Article - 22/08/2017 Transgenic mice in influenza research – risk assessment and vaccine development A research team from Freiburg is developing a method for identifying human influenza viruses of animal origin. This could potentially improve measures taken to prevent imminent pandemics. The researchers are working with genetically modified mice. Transgenic mice also play a role in the development of a ’universal’ influenza vaccine. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/transgenic-mice-in-influenza-research-risk-assessment-and-vaccine-development
Article - 08/08/2017 N2B-patch: circumventing the blood-brain barrier There are many medications for treating central nervous system diseases. However, only a fraction of the active pharmaceutical ingredients actually reaches the site where they are needed. The reason for this is the blood-brain barrier that protects the brain and thus prevents many drugs used to treat neurological diseases from effectively penetrating the brain. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/n2b-patch-circumventing-the-blood-brain-barrier
Article - 26/06/2017 Hope for mRNA vaccines despite damper The pressure is on to develop novel vaccines based on messenger RNA and aimed at combating cancer and protecting against pandemics. Although mRNA vaccination as a cancer monotherapy has suffered a setback this year, the industry is nevertheless confident that it will succeed because of existing proof that mRNA vaccines stimulate the body's immune defence.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/hope-for-mrna-vaccines-despite-damper
Press release - 22/06/2017 MRI without contrast agents? Yes, with sugar! Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), in collaboration with colleagues from Heidelberg University Hospital, have been able to visualize brain cancer using a novel MRI method. They use a simple sugar solution instead of conventional contrast agents, which can have side effects in the body.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/mri-without-contrast-agents-yes-with-sugar
Article - 01/06/2017 Biotechnology – key technology of the 21st century According to a study published by the German National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) on 5th April, biotechnology is a key technology of the 21st century and has huge innovation potential. What are the trends within the industry and what are the challenges we face?https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/biotechnology-key-technology-of-the-21st-century
Article - 18/05/2017 ImmuStick – novel rapid test for identifying disease pathogens In some situations such as in the food and pharmaceutical industries or hospitals, a test to identify disease pathogens can be vital. At present, such tests are relatively time-consuming and can take hours or even days to produce results, depending on the pathogen. Scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart are currently developing a rapid test called ImmuStick which is as easy to use…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/immustick-novel-rapid-test-for-identifying-disease-pathogens
Article - 31/03/2017 A novel mechanism of cancer development Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections occur in almost all adults worldwide and are a high risk factor for some types of cancer. Researchers from Heidelberg have now come up with a novel mechanism that promotes carcinogenesis involving an EBV protein rather than the genome of the virus. The EBV protein BNRF1 induces the excessive amplification of the centrosomes of the spindle apparatus, and leads to chromosomal instability and inaccurate…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/a-novel-mechanism-of-cancer-development
Prenatal diagnosis - 23/03/2017 Microdroplets for safe and rapid prenatal diagnoses Although the methods used to carry out amniocentesis are quite sophisticated, there is still a 0.5 percent risk of miscarriage following the intervention. Therefore, an EU-funded project called AngeLab is developing a rapid test that only requires a blood sample of the mother rather than amniotic fluid. The test yields information on the genetic health of the foetus within only a few hours. As part of the project, researchers from the…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/microdroplets-for-safe-and-rapid-prenatal-diagnoses
Press release - 13/12/2016 Early-diagnosis systems from Baden-Württemberg help prevent the spread of drug-resistant pathogens More and more bacteria are developing resistance to multiple antimicrobial drugs. These multidrug-resistant bacteria can impede the action of common antibiotics via mutations or DNA transfer. More than 30,000 people are infected every year with multidrug-resistant bacteria in German hospitals alone. This could be prevented with appropriate hygiene measures and innovative test systems. Innovative test systems that enable reliable and rapid…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/fruehdiagnostik-aus-baden-wuerttemberg-hilft-resistente-erreger-zu-stoppen
Article - 08/11/2016 Towards at-home genetic testing The ability to detect a broad range of conditions and modifications in human, animal, plant and pathogen genes is highly important in the field of medicine for diagnosing diseases and starting therapy as quickly as possible. Chemists at the University of Konstanz have now developed a genetic test that does not need to be carried out in the laboratory and can be evaluated with the naked eye, similar to a pregnancy test. The test would therefore be…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/towards-at-home-genetic-testing
Article - 20/09/2016 CRISPR-Cas has more surprises in store Since 2012, a DFG-funded research group called FOR1680 has been studying CRISPR-Cas, an immune system that unicellular bacteria and arachaea use to protect themselves against attacks from viruses and plasmids. Prof. Dr. Anita Marchfelder, a molecular biologist at Ulm University and coordinator of the FOR1680 research group, and many other researchers were surprised to find that prokaryotes incorporate the genetic material of enemies as a kind of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/crispr-cas-has-more-surprises-in-store
Article - 18/08/2016 Moonlighting proteins can make bacteria pathogenic The mechanism underlying the export of biomolecules from cells remains unknown. Prof. Dr. Friedrich Götz and his team at the Institute of Microbial Genetics at the University of Tübingen have found out that staphylococci can turn into dangerous pathogens by excreting normally harmless enzymes. The researchers believe that the enigmatic excretion of such enzymes is due to a completely new mechanism and are thus planning to carry out further…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/moonlighting-proteins-can-make-bacteria-pathogenic
Article - 27/07/2016 “Open science“ – a successful recipe for combating viruses Danger identified, danger averted – the better the dynamic changes of the viral genome are understood, the better the spread of the pathogens can be predicted, thus enabling more efficient countermeasures to be taken. A team of researchers from Tübingen and Seattle is developing an open source online platform that maps the evolution of viruses and identifies dangerous developments.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/open-science-a-successful-recipe-for-combating-viruses
Company profile - 27/06/2016 Atriva Therapeutics GmbH: new ways to treat influenza Influenza viruses constantly change and mutate. This makes treatment difficult and vaccination rather touch and go. But what about targeting virus-manipulated cell events rather than using the virus itself as drug target? Atriva Therapeutics GmbH, a start-up company from Tübingen, shows how this works.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/atriva-therapeutics-gmbh-new-ways-to-treat-influenza
Article - 23/06/2016 The body’s immune system loosens artificial joints Hip and knee endoprostheses are not nearly as long-lasting as their natural counterparts. Dr. Ulrike Dapunt from the University Hospital Heidelberg’s Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology has now discovered that it is not the bacterial activity or secretions that lead to the degradation of bone during chronic inflammation, but rather local host defence mechanisms.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/the-bodys-immune-system-loosens-artificial-joints
Article - 20/06/2016 New diagnostic tool for greater health safety when dealing with multidrug-resistant pathogens Infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and diseases such as breast or colon cancer are among the major causes of death worldwide. Early diagnosis is therefore key for the identification of people affected and for providing immediate therapy. The R&D service provider Hahn-Schickard and its partners are currently working on the development of a rapid and simple diagnostic system that can detect life-threatening infections and cancer at…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-diagnostic-tool-for-greater-health-safety-when-dealing-with-multidrug-resistant-pathogens
Researcher profile - 13/06/2016 Matthias Willmann wants to get the big picture – tracking down infectious agents While fighting and curing bacterial infections in sick patients is one part of the picture, epidemiological investigation of the spread of pathogens is another. Dr. Matthias Willmann also assesses the impact of these factors on the healthcare system as a whole and draws conclusions that might boost early detection of pathogens and prevention of infections. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/matthias-willmann-wants-to-get-the-big-picture-tracking-down-infectious-agents
Article - 30/05/2016 The unknown dark spot of the microcosm The world of microorganisms is still largely unknown. Researchers such as Kai Sohn from the Fraunhofer IGB in Stuttgart are working on decoding, analysing and gradually gaining a better understanding of the microbial genome. In their search for new enzymes and other biomolecules, both biotechnologists and pharmacologists are interested in micoorganisms, and physicians are hoping that detailed insights into the microbial genome will lead to the…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/the-unknown-dark-spot-of-the-microcosm
Article - 02/05/2016 Hepatitis C: a new starting point for vaccine development With approximately 150,000 infected people in Germany, hepatitis C is a common disease for which therapies, but no vaccine, are available. Dr. Tobias Böttler from the Freiburg University Medical Center and his team are exploring the body’s immune response to the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and have found valuable information that could be used for vaccine development.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/hepatitis-c-a-new-starting-point-for-vaccine-development
Article - 11/04/2016 Glycovirology: carbohydrate molecules against infections Many viruses enter cells by way of carbohydrate molecules known as glycans to which they bind during the initial steps of infection. However, it is still largely unknown how glycan-mediated infection proceeds. This is about to change with a working group that has been set up by the DFG at the University of Tübingen and five other universities. The group will focus on glycovirology, a new scientific area that aims to understand the…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/glycovirology-carbohydrate-molecules-against-infections
Article - 15/02/2016 Bacteria – a treasure box for genetic engineers Bacteria have developed a versatile defence system to protect themselves against viral infections. One of these defence tools, known as CRISPR/Cas9 system, is currently hogging the headlines as it promises to revolutionise the way genetic material can be modified. Prof. Rolf Backofen from the Institute of Bioinformatics at the University of Freiburg has managed to classify the defence system of all bacterial species sequenced to date. This will…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/bacteria-a-treasure-box-for-genetic-engineers
Article - 08/02/2016 MalVa GmbH – a protein cocktail that could potentially produce a high protection malaria vaccine MalVa GmbH was founded as a spin-off company of Heidelberg University Hospital around five years ago and its aim is to develop an effective and safe inactivated vaccine against malaria. MalVa GmbH’s innovative strategy to combat this infectious disease involves a cocktail of several parasite antigens. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/malva-gmbh-a-protein-cocktail-that-could-potentially-produce-a-high-protection-malaria-vaccine
Article - 19/01/2016 Innate immune defence: using peptides against fungi and bacteria Part of the human immune defence relies on antimicrobial peptides. These peptides, so-called defensins, are present in the gastrointestinal tract where they play a role in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease. Prof. Jan Wehkamp and his team of researchers at the University Hospital in Tübingen study how this knowledge can be put to good use for the treatment of Crohn’s and other diseases.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/innate-immune-defence-using-peptides-against-fungi-and-bacteria
Article - 07/12/2015 Microglial cells – the health police of Alzheimer’s It starts with memory loss and disorientation. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia and is characterised by the loss of neurons and synapses in the brain resulting from the aggregation of beta amyloid protein fragments into fibrils and plaques. Prof. Dr. Knut Biber and his team from the Division of Molecular Psychiatry at Freiburg University Medical Center have analysed these plaques in an in vivo-like cell culture system. They…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/microglial-cells-the-health-police-of-alzheimers
Article - 23/11/2015 Double-secured immune protection against plant attackers Plants have sophisticated defence mechanisms to help them fight off all kinds of pathogens. A group of researchers led by Dr. Gabriel Schaaf at the University of Tübingen’s ZMBP has now discovered that plants’ immune response is more similar to the innate immune system of humans and animals than previously thought. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/double-secured-immune-protection-against-plant-attackers