Article - 17/06/2013 EHEC prevention: mission ‘safe salad’ Raw fruit and vegetables are popular and healthy, at least as long as they are not contaminated with pathogens such as those that caused the EHEC outbreak in 2011 where sprouted foods were identified as the source of the E. coli outbreak. Researchers from the University of Hohenheim are looking into how the risk of consumers being infected by ready-to-eat vegetables and salads can be minimised. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/ehec-prevention-mission-safe-salad
Article - 03/06/2013 With metabolomics food analytics goes all the way In the not-too-distant future, food analysts hope they will be able do more than just detect mycotoxin traces and determine the concentration of individual nutrients such as vitamin C. Their ambition is in fact much broader: “We would like to understand the nutritional and physiological effect of food,” said Prof. Sabine Kulling from the Max Rubner Institute in Karlsruhe. As with other life sciences areas, metabolomics is seen as a key technology…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/with-metabolomics-food-analytics-goes-all-the-way
Press release - 02/05/2013 Curetis raises EUR 12.5 million in Series B round led by new investor HBM Partners On the 22nd April 2013 the Curetis AG in Holzgerlingen announced the closing of a Series B financing round totaling EUR 12.5 million. The financing was led by HBM Partners. Dr. Alexander Asam of HBM will join Curetis’ supervisory board. Curetis will use the proceeds for the next phase of commercial and operational growth.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/curetis-raises-eur-12-5-million-in-series-b-round-led-by-new-investor-hbm-partners
Dossier - 01/04/2013 Retroviruses: from infectious agent to therapeutic assistant Viruses are infectious particles that use the machinery and metabolism of a host cell to replicate. Despite some similarities with accepted forms of life viruses are not considered as such. The family of retroviruses is particularly known for its most notorious representative i. e. the human immunodeficiency virus HIV which leads to AIDS and for which no cure or effective vaccine is currently available. However retroviruses are not only of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/retroviruses-from-infectious-agent-to-therapeutic-assistant
Article - 18/02/2013 AIDS researchers from Ulm to shed light on the success of the HIV-1 M group Frank Kirchhoff AIDS researcher at the University of Ulm has come up with a plausible explanation for the pandemic spread of the human immunodeficiency virus 1 HIV-1 M group and its ability to adapt to the human immune system. In a recent study with colleagues from Germany and abroad Kirchhoff used molecular biology methods to investigate the group and compare it with the relatively rare HIV-1 N group. Kirchhoff hopes that the molecular…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/aids-researchers-from-ulm-to-shed-light-on-the-success-of-the-hiv-1-m-group
Article - 11/02/2013 Cholesterol boosts the memory of the immune system Cholesterol has been demonised for a long time as high cholesterol levels are seen as major risk factors for atherosclerosis myocardial infarction and gallstones. However cholesterol is an essential component of mammalian cell membranes and is required for proper membrane function. It exists in huge quantities in the human body. In addition to being essential for cell survival and hence all animal life in general cholesterol also plays a crucial…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/cholesterol-boosts-the-memory-of-the-immune-system
Article - 11/02/2013 Johannes Krause examines historical pathogens: old pathogens in a new light Palaeogeneticist Johannes Krause is drawn to ancient DNA. His work on the evolution of human pathogens shows that his findings are not purely of historical interest, but also enable conclusions to be made on future disease outbreaks and epidemics. In autumn 2012, Krause was awarded an ERC Starting Grant. Krause uses the grant to expand his research into plague and other historical pathogens that continue to be a threat to human health. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/johannes-krause-examines-historical-pathogens-old-pathogens-in-a-new-light
Article - 31/12/2012 Diagnosis of myocardial infarction: a drop of blood is all that is required Can myocardial infarction be diagnosed with a single drop of blood? The answer is yes: a new application of the ESEQuant Lateral Flow System developed by QIAGEN now makes this possible. The system, which is able to identify a broad range of bacterial and viral pathogens, including HIV, influenza virus and Chlamydia, was originally developed at the company’s site in Stockach. It has recently been adapted for use in the diagnosis of myocardial…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/diagnosis-of-myocardial-infarction-a-drop-of-blood-is-all-that-is-required
Press release - 17/12/2012 Curetis AG initiates clinical trial in the U.S. towards FDA clearance Curetis AG announced the start of a clinical trial of its Unyvero™ System and the corresponding LRT (lower respiratory tract) application in the U.S. The company expects enrollment completion within the next 12-15 months, followed by a 510(k) submission to the FDA in 2014. The prospective, multicenter trial will include samples collected from more than 2,000 hospitalized patients suspected to have a lower respiratory tract infection and several…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/curetis-ag-initiates-clinical-trial-in-the-u-s-towards-fda-clearance
Press release - 22/11/2012 CeGaT and Genomatix are finalists of Boston Children’s Hospital’s CLARITY challenge CeGaT (Center for Genomics and Transcriptomics) GmbH, the Department of Prostate Cancer Research, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Bonn and Genomatix Software GmbH were announced as finalist (Top 3) of the CLARITY challenge, organized by Boston Children’s Hospital.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/cegat-and-genomatix-are-finalists-of-boston-children-s-hospital-s-clarity-challenge
Press release - 15/11/2012 How bacteria attack their host cells with sticky lollipops Yersinia enterocolitica, a pathogenic bacterium, causes fever and diarrhea. By help of a protein anchored in its membrane, Yersinia attaches to its host cells and infects them. Scientists of the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tübingen and the Leibniz-Institut fuer Molekulare Pharmakologie in Berlin have determined the structure of an important component of the membrane protein and have gained insight into its biogenesis. The…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/how-bacteria-attack-their-host-cells-with-sticky-lollipops
Article - 12/11/2012 Autoimmune diseases – when the body sheds its skin Most people believe that snakes and insects are the only animals able to shed their skin. However autoimmune diseases of the largest human organ i.e. the skin can have a similar effect by creating blisters scars peeling and wet wounds. Dr. Cassian Sitaru from the University of Freiburg Medical Centre specifically focuses on blistering autoimmune dermatoses. Using disease models in Petri dishes and laboratory mice Sitaru and his team hope to find…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/autoimmune-diseases-when-the-body-sheds-its-skin
Article - 15/10/2012 gerbion®: hunting down pathogens Detecting viruses, bacteria or parasites in human, animal, food and environmental samples is routine for the staff of gerbion GmbH & Co. KG. The company has been using virological, microbiological and serological methods for many years, but is now also using cutting-edge molecular biology methods for detecting pathogens. The founders of the Kornwestheim-based diagnostics company have concentrated on own research work and the development of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/gerbion-hunting-down-pathogens
Press release - 16/08/2012 Blood cancer cells initiate signalling cascade Researchers of the University of Freiburg have identified a new mechanism that causes immune cells to convert into malignant cancer cells. In Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia CLL one of the most common types of blood cancer in the Western world cells themselves carry the key for the pathogenic transformation the scientists report in the journal Nature. Understanding these underlying mechanisms could facilitate new therapies with reduced side…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/blood-cancer-cells-initiate-signalling-cascade
Article - 30/07/2012 How to prevent pathogens from developing antibiotic resistances For bacteria, the environment is rather like a big market where they can give and receive new survival strategies if need be. A group of researchers led by Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Grohmann at the Freiburg University Medical Centre is investigating how microorganisms exchange antibiotic resistance genes. In a project involving two hospitals in Mexico City, the molecular biologists are also investigating whether pathogens, resistance genes and…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/how-to-prevent-pathogens-from-developing-antibiotic-resistances
Article - 30/07/2012 Fungus protects strawberries against grey rot and does away with the need for chemicals Summer time is strawberry time: strawberries are grown worldwide on an area of 300,000 hectares and are harvested in early summer. Fungicides that are used to treat grey rot might actually be the only thing that diminishes the pure pleasure of eating juicy, tasty strawberries. The Konstanz-based company bio-ferm Research GmbH has developed a fungicide that protects strawberries against Botrytis cinerea infections, one of the most common fruit…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/fungus-protects-strawberries-against-grey-rot-and-does-away-with-the-need-for-chemicals
Press release - 17/07/2012 Schmallenberg virus: Identifying infected cows and sheep faster The world's first commercial detection method for the Schmallenberg virus is now available for all laboratories. Kornwestheim-based AnDiaTec GmbH & Co. KG, specialists in detection methods for pathogens in the veterinary field, has just received approval for its product from the Friedrich-Löffler-Institut under the German Ordinance on Working with Animal Pathogens (Tierseuchengesetz). The virus, which has led, among other things, to…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/schmallenberg-virus-identifying-infected-cows-and-sheep-faster
Dossier - 18/06/2012 Biobanks – treasure chests for biomedical research Biobanking is still a very specialist subject. The Research Committee at the German Bundestag, the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag and the German Ethics Council are all interested in this biomedical research tool, which is both necessary and meaningful. However, opinions with regard to the ethical, legal and technical approach to biobanks differ. Since March 2012 it has become absolutely clear that Germany will not pass a…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/biobanks-treasure-chests-for-biomedical-research
Article - 29/05/2012 David Schleheck: exploring the effective degradation of surfactants David Schleheck biologist at the University of Konstanz focuses on the bacterial degradation of surfactants and LAS in particular. The results of his research are of huge importance for the recycling of grey water in areas including home sewage treatment systems for example.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/david-schleheck-exploring-the-effective-degradation-of-surfactants
Article - 29/05/2012 Intestinal bacteria and human gut types The type of bacteria that colonize the human gut does not just influence our digestion and well-being. Metagenome sequencing has provided an international consortium involving scientists from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory at the University Hospital of Heidelberg with evidence that certain individuals have different gut types with different types of bacteria. Such individuals not only differ in their predisposition to disease, but also…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/intestinal-bacteria-and-human-gut-types
Article - 30/04/2012 Antibiotic resistance in hospitals There is an alarming rise in infections caused by bacteria that are resistant to common antibiotics. A particular problem is nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections of newborns, for which a Germany-wide surveillance system has been established. Novel natural substances with an antibiotic effect might be able to contain the danger.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/antibiotic-resistance-in-hospitals
Article - 30/04/2012 3D insights into the molecular teamwork in biomembranes For chemists cellular biomembranes are hard nuts to crack. It is difficult to analyze proteins that are firmly anchored in biomembranes using standard biochemical methods and it is even more difficult to investigate their three-dimensional structure and interaction with other proteins. A group of researchers led by Prof. Dr. Anne S. Ulrich at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT have developed a method that enables them to take a close look…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/3d-insights-into-the-molecular-teamwork-in-biomembranes
Dossier - 30/04/2012 Human infectious diseases: new threats The serious EHEC outbreak in Germany in 2011, the 2009 swine flu pandemic, the bird flu pandemic in 2005 and 2006 and the SARS outbreak in China in 2003, all of which have fuelled the fear of devastating epidemics for many people in Germany, have fortunately all been contained – at least up until now. However, experts warn of new dangerous pathogens that are spreading as a result of globalization and global climate warming. This is leading to new…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/human-infectious-diseases-new-threats
Press release - 23/03/2012 Communication channels in the brain Jakob von Engelhardt leads a new Junior Research Group, “Synaptic Communication and Neurodegeneration”, established by the German Center for NeurodegenerativeDiseases (DZNE) at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) with the aim of combining the competencies of the two institutes. Research topics of the group include the cellular foundations of learning and memory as well as the molecular causes of neurodegenerative diseases.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/communication-channels-in-the-brain
Article - 19/03/2012 Soil bacteria to produce new antibiotics An ever-growing number of genomes of soil bacteria of the genus Streptomyces are being sequenced. Using a method known as “genome mining”, researchers at the University of Tübingen are working on the identification of gene clusters that have the potential to be used in industrial biotechnology for the production of new antibiotics and other pharmaceutically active substances. To achieve this, the biosynthesis gene clusters are integrated into…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/soil-bacteria-to-produce-new-antibiotics