Press release - 13/04/2021 Evotec’s BRIDGE “beLAB2122” leverages academic innovation from our region Evotec SE announced today the launch of beLAB2122 in the Rhine- Main-Neckar region to efficiently advance first-in-class therapeutic concepts into investable drug discovery projects. Mediated and supported by BioRN, Evotec’s newest BRIDGE brings together the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (“EMBL”), the German Cancer Research Center (“DKFZ”), the Goethe University Frankfurt, Heidelberg University and the University of Tübingen.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/evotecs-bridge-belab2122-leverages-academic-innovation-our-region
Press release - 13/07/2021 Breakthrough in research on age-related macular degenerationtion Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the commonest cause of blindness in developed countries affecting seven million in total in Germany, from which 500,000 people are suffering from late stage disease, around half of whom are registered as visually impaired. There are two forms of AMD, ‘wet’ and ‘dry’. There are currently no treatments available for the dry form of the disease (geographic atrophy).https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/breakthrough-research-age-related-macular-degenerationtion
Press release - 03/07/2024 CureVac Initiates Strategic Restructuring to Align Resources with Focus on High-Value mRNA Pipeline Opportunities CureVac N.V. (Nasdaq: CVAC) (“CureVac”), a global biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of transformative medicines based on messenger ribonucleic acid (“mRNA”), today announced a significant strategic restructuring to focus its resources on high-value mRNA projects in oncology and other select areas of substantial unmet medical need. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/curevac-initiates-strategic-restructuring-align-resources-focus-high-value-mrna-pipeline-opportunities
Press release - 09/12/2021 New research project in mathematical oncology A new interdisciplinary research project aims to uncover information that can help decode hereditary colon cancer with the aid of mathematical models. Mathematicians and tumour biologists of Heidelberg University, the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Heidelberg University Hospital, and the German Cancer Research Center are collaborating on the project.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-research-project-mathematical-oncology
Press release - 20/07/2023 Anal Cancer Screening: New Microbiome-Associated Biomarkers Could Improve Prevention A new study published in Nature Medicine, July 2023 has identified two novel markers for screening high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), a precursor to anal cancer, from the anal microbiome of people with HIV (PWH). PWH are at a significantly higher risk of developing anal cancer. Current screening methods, such as anal cytology, have low specificity for detecting HSIL, which hinders the prevention of anal cancer.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/anal-cancer-screening-new-microbiome-associated-biomarkers-could-improve-prevention
Press release - 11/02/2025 New perspectives for personalized therapy of brain tumors Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and ShanghaiTech University have developed an innovative method for growing brain tumors of individual patients in the laboratory that mimic the original structure and the molecular property of the parental tumor as closely as possible. Drug tests in this model were found to correlate very well with actual patient responses, making it a valuable method for investigating therapies.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-perspectives-personalized-therapy-brain-tumors
Press release - 24/02/2021 Disease progression in childhood cancer: Lengthening of telomeres promotes relapse Neuroblastoma can spread relentlessly or shrink spontaneously. Scientists from the Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the University of Heidelberg and the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg have shown that some malignant neuroblastomas employ a trick to avoid cell death: they use a special mechanism to lengthen the telomeres at the end of their chromosomes. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/disease-progression-childhood-cancer-lengthening-telomeres-promotes-relapse
Press release - 13/12/2024 Schizophrenia: NMI observes processes in nerve cells Up to now, schizophrenia has mainly been treated symptomatically, as little is known about the exact underlying processes. Researchers at the NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute in Reutlingen have succeeded in gaining a better understanding of the driving mechanisms of the disease. This offers opportunities for the development of new drugs. They have published their findings in the journal BMC Psychiatry.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/schizophrenia-nmi-observes-processes-nerve-cells
Press release - 18/03/2025 Maternal overweight as risk factor for childhood leukemia in daughters The weight of expectant mothers could play a role in the development of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in daughters – but not in sons. This has been shown by researchers at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ).https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/maternal-overweight-risk-factor-childhood-leukemia-daughters
3R-Center - 18/08/2021 Putting alternatives to animal testing into practice Animal experiments are still central to biomedical research. However, it has become increasingly clear that not all of them are absolutely necessary. Alternative techniques exist. The new 3R-Netzwerk Baden-Württemberg is now seeking to promote these more vigorously - and improve animal welfare in cases where alternatives to animal testing are not available.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/putting-alternatives-animal-testing-practice
NeuroQ project - 26/07/2023 Quantum sensors for exoskeletons: can quantum physics beat paralysis? Could people suddenly be able to move again decades after being paralysed? State-of-the-art quantum sensors integrated in exoskeletons could make this possible. Technology being developed as part of the BMBF-funded NeuroQ beacon project by researchers from organisations including the Fraunhofer IAF, the Charité in Berlin and the University of Stuttgart might achieve even more: besides facilitating movement, it could also help cure paralysis.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/quantum-sensors-exoskeletons-can-quantum-physics-beat-paralysis
Press release - 20/01/2025 PAMSARC: New study at the NCT Heidelberg links research and clinical action Young patients suffering from two aggressive sarcoma types can now participate in the innovative PAMSARC therapy study at the NCT Heidelberg. The study uses molecular biological methods and tests the extent to which a new drug can improve the poor prognosis for these tumours.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/pamsarc-new-study-nct-heidelberg-links-research-and-clinical-action
Press release - 16/04/2025 Hereditary Alzheimer’s: Blood Marker for Defective Neuronal Connections Rises Early Individuals with a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease show altered blood levels indicating damaged neuronal contacts as early as 11 years before the expected onset of dementia symptoms. This is evident in the levels of the protein “beta-synuclein”. An international team report these findings in the journal “Alzheimer’s & Dementia”. The biomarker studied here could potentially help to detect neurodegeneration at an early stage.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/hereditary-alzheimers-blood-marker-defective-neuronal-connections-rises-early
Press release - 19/05/2025 How the Epstein-Barr virus promotes its spread in the body Many people are infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and most are unaware of it. However, EBV can sometimes cause cancer, and this pathogen also appears to play an important role in multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases. Researchers have discovered that EBV increases the ability of infected immune cells to migrate. In this way, the pathogen promotes its spread in the body – a discovery that may have therapeutic implications.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/how-epstein-barr-virus-promotes-its-spread-body
Press release - 13/06/2023 AutoProNano – international cooperation for in vitro and in vivo diagnostics The AutoProNano German/French collaborative project involves developing a process for the automated production of nanoparticles for in vitro and in vivo diagnostics. The project is being launched within the smart analytics cooperation network. This international initiative has been funded by the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM) of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) since May 2020.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/autopronano-international-cooperation-vitro-and-vivo-diagnostics
Press release - 15/11/2024 Selenium proteins as a possible new target for cancer research An important enzyme helps the body produce selenium proteins – this discovery could open up new strategies for treating cancer in children. This has been published by scientists from the University of Würzburg, the University Sao Paolo, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Heidelberg Stem Cell Institute HI-STEM*.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/selenium-proteins-possible-new-target-cancer-research
Press release - 07/02/2025 Multiple myeloma: When cancer cells break out of the bone marrow, a dangerous diversity arises A research team from the Heidelberg Medical Faculty, the German Cancer Research Center, the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) and the Max Delbrück Center has discovered new details about the spread of the incurable bone marrow cancer multiple myeloma in the body: When the cancer cells break out of the bone and multiply outside the bone marrow, a wide variety of tumor cells arise, accompanied by a significantly altered immune response. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/multiple-myeloma-when-cancer-cells-break-out-bone-marrow-dangerous-diversity-arises
Press release - 11/10/2023 The new Center for Bionic Intelligence Tübingen Stuttgart The new Center for Bionic Intelligence Tübingen Stuttgart aims to optimize the interaction between humans and technical systems in a fundamentally new way. Scientists from the Universities of Stuttgart and Tübingen, the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems and the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics are conducting research on intelligent bionic systems that will aid understanding and treatment of certain diseases of the CNS.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/zentrum-fuer-bionic-intelligence-tuebingen-stuttgart-gegruendet
Press release - 09/12/2024 Brain tumour cells rapidly integrate into brain-wide neuronal circuits Researchers at the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and the Heidelberg University Hospital have used modified rabies viruses to label glioblastoma tumour cells and their direct cell contacts in the mouse brain. The new method showed that the tumour cells are connected to different types of nerve cells throughout the entire brain at a very early stage of the disease. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/brain-tumour-cells-rapidly-integrate-brain-wide-neuronal-circuits
Press release - 04/12/2024 Joint research in key technologies: NMI and KIT sign cooperation agreement The NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have signed a groundbreaking cooperation agreement. This partnership combines the expertise of both institutions in the fields of production and characterization of materials for biological systems and energy storage as well as the application of statistical methods in medicine.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/joint-research-key-technologies-nmi-and-kit-sign-cooperation-agreement
Press release - 12/02/2025 Therapeutic Designer Peptide to Combat Acute Heart Muscle Weakness Researchers of the Heidelberg University, Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) and Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS) have developed a synthetic peptide based on the natural protein S100A1, a nearly universal “fuel” for weakened hearts. The researchers combined computer-aided methods with lab studies to investigate the therapeutic effect of the so called S100A1ct peptide molecule.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/therapeutic-designer-peptide-combat-acute-heart-muscle-weakness
Translational oncology - 26/05/2020 Translation: driver of cancer medicine The fight against cancer is a pressing issue. Although technological advances in the treatment, prevention and early detection of cancer have improved over the past few decades, the number of people affected is increasing. Cancer medicine now wants to counteract this by joining forces with other players involved in the field. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/translation-driver-cancer-medicine
Press release - 05/03/2024 New Center for Synthetic Genomics Applying and developing new technologies for DNA synthesis to pave the way for producing entire artificial genomes – that is the goal of a new interdisciplinary center, 'Center for Synthetic Genomics', that is being established at Heidelberg University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-center-synthetic-genomics
Press release - 12/06/2024 Pathogen identification — next-generation sequencing optimizes diagnostics Invasive infections such as sepsis require immediate and targeted treatment. Experts from the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB and group partners have succeeded in establishing a reconceptualized detection principle that can make a crucial contribution to saving lives through fast, ultra-accurate pathogen identification. They have been chosen to receive the 2024 Stifterverband Science Prize for their efforts.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/pathogen-identification-next-generation-sequencing-optimizes-diagnostics
Press release - 11/06/2025 Antiviral tests on protective clothing for infection control Textiles functionalized with antiviral agents are intended to reduce the risk of transmission of pathogens, particularly in a medical environment. These antiviral properties must be carefully tested and verified in laboratory tests. The biological testing laboratory of the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf has examined antiviral activities with coronaviruses as part of a research project on textiles for infection control.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/antiviral-tests-protective-clothing-infection-control