Inflammation of the heart muscle, also known as myocarditis, is a serious consequence of a viral infection. This can impede the heart’s ability to pump blood in the long term. In a current study, researchers of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Freiburg have discovered a new approach for treating myocarditis.

Mitochondria are considered to be the power plants of cells and are essential for human metabolism. Dysfunction in 40 percent of mitochondrial proteins are associated with human diseases, which is why mitochondria also play an important role in medical research. A previously unexplained process in the complex mitochondria was the formation of their barrel pores.

Heidelberg University is to acquire a research building to develop innovative engineering science strategies and technologies on the basis of life-inspired molecular systems. The German Science and Humanities Council has now expressed its backing for the idea with an outstanding rating. This recommendation is the crucial precondition for a new building on the university campus Im Neuenheimer Feld.

Since 2019, the Research Training Group (RTG) "Intraoperative Multisensoric Tissue Differentiation in Oncology," a collaboration between the University of Stuttgart and the University of Tübingen, has been advancing research in medical technology. With the help of new sensor methods, the researchers want to help make surgical procedures on cancer patients safer and more effective.

Making existing cancer therapy more efficient while significantly reducing the side effects on healthy tissue - this is the aim of a project at Aalen University. It is being funded with one million euros from the Carl Zeiss Foundation. The biophysicist and his team are developing innovative nanoparticles made of gold. The particles use radiotherapy and chemotherapy simultaneously and kill the cancer cells in a targeted manner.

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.

University of Tübingen researchers reverse the evolution of a class of antibiotics to gain insights for the development of new drugs.

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.

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.

COVIC-19 clinical trial - 07/04/2022

Convalescent plasma for COVID-19 therapy: clinical trial should bring clarity

Does it help to treat COVID-19 sufferers with antibodies from people who have recovered from the disease? It seems an obvious idea and has been tested thousands of times. However, there is not yet enough evidence to prove the clinical efficacy of treating COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma. The transfusion physician Prof. Dr. Hubert Schrezenmeier from Ulm is planning to carry out a follow-up clinical trial to find the missing evidence.

Optogenetic cell analysis - 15/05/2023

opto biolabs: how frustration and inventiveness led to the establishment of a company

When she found she had no suitable illumination devices for her doctoral thesis, Dr. Kathrin Brenker simply created her own customised adapters and founded a company called opto biolabs. Now, Brenker and company co-founder Luis Köbele sell two different types of devices. The main goal is to equip laboratories with illumination technologies that allow optogenetics methods to be used to accelerate development of optogenetic therapeutics.

Dossier - 18/04/2016

Epigenetics – heritable traits without changing the DNA sequence

Epigenetics, i.e. the inheritance of traits that does not involve a change in the DNA sequence, was once a controversial subject that has since become a central focus of biological research. Epigenetic inheritance is now studied by numerous national and international research programmes. Many cellular regulatory and differentiation processes are controlled by epigenetic mechanisms that take place on different levels.

Jun.-Prof. Dr. Priscilla Briquez, junior professor at the Department of General and Visceral Surgery at the Freiburg University Medical Center and member of the Medical Faculty at the University of Freiburg, has received a European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant from the European Commission. Her DRESSCODE project will receive a total of 1.5 million euros funding for five years.

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.

Article - 16/04/2019

Tumour monitoring using liquid biopsy

Liquid biopsy, the analysis of cancer biomarkers and circulating tumour cells in body fluids such as blood, is revolutionising the diagnosis and monitoring of cancer. It has also been possible to expand circulating tumour cells from the blood under laboratory conditions. It is expected that in the future, liquid biopsy will be able to precisely characterise tumour cells at every stage of a cancer.

Spindiag GmbH, together with the University of Freiburg and the Hahn-Schickard-Gesellschaft für angewandte Forschung e.V., was awarded the Technology Transfer Prize 2020 from the German Physical Society (DPG) on April 09, 2022 for the development of the PCR-based rapid test system Rhonda.

Team involving the University of Freiburg has developed a new analytical method for the basement membrane in human lungs.

So far, 4.2 million animal tests under the REACH chemical regulation: A study from Konstanz and Baltimore quantifies the number of animals that died for the hazard assessment of chemicals in the chemical industry.

Stem cell research - 14/03/2024

Using organoids to gain a better clinical understanding of pancreatic cancer

Prof. Dr. Alexander Kleger carries out translational research at Ulm University Hospital to gain a better understanding of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and develop individualised treatments. He and his team are using organoid models and stem cell-based systems and have succeeded in simultaneously cultivating all three main cell types of the pancreas from pluripotent stem cells.

The nuclease Cas13b associated with the CRISPR gene scissors, which is an enzyme that degrades nucleic acids, has the potential to be used in the future in hereditary diseases to switch off unwanted genes. In the fight against infections, this nuclease is also being researched as an antiviral agent, as Cas13b can specifically intervene in the genetic material of viruses and render them harmless.

An Emmy Noether junior research group at Heidelberg University is investigating how to gain new insights into fundamental biological mechanisms from large-scale molecular data sets. Led by Junior Professor Dr Britta Velten, it has started work at the Centre for Organismal Studies and the Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing.

Dossier - 12/03/2012

Regenerative medicine makes use of patients own resources

Die Regenerative Medizin bietet neue Therapieoptionen quer durch die ärztlichen Fachgebiete. Zumeist sind es zellbasierte Verfahren und sie werden häufig mit innovativen Biomaterialien kombiniert. Regenerative Therapien vereinen Know-how aus den Biowissenschaften mit moderner Medizintechnik und sie profitieren von den Fortschritten in den Ingenieur- und Materialwissenschaften.

Antibodies can improve the rehabilitation of people with acute spinal cord injury. Researchers at 13 clinics in Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Spain have investigated this with promising results. For the first time, it was possible to identify patient groups that displayed a clinically relevant treatment effect. A follow-up study will start in December 2024.

The Damietta Server broadens the accessibility to protein design research and its applications in various biotechnological and biomedical fields. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, the University of Tübingen, and the University Hospital Tübingen have developed a web-based toolkit to accelerate and simplify protein design without needing powerful computers or extensive protein design expertise on the user’s end.

Researchers of the University of Freiburg introduce biosensor for the nucleic acid amplification-free detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

Dossier - 09/02/2015

Chemical tools for biological applications

The boundaries between traditional scientific disciplines are becoming less and less distinct. Interdisciplinary cooperation is often required to study complex processes and biomolecular issues. Interdisciplinary cooperation is central to chemical biology.

Researchers use epigenetic factors to investigate the role of stress in the development of tumor diseases. Experts believe that stress plays a major role in the development of tumors. One occupational group, for example, that experiences extreme stress over a short period of time is astronauts.

On March 23, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval to the first targeted radioligand therapy against metastatic prostate cancer based on a joint patent of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the University of Heidelberg. The agent significantly improves the chances of survival for those affected.

Proteins have characteristic amino acid sequences, the analysis of which is fundamental for research and medicine. These can be decoded; however, so-called protein sequencing is expensive and time-consuming. A large-scale research project led by Prof. Dr. Jan Behrends from the Institute of Physiology at the University of Freiburg now aims to establish a new technology for protein sequencing using nanopores, which will be rapid and cost-effective.

Known as the power plant of the cell, mitochondria are essential to human metabolism. Human mitochondria consist of 1,300 different proteins and two fatty biomembranes. The vast majority of mitochondrial proteins are produced with a cleavable transport signal and have to be actively transported into the mitochondria.

University of Tübingen research team shortens the search for attackers that can wipe out multiresistant pathogens – with the aim of treating infections without antibiotics

For the first time, the active substance epifadin has been isolated at the University of Tübingen – Epifadin is produced by specific bacteria in the nose and on the skin of humans, has an antibiotic effect, and is the first example of a previously unknown antimicrobial compound class.

Researchers of the University of Freiburg have discovered a previously unknown function of septins in defending cells against dangerous hospital pathogens.

University of Tübingen neuroscientists discover new functions of head-direction cells suggesting they may contribute to episodic memory formation.

The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Arts (MWK) is supporting medical researchers at Ulm University with start-up funding totalling 600,000 euros. The aim is to establish an EU consortium for the broad therapeutic use of mesenchymal stromal cells. The funding is being awarded as part of the "BEGIN - Participation in major European projects and initiatives" programme.

A new molecular engineering technique can precisely influence the development of organoids. Microbeads made of specifically folded DNA are used to release growth factors or other signal molecules inside the tissue structures. This gives rise to considerably more complex organoids that imitate the respective tissues much better and have a more realistic cell mix than before.

With the "Česká Hlava" awards, the Czech government has been honoring the country's most brilliant minds every year since 2002 and recognizing exceptional achievements in research, development and innovation. Martina Benešová-Schäfer of the German Cancer Research Center was among the six laureates honored in 2022 at Charles University in Prague.

Heidelberg Epignostix GmbH, a deeptech start-up committed to precision cancer diagnostics today announces €4.3M in seed funding. This investment will enable Heidelberg Epignostix to make a substantial leap forward in driving market development for its flagship indication for brain tumor classification.

Drugs consist of molecules developed in the drug laboratory that bind to their target, usually a protein, and thus exert their effect. The actual duration of binding of a drug molecule to its target protein varies depending on the drug. The lifetime of the drug-target complex can play a critical role in the efficacy of a drug, as a long residence time at the target can be crucial for the drug's action in some cases.

Scientists have long sought ways to simulate the neural networks in the brain with computers in order to understand how it works. Now, researchers have combined new measurements of the wiring diagrams of the fruit fly with artificial intelligence methods to build a neural network that can do what few thought possible: To predict the activity of individual neurons without making a single measurement in a living brain.

Rolandic epilepsy is a common form of epilepsy in children which occurs primarily during sleep. Short sounds played during sleep can partially suppress the neuronal discharges characteristic of epilepsy. That’s according to a research team from the University of Tübingen and Tübingen University Hospitals. The team is headed by Dr. Hong-Viet Ngo and Professor Jan Born from the Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology.

Professor Dr. Rohini Kuner from the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University receives the Leibniz Prize of the German Research Foundation (DFG).

University of Tübingen research team observes biochemical process in living cells – indications of new approach to preventing heart attacks and strokes

Article - 10/06/2021

New study: vaccine therapy for treating patients with chronic leukaemia

Personalised peptide vaccination is expected to improve the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. A research team from Tübingen has started a Phase I clinical trial with CLL patients who will undergo ibrutinib treatment. Other leukaemia sufferers as well as cancer patients in general are also expected to benefit in the long term.

The challenge: if conventional speaking valves are used improperly, dangerous overpressure can occur, which can cause serious complications and even death. In a collaboration at the University of Freiburg, researchers developed a speaking valve with an integrated pressure release valve and an acoustic warning signal, inspired by the trapping mechanism of the carnivorous bladderwort plant Utricularia vulgaris.

Cancer immunotherapies often fail because the immune cells are paralysed by immunosuppressive conditions in the tumor. Scientists from Heidelberg, Mannheim and Tel Aviv have now shown on tissue samples from patients as well as on tumor models in mice that the functionality of the immune defence depends decisively on certain helper cells.

The progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) can usually be slowed down with medication, but a cure is currently not possible. It is now established that Epstein-Barr viruses are involved in the development of MS. However, it is not known how the pathogens trigger the disease. The European Union is now funding the international research consortium BEHIND-MS as part of its HORIZON Europe program.

Why 3,000 bars are needed to take a comprehensive look at a protein: Konstanz researchers Frederic Berner and Michael Kovermann present a new high-pressure spectroscopy method to unravel the properties of proteins' native structures.

What a success for Ulm University and its medical centre! The German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; DFG) extends the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) on Trauma Medicine for the second time. The third funding phase infuses the CRC 1149 'Danger Response, Disturbance Factors and Regenerative Potential after Acute Trauma' with 11.1 million euros.

Article - 26/07/2019

New test assay leads to discovery of new influenza virus infection route

Researchers from the University of Freiburg have recently discovered a completely new mechanism that influenza viruses use to infect cells. This discovery was partly made possible by a so-called emulsion coupling assay - an extremely sensitive, digital detection method developed by Actome GmbH in collaboration with scientists from the Freiburg University of Applied Sciences and Hahn-Schickard. The assay is used to count individual molecules and…