Press release - 29/08/2025 Sleeping beauties: the biology behind oocyte dormancy The maturation process of oocytes remains paused for several years. Researchers from Konstanz and Göttingen have now found out which protein ensures this state is maintained over such a long period.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/sleeping-beauties-biology-behind-oocyte-dormancy
Press release - 28/08/2025 Inhibition of cell division induces immunoreactive peptides in cancer cells A team of scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Netherlands Cancer Institute has discovered a previously unknown vulnerability in cancer cells: When cell division is blocked with chemotherapeutic agents such as Taxol, cancer cells produce small immunogenic peptides that could open up new avenues for immune-based cancer therapies.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/inhibition-cell-division-induces-immunoreactive-peptides-cancer-cells
Press release - 21/08/2025 Nanodroplets Could Speed Up the Search for New Medicine Until now, the early phase of drug discovery for the development of new therapeutics has been cost- and time-intensive. Researchers at KIT have developed a platform on which extremely miniaturized nanodroplets with a volume of 200 nanoliters per droplet and containing 300 cells per test can be arranged. This platform enables the researchers to synthesize and test thousands of therapeutic agents on the same chip, saving time and resources. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/nanodroplets-could-speed-search-new-medicine
Press release - 29/07/2025 New method to design custom protein binder Designing protein binders from scratch has long been a daunting challenge within the field of computational biology. Researchers have now developed an innovative, training-free pipeline that uses the fundamental principle of shape complementarity to design site-specific protein binders, which are then optimised to fit precisely onto chosen target sites. The researchers tested this on proteins linked to cancer.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-method-design-custom-protein-binder
Press release - 24/07/2025 Solutions that minimise clinical waste and maximise recycling How can the transformation to increase sustainability in hospitals succeed? Participants in the SustainMed project presented their answers at the closing event on 27 June 2025 in Stuttgart. The Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector Baden-Württemberg provided approximately 500,000 euros in funding to develop solutions for goals such as reducing volumes of waste in hospitals.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/solutions-minimise-clinical-waste-and-maximise-recycling
Press release - 21/07/2025 Cancer Cachexia: Liver Identified as Driver of Body Wasting Many people with cancer experience dramatic loss of muscle and fat tissue. In many cases, even the heart muscle is affected. This wasting syndrome, affects around half of all cancer patients. Researchers from Helmholtz Munich, in collaboration with Heidelberg University Hospital, the Technical University of Munich, and the German Center for Diabetes Research, have now identified a previously overlooked driver of cachexia: the liver. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/cancer-cachexia-liver-identified-driver-body-wasting
Press release - 16/07/2025 Unexpected side-effect: how common medications clear the way for pathogens Study led by the University of Tübingen: many non-antibiotics weaken the natural protective function of the intestine – with consequences for the colonization with pathogenic bacteriahttps://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/unexpected-side-effect-how-common-medications-clear-way-pathogens
Press release - 15/07/2025 Mapping the metabolism of blood stem cells Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg and ETH Zürich have created the first integrated map detailing the metabolic and molecular changes in human blood stem cells as they age, specialize, or turn cancerous. Their innovative research, made possible by highly sensitive low-input techniques, identifies the nutrient choline, as a key player in preserving youthful stem cell traits. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/mapping-metabolism-blood-stem-cells
Press release - 11/07/2025 Cellular stress response – researchers discover potential therapeutic target for heart failure Researchers at the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) have identified a key molecule involved in a form of heart failure that has so far been difficult to treat.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/cellular-stress-response-researchers-discover-potential-therapeutic-target-heart-failure
Press release - 09/07/2025 A new drug target for treating cancer and viral infections An international team of researchers led by Konstanz biologists has identified a molecular mechanism that regulates the activity of N-myristoyltransferases. This enzyme plays a role in biological signalling pathways, where dysregulation can lead to serious illness.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-drug-target-treating-cancer-and-viral-infections
Press release - 04/07/2025 Breakthrough in Artificial Blood Production Scientists have been working on the artificial production of blood for several decades. Making a new discovery, researchers from the Institute for Cellular Biology and Immunology Thurgau at the University of Konstanz, in collaboration with Queen Mary University of London, have come an important step closer to this goal.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/breakthrough-artificial-blood-production
Press release - 02/07/2025 Commission launches new strategy to make Europe a global leader in life sciences by 2030 The European Commission has launched a new strategy to make Europe the most attractive place in the world for life sciences by 2030. Life sciences – the study of living systems, from cells to ecosystems – are central to our health, environment and economy. They drive innovation in medicine, food and sustainable production, adding nearly €1.5 trillion in value to the EU economy and supporting 29 million jobs across the Union.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/commission-launches-new-strategy-make-europe-global-leader-life-sciences-2030
Computer tool opens up new ways to address antibiotic resistance - 02/07/2025 PhARIS identifies effective phages against multi-resistant bacteria Bacteriophages - viruses that specifically attack and destroy bacteria - are emerging as promising alternatives to antibiotics in the fight against drug-resistant infections. To speed this effort, researchers have created PhARIS, a computational tool that mines genomic data to pinpoint phages that are effective against S. aureus. By rapidly matching phage and pathogen, PhARIS can accelerate the development of targeted phage therapies.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/pharis-identifies-effective-phages-against-multi-resistant-bacteria
Press release - 12/06/2025 BioNTech Announces Strategic Transaction to Acquire CureVac in Public Exchange Offer Acquisition will strengthen the mRNA-based cancer immunotherapy candidates, marking BioNTech’s milestone in its oncology strategy. Acquisition of CureVac will complement BioNTech’s capabilities and proprietary technologies in mRNA design, delivery formulations, and mRNA manufacturing. All-stock acquisition has potential to create value for both companies’ shareholders given their complementary capabilities, focus on mRNA, and shared vision.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/biontech-announces-strategic-transaction-acquire-curevac-public-exchange-offer
Cell-based solution in place of animal testing - 05/06/2025 Innovative cell-based test to detect pyrogens in drugs Drug safety testing for microbial contaminants and fever-inducing substances (pyrogens) still frequently uses animal experiments. InnoZell, a start-up that will soon be spun off from the University of Konstanz, has developed a compelling alternative: an animal-free, human cell-based assay that is faster, more sensitive and more reliable than traditional methods – and can be customised to meet user-specific needs.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/innovative-cell-based-test-detect-pyrogens-drugs
Press release - 21/05/2025 How aging changes the blood system in humans and mice The reservoir of blood stem cells shrinks with age. It becomes increasingly dominated by stem cells that produce immune cells associated with chronic inflammation. Almost all of the 60-year-olds studied show this change. The new discovery could help explain the chronic inflammation that occurs with age and makes us more susceptible to disease. It could also help identify early warning signs of unhealthy aging processes.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/how-aging-changes-blood-system-humans-and-mice
Press release - 12/05/2025 NMI expertise for new VDI guideline on bioprinting - now available VDI Guideline 5708 “Bioprinting, methods and definitions”: What sounds technical and sober at first glance is an important step forward in the future field of 3D bioprinting. The guideline was developed under Dr. Hanna Hartmann from the NMI in Reutlingen and Prof. Dr. Jürgen Groll from the University Hospital of Würzburg. It creates a binding, practical basis for reproducible and quality-assured bioprinting procedures.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/nmi-expertise-new-vdi-guideline-bioprinting-now-available
Funding PRECISEU Best Practice Recognition 2025 Funding programme, Funded by: PRECISEU co-funded by the EU, sb_search.searchresult.label.programSubmissionDate: 16/05/2025 https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/database/funding/preciseu-best-practice-recognition-2025
Press release - 10/04/2025 In future, the operating theatre will be part of the team The “Digital Integration and Innovation in Surgery” project aims to promote the transfer of new findings and research results into practice. The School of Informatics at Reutlingen University will work together with Furtwangen University, BioMedTech e.V., University Hospital Tübingen and other stakeholders to examine how intelligent digital assistance systems can contribute to improved patient care during surgical procedures. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/future-operating-theatre-will-be-part-team
Press release - 07/04/2025 Interdisciplinary research to provide urgently needed insecticides to combat malaria The Medical Faculty Heidelberg of Heidelberg University and Mannheim University of Applied Sciences are combining their expertise in infectious disease research, mass spectrometry, and bioinformatics to overcome resistance in malaria vectors. The project is supported by funding from the Gates Foundation.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/interdisciplinary-research-provide-urgently-needed-insecticides-combat-malaria
Press release - 28/03/2025 Quality Assurance in the Cell: Preventing Defective Protein Blueprints Two molecular control factors play a decisive role in what is known as splicing, the cutting and assembly of mature messenger RNA – a prerequisite for protein synthesis in the cell. The poorly characterized factors are crucial to ensuring that the molecular machine responsible for splicing is working correctly. A research team has deciphered how the two cellular quality inspectors work.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/quality-assurance-cell-preventing-defective-protein-blueprints
SpecPlate: an innovative multiwell plate - 26/03/2025 Focus on innovative drug development - accurate, time- and cost-saving Drug research is a complex and costly process that requires extensive laboratory analyses and vast quantities of consumables, with disposable sample carriers in particular being used in their millions. PHABIOC GmbH has come up with a solution in the form of the SpecPlate, a ground-breaking alternative to sample carriers that reduces the time taken to perform analyses as well as the quantity of materials consumed. Serial production is underway.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/focus-innovative-drug-development-accurate-time-and-cost-saving
Press release - 24/03/2025 Resistance mechanism in chronic lymphocytic leukemia identified Researchers at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have succeeded in identifying a resistance mechanism that often occurs in a specific targeted therapy against chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The drug ibrutinib is effective in many cases, but therapy resistance often develops during the course of treatment. In cell culture experiments and in mice, the resistance mechanism was successfully overcome using a second drug.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/resistance-mechanism-chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia-identified
Press release - 20/03/2025 Start-up prize for "EmbryoNet AI Technologies" Using artificial intelligence to revolutionize drug development is the aim of the start-up "EmbryoNet AI Technologies" led by Konstanz biologist Patrick Müller. Müller and his team have now been awarded the start-up prize by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) for their business concept.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/start-prize-embryonet-ai-technologies
Press release - 19/03/2025 Pocket-sized breath test for stomach bacteria Mini sensor analyses breath for infection with Helicobacter pylori Stomach ulcers, gastritis and even stomach cancer are often the result of an infection with Helicobacter pylori. If the bacterium remains unrecognised for a long time, this can have serious consequences. Researchers have now developed a miniaturisable sensor system for the mobile analysis of breath that is effective, fast and inexpensive. The research team uses a biological survival trick of the stomach germ to detect the bacterium. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/pocket-sized-breath-test-stomach-bacteria-mini-sensor-analyses-breath-infection-helicobacter-pylori