allergies away Children who grow up on farms have a lower prevalence of allergies and asthma than other children in the same geographical region who do not grow up in such environments. A study by a European group of researchers published in the renowned New England Journal of Medicine adds to evidence supporting the hygiene hypothesis.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/farming-lifestyle-microbial-diversity-keeps-allergies-away
Dossier - 28/02/2011 Allergies – a major human plague According to the Federal Health Monitoring Information System a persons life expectancy is reduced by around one per cent due to allergies and their effects. Knowledge about the molecular mechanisms that lead to disorders in the interplay of the immune system and the environment is a prerequisite for developing new therapies for the causal treatment of allergies.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/allergies-a-major-human-plague
Article - 28/02/2011 The regulation of the intestinal immune system If the interplay of factors that regulate the intestinal immune system tips out of balance, this could result in allergic reactions or serious inflammatory intestinal diseases. Professor Dr. med. Stefan Meuer, Managing Director of the Institute for Immunology at the University Hospital in Heidelberg, is focusing on the molecular mechanisms of mucosal immune regulation. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/the-regulation-of-the-intestinal-immune-system
Article - 20/12/2010 Michael Reth – Immunobiological discoveries that meet resistance Dr Michael Reth professor at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and the University of Freiburg and some of his colleagues have recently uncovered the mechanism that foreign substances use to activate B cells of the immune system. The researchers were using synthetic biology methods long before this particular branch of science existed in its present form. Their results require a paradigm change and a revision of the reference books.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/michael-reth-immunobiological-discoveries-that-meet-resistance
Dossier - 20/12/2010 Environmental toxins: effect and origin Environmental toxins, also referred to as xenobiotics, are chemicals that do not occur in biological substance cycles; they are difficult to degrade and often have a toxic effect. Xenobiotic substances are becoming an increasing problem because we are constantly exposed to them and because they slowly but surely poison us. The World Health Organisation (WHO) sees xenobiotic substances as factors that contribute, along with other factors, to the…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/environmental-toxins-effect-and-origin
Article - 29/11/2010 Against chronic liver inflammation and liver cancer Chronic hepatitis B and C are the major causes of liver cancer. In contrast to hepatitis B viruses, there is no hepatitis C virus vaccination available. New research carried out by Professor Bartenschlager and his colleagues from Heidelberg might give rise to new strategies for the development of vaccines and medications for the prevention and treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infections.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/against-chronic-liver-inflammation-and-liver-cancer
Press release - 28/11/2010 Immune cells react to their immediate environment A new collaborative research centre (SFB) will be established in Heidelberg to investigate chronic inflammatory diseases. Scientists from the University of Heidelberg and the German Cancer Research Center will be funded with around 10 million euros for the research. Prof. Meuer from the University Hospital of Heidelberg will coordinate the new SFB.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/immune-cells-react-to-their-immediate-environment
Article - 14/11/2010 Maria Leptin – the first woman scientist at the head of the renowned EMBO In January 2010, the developmental biologist Prof. Dr. Maria Leptin, internationally known for her work on the signalling pathways that regulate tissue differentiation and morphology during Drosophila embryogenesis, was appointed director of the EMBO, one of the most prestigious science organisations in Europe.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/maria-leptin-the-first-woman-scientist-at-the-head-of-the-renowned-embo
Article - 02/11/2010 Multicellular tumour spheroids: 3D models for tumour research Multicellular tumour spheroids, MCTS or MTS for short, have been the focus of studies by researchers since the early 1970s. MCTS are spheroid tumour cell aggregates that offer an excellent in vitro system for investigating the properties of solid tumours and their responses to therapy, thereby opening up new strategies for the establishment of new therapeutic approaches.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/multicellular-tumour-spheroids-3d-models-for-tumour-research
Press release - 12/10/2010 Clarification of stem cell migration – hope for more effective bone marrow transplants Researchers from the University of Ulm, Germany, and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, USA, have shown that pharmacological inhibition of a signalling pathway triggered by EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) increased the mobilisation of haematopoietic stem cells in mice.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/clarification-of-stem-cell-migration-hope-for-more-effective-bone-marrow-transplants
Article - 27/09/2010 Harald Langer combines cardiology with immunology The Volkswagen Foundation has taken the decision to finance a “Lichtenberg Professorship” at the University of Tübingen for a period of up to eight years. The new chair, cardiologist Dr. Harald Langer, uses molecular and cell biology methods to investigate how the immune system affects the development of arteriosclerosis in order to come up with innovative therapeutic strategies.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/harald-langer-combines-cardiology-with-immunology
Press release - 17/09/2010 Receptor blockage improves lung function in cystic fibrosis Dr. Dominik Hartl, who was recently appointed professor at the University Children’s Hospital in Tübingen, particularly focuses on the cellular processes associated with airway inflammation in cystic fibrosis. His research results will be featured as the cover story in Nature Medicine in September 2010.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/receptor-blockage-improves-lung-function-in-cystic-fibrosis
Article - 23/08/2010 Antibiotics for the prevention of malaria Researchers from Heidelberg and Berlin have shown that if malaria-infected mice are administered an antibiotic, no parasites appear in the blood and the mice are protected from this life-threatening disease. The scientists believe that antibiotics also have the potential to strengthen the human immune system as well as making it possible to provide a natural needle-free vaccination against malaria.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/antibiotics-for-the-prevention-of-malaria
Press release - 23/08/2010 Dr. Carsten Daub – team leader at the Bioinformatics Core Facility of RIKEN in Yokohama Dr. Carsten Daub a German bioinformatician who first studied chemistry at the TU Berlin did his doctoral degree in 2004 at the MPI of Molecular Plant Physiology in Potsdam Germany and after a two years post-doctoral training at the Karolinska Institutets Center or Genomics and Bioinformation in Stockholm Sweden joined the Genome Sciences Center at RIKEN in April 2006 on a five years contract.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/dr-carsten-daub-team-leader-at-the-bioinformatics-core-facility-of-riken-in-yokohama
Press release - 23/08/2010 Mystery of nickel allergies solved Researchers from the University of Gießen and the Mannheim Medical Faculty along with colleagues from Freiburg, Münster and Munich, have made a fundamental contribution to deciphering the biological mechanisms behind nickel allergies. The results, which might be of great importance for developing innovative preventive and therapeutic approaches, have now been published in the current edition of “Nature Immunology”.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/mystery-of-nickel-allergies-solved
Press release - 07/08/2010 Light into the darkness of the human immune system Scientists from the Department of Molecular Immunology at the Faculty of Biology and the Centre for Biological Signalling Studies (BIOSS) at the University of Freiburg have discovered a new mechanism that regulates the development of B-lymphocytes in the human bone marrow.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/light-into-the-darkness-of-the-human-immune-system
Press release - 21/07/2010 One Million for Cancer Research from Manfred Lautenschläger Foundation When Harald zur Hausen was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2008, Manfred Lautenschläger spontaneously offered to support the Nobel laureate’s scientific work by funding a new research team. These funds will now go to Angelika Riemer, a young scientist who plans to advance the development of a vaccine which is able to cure existing infections with carcinogenic human papillomaviruses at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/one-million-for-cancer-research-from-manfred-lautenschlaeger-foundation
Article - 28/06/2010 ATG:biosynthetics GmbH – Modular molecular systems of the future ATGbiosynthetics GmbH based in Merzhausen close to Freiburg produces biological systems that can combine gene constituents following a construction kit principle. The company provides the pharmaceutical industry and basic researchers with products that have specifically chosen properties.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/atg-biosynthetics-gmbh-modular-molecular-systems-of-the-future
Press release - 21/05/2010 The road to individualized tumour vaccines What are the typical cancer cell characteristics that our immune system is directed against? Using a new biochemical method, scientists from the Neurosurgery Department of the Heidelberg University Hospital and the German Cancer Research Centre (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) are now able to answer this question for each individual patient. The method is expected to help identify new target structures for individualized tumour vaccines. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/the-road-to-individualized-tumour-vaccines
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
Press release - 29/04/2010 Nycomed and Merck & Co., Inc., announce commercialization agreements for Daxas® in Europe and Canada Nycomed and Merck Co. Inc. based in Whitehouse Station New Jersey and known as MSD outside the USA and Canada announced that they have entered into a co-promotion agreement for Canada and certain European countries for the commercialization of Daxas roflumilast an investigational once-daily tablet for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/nycomed-and-merck-co-inc-announce-commercialization-agreements-for-daxas-in-europe-and-canada
Press release - 22/04/2010 2010 Felix Burda Award Goes to DKFZ Researcher Since 2003 the Felix Burda Foundation has recognized the most successful most innovative and outstanding projects in the area of colon cancer prevention with the Felix Burda Award in Marchs Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. This years award winners were selected by independent expert jurors. The award in the category Medical Prevention went to DKFZ researchers for their evaluation of various tests for early colon cancer detection.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/2010-felix-burda-award-goes-to-dkfz-researcher
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 - 22/03/2010 IBR Inc.: Dual strategy for safe and effective drugs IBR Inc. a science-based provider of preclinical and clinical services specialises in inflammatory diseases. The analyses it carries out for the pharmaceutical and biotech sector help exclude potential side effects of specific drug candidates early in the development process. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/ibr-inc-dual-strategy-for-safe-and-effective-drugs
Article - 18/03/2010 Boehringer Ingelheim researchers to focus on inflammation Boehringer Ingelheim is hoping to find ways to use anti-inflammatory mechanisms of action to improve the treatment of respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Clinical studies will show what kind of improvements patients can expect from the substances, which are currently at different stages of development. Drugs to widen the bronchia, marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim, will in the medium term become…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/boehringer-ingelheim-researchers-to-focus-on-inflammation
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 - 15/03/2010 The first active immunisations against cancer The first anti-cancer vaccines were developed to prevent women from becoming infected with papillomaviruses and to protect them against cervical cancer. The development of vaccines can be traced back to the work of Nobel Laureate Harald zur Hausen and his colleagues at the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg. But more development is required in the field of anti-cancer vaccines and this is why researchers worldwide are working on vaccines…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/the-first-active-immunisations-against-cancer
Dossier - 15/03/2010 Vaccine development As the recent discussion on the pros and cons of swine flu vaccinations has shown vaccinations are not very popular in Germany. However people tend to forget that no other medical development has helped people to the same extent as immunisation with vaccines has done. Examples include the discovery of the cow pox vaccination by Edward Jenner in 1796 and all the programmes that have been set up by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/vaccine-development
Article - 15/03/2010 Cystic fibrosis therapy is making good progress Thirty years ago cystic fibrosis CF formerly also known as mucoviscidosis was considered to be a disease that only affected children. Hardly any children with this hereditary metabolic disease ever reached early adulthood. Since then both the therapy and the life expectancy of CF patients have improved considerably. Dr. Gerd Döring from Tübingen is investigating the occurrence of respiratory tract defects that are common in CF patients.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/cystic-fibrosis-therapy-is-making-good-progress
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