Press release - 16/09/2021 Organ twin: a “flight simulator” for surgeons Cyber Valley researchers have created medical educational tools that could potentially train the surgeons of the future, much like flight simulators train pilots. The team developed a range of artificial organ phantoms to serve as training platforms for surgeons. Thanks to the structured data of experienced medical professionals, a quantitative and objective assessment of a trainee’s skills can be assessed in real time.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/organ-twin-flight-simulator-surgeons
Press release - 30/08/2021 CureVac Preclinical Data Demonstrates Significant Reduction of Liver Fibrosis with mRNA Therapeutic CureVac N.V. (Nasdaq: CVAC), a global biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of transformative medicines based on messenger ribonucleic acid (“mRNA”), today announced the publication entitled “Therapeutic HNF4A mRNA attenuates liver fibrosis in a preclinical model” in the peer-reviewed Journal of Hepatology.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/curevac-preclinical-data-demonstrates-significant-reduction-liver-fibrosis-mrna-therapeutic
Gene regulation - 20/07/2021 The many faces of the epigenetic regulator MOF Epigenetic modifications play a crucial role in coordinated gene transcription, and are required for a fertilised egg cell to be able to develop into an organism with different cell types. Dr. Asifa Akhtar from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg has been studying the essential epigenetic regulator protein MOF for 20 years.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/die-vielen-gesichter-des-epigenetischen-regulators-mof
Press release - 06/07/2021 High-throughput metabolic profiling of single cells Scientists from the EMBL and the German Cancer Research Center have presented a new method for generating metabolic profiles of individual cells. The method, which combines fluorescence microscopy and a specific form of mass spectroscopy, can analyze over a hundred metabolites and lipids from more than a thousand individual cells per hour. Researchers expect the method to better answer a variety of biomedical questions in the future.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/high-throughput-metabolic-profiling-single-cells
Press release - 20/05/2021 Immune cells promote proinflammatory fatty liver disease A particular type of dendritic cell is responsible for the tissue damage that occurs in non-alcoholic steatohepatits (NASH) in mice and humans. The dendritic cells cause aggressive, proinflammatory behavior in T cells, as now discovered by researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in collaboration with colleagues from Israeli research institutes. Blocking these dendritic cells alleviates symptoms in mice.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/immune-cells-promote-proinflammatory-fatty-liver-disease
Press release - 24/03/2021 Liver cancer: which patients benefit from immunotherapy? Immunotherapy using checkpoint inhibitors is effective in around a quarter of patients with liver cancer. However, to date, physicians have been unable to predict which patients would benefit from this type of treatment and which would not. Researchers from the German Cancer Research Center have now discovered that liver cancer caused by chronic inflammatory fatty liver disease does not respond to this treatment. On the contrary: in an…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/liver-cancer-which-patients-benefit-immunotherapy
Press release - 15/03/2021 How novel pathogens may cause the development of colorectal cancer Do BMMFs, the novel infectious agents found in dairy products and bovine sera, play a role in the development of colorectal cancer? Scientists led by Harald zur Hausen detected the pathogens in colorectal cancer patients in close proximity to tumors. The researchers show that the BMMFs trigger local chronic inflammation, which can cause mutations via activated oxygen molecules and thus promote cancer development in the long term.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/how-novel-pathogens-may-cause-development-colorectal-cancer
Article - 14/01/2021 Newly discovered RNA as growth driver in liver cancer Non-coding RNA (ncRNAs) molecules that do not encode proteins have many different functions, and some are associated with certain diseases. Prof. Dr. Sven Diederichs from the German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research and the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg has been conducting research into these molecules at the Freiburg University Medical Centre and discovered a ncRNA that regulates cell proliferation in cancer cells.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/newly-discovered-rna-growth-driver-liver-cancer
Press release - 03/12/2020 HepaRegeniX achieves further milestone related to proof of safety and efficacy for MKK4 inhibition in an advanced chronic liver disease model New preclinical data indicate beneficial therapeutic effects in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-associated liver carcinomas.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/heparegenix-erreicht-meilenstein-mit-dem-nachweis-von-sicherheit-und-wirksamkeit-der-mkk4-inhibition-im-model-fuer-fortgeschritt
Organ failure due to fatty liver - 24/09/2020 HepaRegeniX develops an active substance for liver regeneration When the liver stops regenerating on its own, it might be possible in future for doctors to intervene with a chemical agent. Tübingen-based HepaRegeniX GmbH is developing a promising candidate with the aim of improving the treatment of both acute and chronic liver failure. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/heparegenix-develops-active-substance-liver-regeneration
Expert interview - 27/08/2019 Bacterial flora of the gut: how useful is its analysis? Microorganisms in the human gut have been linked to obesity, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, cancer and mental disorders. Stool analyses of intestinal flora can be ordered on the Internet from 130 euros upwards, and some also come with recommendations on what to eat for healthy gut bacteria growth. BIOPRO talked with Prof. Dr. Nisar Malek from the University of Tübingen about how useful such microbiome analyses really are.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/bacterial-flora-gut-how-useful-is-its-analysis
Article - 11/06/2019 New pathogens in beef and cow's milk contributing to the risk of cancer A team of researchers led by Nobel laureate Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. mult. Harald zur Hausen has discovered a new type of infectious agent in dairy and meat products produced from European cattle that increases the risk for colon and breast cancer. These so-called Bovine Meat and Milk Factors (BMMFs) are small DNA molecules that are similar in sequence to both bacterial plasmids and certain viruses.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-pathogens-in-beef-and-cows-milk-contributing-to-the-risk-of-cancer
Article - 29/01/2019 Targeted RNA editing with the body’s own enzyme activity Completely new possibilities for research and gene therapy became available following the development of the CRISPR/Cas method for targeted modification of the genome. However, treatment with molecular scissors is not without risk as potential errors are stored in the genome forever. Scientists from Tübingen have developed an alternative method in which the intervention takes place at the RNA level using the body's own enzymes and is thus…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/targeted-rna-editing-with-the-bodys-own-enzyme-activity
Press release - 10/12/2018 High distinction for stem cell researcher Andreas Trumpp This year's State Research Prize of Baden-Württemberg awarded for outstanding achievements in applied research goes to Andreas Trumpp from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM). Theresia Bauer, State Minister of Science, Research and the Arts, presented the award, which carries a monetary prize of €100.000, at a festive ceremony on December 10, 2018.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/high-distinction-for-stem-cell-researcher-andreas-trumpp
Press release - 29/11/2018 Hattrick in Freiburg Three researchers at the MPI for Immunobiology and Epigenetics receive millions in funding from the European Research Council. Dominic Grün, Nicola Iovino and Ritwick Sawarkar from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg will each be awareded one of the prestigious Consolidator Grants of the European Research Council. This means that 6 million euros in funding will go to fundamental research in Freiburg over the next…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/hattrick-in-freiburg
Article - 25/04/2018 Resistance, immunity and malaria vaccination People who have survived a malaria infection often develop immunity to the disease. International malaria research is aimed at exploiting a person's natural immunity in order to treat malaria effectively and avoid resistance to previously effective drugs. These new approaches also raise hopes that one day countries at high risk of malaria may be able to eradicate the devastating disease. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/resistance-immunity-and-malaria-vaccination
Article - 21/02/2018 HepaRegeniX – a start-up is taking it up a step! HepaRegeniX, a biotech company founded in 2016, specialises in developing drugs that restore the regenerative capacity of diseased livers. The three founders of the biotech start-up, Prof. Dr. Lars Zender, Prof. Dr. Stefan Laufer and Dr. Wolfgang Albrecht, anticipate starting clinical testing of the first drug candidate in 2019.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/heparegenix-a-start-up-is-taking-it-up-a-step
Article - 20/02/2018 New strategies against malaria Malaria, which is a mosquito-borne disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, is still one of the worst infectious human diseases. The parasites have developed resistance against previously effective drugs and new strategies to combat malaria are urgently needed.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-strategies-against-malaria
Transregional research cooperation - 11/10/2017 New research consortium to develop new liver cancer treatments The causes, signs and symptoms of liver cancer are extremely complex. Investigating them requires the collaboration of many experts across university and regional boundaries. A new transregional research group is now studying the complex overall mechanisms at the cellular, genetic and molecular level in order to develop new concepts and drugs for treating liver and bile duct cancers.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-research-consortium-to-develop-new-liver-cancer-treatments
Press release - 05/09/2017 Cell marking opens up a window into the body A new and particularly reliable method for marking cells can simplify research into diseases such as myocardial infarction, diabetes or Alzheimer's and reduce the use of test animals: Scientists from the University of Tübingen have developed a method by which they can target specific cell types in mice and monitor their behavior using positron emission tomography (PET). PET-based cell tracking allows scientists to observe complex life…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/cell-marking-opens-up-a-window-into-the-body
Press release - 05/01/2017 Phenex receives 100 M USD Milestone Payment from Gilead Phenex Pharmaceuticals AG (Phenex) today announced that the company has received a 100 M USD milestone payment from Gilead Sciences, Inc. of Foster City, CA, U.S.A., for its program with GS-9674 targeting nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/phenex-receives-100-m-usd-milestone-payment-from-gilead
Press release - 05/01/2017 HepaRegeniX GmbH Raises €9 million in a Series A Financing to Develop Kinase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Acute and Chronic Liver Diseases HepaRegeniX GmbH, a new Biotech company developing innovative treatments for liver diseases, announced today the completion of a €9 million Series A financing. The round was led by Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund GmbH (BIVF) and Novo Seeds, and complemented by the High-Tech Gruenderfonds and coparion.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/heparegenix-gmbh-raises-9-million-in-a-series-a-financing-to-develop-kinase-inhibitors-for-the-treatment-of-acute-and-chronic-li
Article - 21/12/2016 For all types of tests: Signatope’s biomarker assays Signatope is a new biotech company that has been offering innovative biomarker assays for application in drug discovery since August 2016. The company’s assays can be used in all phases of drug development to detect potential adverse drug effects on the kidneys, liver and other organs in any species whatsoever using minute amounts of sample.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/for-all-types-of-tests-signatopes-biomarker-assays
Article - 12/09/2016 New target for the therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma discovered Hepatocellular carcinoma is the second most common cause of cancer deaths worldwide. If the tumour is at an advanced stage, doctors have few treatment options. Researchers led by Prof. Dr. Lars Zender from the University of Tübingen have now identified one of the cancer's Achilles' heels, namely, the interaction between C-MYC and AURKA proteins, which can be destabilised with a drug, thus killing cancer cells. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-target-for-the-therapy-of-hepatocellular-carcinoma-discovered
Article - 05/09/2016 Apogenix: immuno-oncological protein drugs for the treatment of malignant diseases Apogenix AG, a biopharmaceutical company from Heidelberg that specialises in immuno-oncology, develops protein drugs that target central signalling pathways involved in regulating the growth, migration and apoptosis of malfunctioning cells and thus offer novel treatment options for cancer and other malignant diseases.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/apogenix-immunonkologische-proteinwirkstoffe-gegen-maligne-erkrankungen