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Expert interview - 16/01/2019 Cybersecurity is an important issue for the pharmaceutical industry
In an increasingly interconnected world, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors need to be aware of cybersecurity threats in manufacturing. We talked about these threats with Holger Mettler who is in charge of computer system validation and cybersecurity at Exyte (formerly M + W), a global enterprise that designs, engineers and constructs complex manufacturing facilities and buildings for the life sciences industry.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/cybersecurity-is-an-important-issue-for-the-pharmaceutical-industry -
Article - 28/03/2019 Supporting the human use of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is no longer a vision of the future, but is already in our midst: whether it is parking aids or search engines, we use the technology quite naturally in many areas of daily life. It promises new, unlimited opportunities, but also poses risks. Experts from the Integrata Foundation in Tübingen work on ethical issues and the human use of IT for improving the life of as many people as possible.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/supporting-the-human-use-of-artificial-intelligence -
Article - 24/01/2019 Scientists to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wastewater
In Germany, around 1,500 tonnes of antibiotics per year are administered to humans and animals. As a result, more and more bacteria are developing resistance to common antibiotics. As part of HyReKA, a cooperative project funded by the BMBF, scientists led by Professor Thomas Schwartz from the KIT are investigating how antibiotic-resistant pathogens spread and how they can be prevented from doing so.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/scientists-to-combat-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria-in-wastewater -
Article - 29/01/2019 Targeted RNA editing with the body’s own enzyme activity
Completely new possibilities for research and gene therapy became available following the development of the CRISPR/Cas method for targeted modification of the genome. However, treatment with molecular scissors is not without risk as potential errors are stored in the genome forever. Scientists from Tübingen have developed an alternative method in which the intervention takes place at the RNA level using the body's own enzymes and is thus…
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/targeted-rna-editing-with-the-bodys-own-enzyme-activity -
Article - 21/02/2019 Using neuromedical artificial intelligence responsibly
Brain-computer interfaces are the latest developments in the neurotechnology field. They are used to record brain activity, which is then decoded with artificial intelligence techniques and converted into control signals for robots or computers. While this brings hope to severely paralysed people, it also implies risks due to the interest of companies like Google and Facebook in this type of data.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/using-neuromedical-artificial-intelligence-responsibly -
Article - 07/02/2019 Artificial intelligence in ophthalmology
Retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are now treatable. However, it is hard to predict individual disease progression. A group of researchers at the University Eye Centre in Freiburg are currently developing a new system which is hoped will allay fears and improve therapy planning. The system uses artificial intelligence to predict therapeutic outcome from image and patient data. Initial results are already available.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/artificial-intelligence-in-ophthalmology -
Article - 05/03/2019 Vaccination against oncogenic Epstein-Barr viruses
Almost all humans are infected with Epstein-Barr viruses (EBV), which are linked to the development of benign diseases such as infectious mononucleosis as well as several cancers. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center have developed a new strategy for creating a vaccine that targets different EBV virus life phases and has the potential to provide effective protection against EBV infection.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/vaccination-against-oncogenic-epstein-barr-viruses -
Article - 30/01/2019 candidum – computer-assisted enzyme design
Industry has been using enzymes for over a hundred years. While it initially had to content itself with natural enzymes, it is now increasingly possible to design tailor-made biocatalysts with specific properties. The start-up company candidum GmbH from Stuttgart promises to achieve this faster than ever before - mostly thanks to accelerated virtual screening.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/candidum-computer-assisted-enzyme-design -
Company profile - 09/01/2019 HQS Quantum Simulations for industrial quantum mechanics applications
The door to the quantum world is opening wider and wider. Behind it is a whole new view of materials and molecules. Quantum mechanics applications not only benefit science, they also offer huge economic potential. The Karlsruhe start-up HQS Quantum Simulations is playing a pioneering role in quantum simulations for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/hqs-quantum-simulations-for-industrial-quantum-mechanics-applications -
Article - 18/03/2019 EHR and PHR: digital records in the German healthcare system
EHRs, i.e. electronic health records (German: Patientenakte, ePA), are hailed as the key to increasing the quality of care. The Appointment Service and Supply Act (TSVG), adopted on 14th March 2019, requires the German statutory health insurance funds to provide policyholders with electronic health records from 1st January 2021 onwards.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/ehr-and-phr-digital-records-in-the-german-healthcare-system -
Expert interview on NTDs – part 1 - 11/04/2019 Neglected tropical diseases – Carsten Köhler: impulses from Baden-Württemberg
More than one billion people worldwide suffer from neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). NTDs are mostly poverty-related infectious diseases that prevail in tropical countries due to lack of research and measures to detect, prevent and control them. Dr. Dr. Carsten Köhler reports on the political, economic and scientific contributions Germany and Baden-Württemberg can make to successfully change this situation.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/vernachlaessigte-tropenkrankheiten-carsten-koehler-impulse-aus-baden-wuerttemberg -
Expert interview - 13/05/2019 Innovation management in the life sciences – Inova DE provides insights
Personalized medicine, medical technology, digital health and artificial intelligence are revolutionizing diagnostics and product development. Analyses are becoming faster and more precise, and data volumes can now be networked and used effectively. The goal of improving people's quality of life is within reach, and this will also strengthen Germany’s future viability. However, not every good idea can be turned into a marketable commodity.…
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/innovation-management-in-the-life-sciences-inova-de-provides-insights -
Article - 11/06/2019 New pathogens in beef and cow's milk contributing to the risk of cancer
A team of researchers led by Nobel laureate Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. mult. Harald zur Hausen has discovered a new type of infectious agent in dairy and meat products produced from European cattle that increases the risk for colon and breast cancer. These so-called Bovine Meat and Milk Factors (BMMFs) are small DNA molecules that are similar in sequence to both bacterial plasmids and certain viruses.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-pathogens-in-beef-and-cows-milk-contributing-to-the-risk-of-cancer -
Expert interview on NTDs – part 2 - 29/05/2019 Neglected tropical diseases - Gisela Schneider: the burden of disease
"Leaving no one behind". The motto of the 2030 Agenda with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which was signed by the United Nations (UN) in 2015 makes clear that combatting poverty and its consequences is an essential part of sustainable development. The fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is defined as a major aim of the Agenda’s sustainable development goals. The World Health Organisation (WHO) regards twenty…
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/neglected-tropical-diseases-gisela-schneider-the-burden-of-disease -
Article - 22/03/2019 Personalised therapies for treating metastasing breast cancer
Breast cancer is characterised by broad genetic diversity. Successful treatment is made even more difficult by the fact that, in advanced breast cancer, the properties of metastases often differ significantly from the primary tumour. The Heidelberg CATCH study is now collecting genetic profiles from patients' metastasis tissue samples, which can be used to tailor therapy to individual requirements.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/personalisierte-therapieansaetze-bei-metastasiertem-brustkrebs -
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.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/tumour-monitoring-using-liquid-biopsy -
Article - 03/04/2019 HKK Bionics empowers hand gripping functions
A spin-off from the Ulm University of Applied Sciences is aiming to provide people whose hands have been paralysed due to accident or illness with a new kind of orthopaedic aid. Dominik Hepp and Tobias Knobloch are currently starting serial production of a hand orthosis prototype. The two medical engineers from Ulm, who founded HKK Bionics GmbH in 2017, plan to commence final tests in 2019.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/hkk-bionics-empowers-hand-gripping-functions -
Article - 23/04/2019 How can care infrastructures benefit from digitization?
The pilot project NeCTra (Networking - Care - Transparency) investigates how care processes within an urban social environment can be improved by using digital technologies. The goal is to bring together all partners and institutions in real time so that people in need of care and those seeking advice receive appropriate support more quickly.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/how-can-care-infrastructures-benefit-from-digitization -
Dossier - 18/06/2012 Biobanks treasure chests for biomedical research
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 biobanking law during the current mandate.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/biobanks-treasure-chests-for-biomedical-research -
Dossier - 15/04/2013 Bioactive plant foods: more than just filling
Food that offers additional nutritional benefits is becoming increasingly important for example food that is able to prevent or treat diseases. This kind of food is therefore interesting for consumers the food industry and the healthcare sector alike. Products based on plant raw materials are particularly in demand due to the variety of natural health-promoting ingredients.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/bioactive-plant-foods-more-than-just-filling -
Dossier - 25/03/2013 Biotechnology goes automated
Processes that previously required pipetting analysis and production to be carried out manually are increasingly now controlled by automated systems. However this has not necessarily involved a complete reinvention of the wheel instead automation systems used in the plant construction and mechanical engineering sectors are being adapted and optimised for application in the life sciences.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/biotechnology-goes-automated -
Dossier - 09/03/2015 Advances in the study and treatment of liver diseases
Liver diseases are often underestimated despite being quite common and potentially having serious and even life-threatening consequences, especially in chronic cases. The most common causes of liver diseases are hepatitis viruses, excessive alcohol consumption, and obesity; congenital or autoimmune liver diseases are quite rare. Thanks to advances in medical research, diseases such as hepatitis B and C can be treated effectively.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/advances-in-the-study-and-treatment-of-liver-diseases -
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.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/chemical-tools-for-biological-applications -
Dossier - 16/06/2014 Biotechnology as a tool for the production of food
Biotechnology opens up numerous opportunities for the food industry. The targeted use of biotechnological methods can help reduce the quantity and number of unhealthy ingredients in foods as well as degrade allergenic substances. Genomic research and targeted breeding also greatly facilitate progress in agriculture. Food biotechnology therefore contributes significantly to saving resources, optimising harvest yields and producing better foods.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/biotechnology-as-a-tool-for-the-production-of-food -
Dossier - 30/06/2014 Addiction new concepts for resolving old problems
Addictive substances and behaviours are as varied as their effects on an addict’s health and personality. However, modern neurobiological research has revealed common principles in the development and continuation of addiction, which can be used as an approach for new prevention and therapy strategies including the prevention of relapses. This dossier presents some of the latest research results in the field.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/addiction-new-concepts-for-resolving-old-problems -
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Dossier - 24/05/2012 Biochips microsystems technology for the life sciences
Nanoscale robots and intelligent measurement systems in arteries, fingernail-sized DNA chips that can be used to analyze thousands of genes in tiny samples, intelligent DNA microsensors – the trend in the life sciences is moving towards miniaturization.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/biochips-microsystems-technology-for-the-life-sciences -
Dossier - 15/10/2013 Adult stem cells hope for regenerative therapies
Adult stem cells have the lifelong ability to generate new specialised cells. They secure the continuous replenishment of cells therefore enabling the constant replacement of dying cells with new ones. Progress in the characterisation isolation and specific differentiation of adult stem cells over recent years raises hopes for the future use of the cells in the therapy of degenerative diseases. Knowledge about adult stem cells also has the…
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/adult-stem-cells-hope-for-regenerative-therapies -
Dossier - 09/07/2012 Bachelors and masters under scrutiny has the new study system stood the test?
More practical relevance, shorter courses and courses that are compatible across Europe – when the decision to implement the bachelor’s and master’s system was made in Germany in 1999, there were high expectations and hopes for the positive changes to come. The question is, have these expectations been met?
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/bachelor-s-and-master-s-under-scrutiny-has-the-new-study-system-stood-the-test -
Dossier - 05/11/2012 Cancer basic research successes and trends
Science is approaching cancer treatment by using new systems biology approaches and setting up large-scale multidisciplinary projects such as the International Cancer Genome Consortium. Progress in genome, epigenome and gene expression analyses of cancer cells, new insights into the regulation and interaction of cells gained in cooperation with stem cell research and virus research contributes to gaining a causal understanding of cancer.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/cancer-basic-research-successes-and-trends -
Dossier - 10/03/2014 Cancer therapy and cancer diagnostics
Thanks to improved diagnostics and therapy, today’s cancer patients can live considerably longer than patients several years ago. Nevertheless, some cancers, especially the strongly metastatic ones, are difficult to treat. Therapies targeting immune cells or cancer stem cells could potentially improve the current situation.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/cancer-therapy-and-cancer-diagnostics -
Dossier - 04/11/2013 Biotechnology driver of innovation in the pharmaceutical industry
The biotech industry is the innovative driver for a pharmaceutical industry that, due to the shift from blockbluster products to personalised medicine, now depends on new concepts. The production of new drugs using genetic engineering relies on knowledge gained from genomics, proteomics and systems biology and creates new treatment strategies that combine therapy and diagnostics (i.e. companion diagnostics) to provide a specific individualised…
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/biotechnology-driver-of-innovation-in-the-pharmaceutical-industry -
Dossier - 02/06/2014 Bioanalysis techniques for the characterization of biological material
Science constantly provides researchers with new challenges biologists and bioanalysts have to deal with and which come from sources as varied as the ever increasing number of resistant pathogenic bacterial strains or the famine conditions in Third-World countries. In the search for scientific truths bioanalysis is the development optimization and application of the entire range of analytical methods available. However we need to keep in mind…
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/bioanalysis-techniques-for-the-characterization-of-biological-material -
Dossier - 28/04/2014 Data mining new opportunities for medicine and public health
Research and healthcare activities produce huge quantities of data that need to be presented in an understandable structure. This requires computer-assisted extraction of relevant data and the use of statistical methods. This process, known as data mining, enables the discovery of patterns in large data sets. Data mining methods are of particular importance in fields that use high-throughput, visualisation methods and telemedical applications.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/data-mining-new-opportunities-for-medicine-and-public-health -
Dossier - 23/07/2012 Extremophilic bacteria
Extremophilic bacteria love it hot, sour or salty, toxic substances like heavy metals also do them good and even give them energy. As molecular and systems biology techniques get better and better, industry is also becoming increasingly interested in these exotic organisms. What potential does knowing the biochemistry of extremophilic bacteria have for the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and sanitary articles industries?
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/extremophilic-bacteria -
Dossier - 26/11/2012 Genetic diagnostics technology reaches the limits of what is medically reasonable
Rapid progress in sequencing technologies is poised to set the imagination of biomedical researchers on fire. Experts now believe that progress is about to make possible what seemed to be utopian a few years ago – it seems likely that it will soon be possible to sequence the human genome in only a few minutes and store and automatically analyse it using tiny automates. However, is everything that is technically feasible also reasonable?
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/genetic-diagnostics-technology-reaches-the-limits-of-what-is-medically-reasonable -
Dossier - 21/05/2013 No new drugs to be placed on the market without clinical trials
New pharmaceuticals are subject to approval by drug authorities. Here clinical trials are performed to ensure the quality efficacy and safety of a medicinal product. Clinical development is a time-consuming and costly process and takes on average ten to fifteen years before a pharmaceutical company can apply for the approval of the drug. The costs including failures can amount to approximately one billion US dollars per drug.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/no-new-drugs-to-be-placed-on-the-market-without-clinical-trials -
Dossier - 03/06/2013 Food analytics applied consumer protection
Consumers rightly expect to be supplied with healthy, high-quality and safe foods. However, over the past few years, food scandals have frequently hit the headlines. They are brought to light in laboratories that have a huge arsenal of methods and procedures to analyse food. Although the media would have us believe otherwise, the vast majority of foods are safe and very rarely hazardous to human health.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/food-analytics-applied-consumer-protection -
Dossier - 20/12/2012 Medical technology serving healthcare
Modern healthcare would be impossible without medical technology. The achievements in medical technology are indispensable for our health and quality of life. The range of medical technology available covers surgical instruments and implants to diagnostic methods and medical devices.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/medical-technology-serving-healthcare -
Dossier - 08/10/2012 Marine biotechnology unknown sources of hope from the depths of the sea
Biotechnological methods are used to investigate marine life and the results obtained from these investigations advance research in the fields of medicine and energy and into substances used as food supplements and cosmetics. The area of marine biotechnology is fairly diverse. Although it is not on the coast even the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg is involved in marine biotechnology.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/marine-biotechnology-unknown-sources-of-hope-from-the-depths-of-the-sea -
Dossier - 20/01/2014 Optogenetics switching cell activity on and off with light
What still sounds like science fiction to the general public has long been within reach for many years scientists have been able to manipulate neural activity selectively with light. They use different wavelengths to turn cells on and off as if they were a standard switch. Optogenetics is an emerging technology that combines optics and genetics. The technology is already used in many different ways for many different purposes by numerous research…
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/optogenetics-switching-cell-activity-on-and-off-with-light -
Dossier - 01/07/2013 Electrophysiology from cardiac pacemakers to drug discovery
Electrochemical reactions are involved in many processes in the human organism. Electrophysiology is the study of the central processes of electrical and chemical interaction and communication between neurons and muscle cells, including the transmission and processing of signals in the nerves and the subsequent contraction of the muscles. For example, electrophysiology studies examine the rhythm which which our heart pumps blood through the body.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/electrophysiology-from-cardiac-pacemakers-to-drug-discovery -
Dossier - 18/11/2013 Innovative textiles made possible by biotechnology
Biotechnology plays a part in many high-tech fabrics that have become an integral part of our everyday life. Whether it is products for the treatment of wounds, fabrics for marquees or for clothing, many materials have been developed or are produced using biotechnological techniques and processes. Many products marketed as “micro” or “nano” are inspired by nature.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/innovative-textiles-made-possible-by-biotechnology -
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.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/human-infectious-diseases-new-threats -
Dossier - 27/08/2012 Evo-devo - the synthesis of developmental biology and evolution
Evo-devo research has led to completely new ideas concerning the evolution of animals. The huge variety of animals is the result of changes in the activity of a limited number of master genes that control early embryonic development. These master genes have been highly conserved throughout evolution, which is why their analysis allows conclusions to be drawn concerning the evolution of multicellular animals and their different body plans.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/evo-devo-the-synthesis-of-developmental-biology-and-evolution -
Dossier - 31/03/2014 Peptides diverse molecules of life
Peptides exist in all organisms, wherever there are cells. The range of their physiological functions is huge. Biologically active peptides can act as hormones, neurotransmitters, growth factors as well as toxins and antibiotics. This is what makes them highly interesting drug leads. They are used for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, cancer and other diseases. Peptides are gaining in importance as candidates for drugs.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/peptides-diverse-molecules-of-life -
Dossier - 01/10/2012 Systems biology understanding complex biological systems
Systems biology studies complex interactions within biological systems on the genome proteome and organelle level. Many techniques from the fields of systems theory and associated fields can be used to gain an understanding of the behaviour and biological mechanisms of cellular systems.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/systems-biology-understanding-complex-biological-systems -
Dossier - 05/08/2013 Progress expands bioethical boundaries
Bioethics is a rich and continually evolving field. In the broadest sense, bioethics relates to the way human individuals treat any form of life. The issue of whether human beings have the right to do whatever they want goes way back. Rapid progress in genetic engineering and cell biology means that it is necessary to look at certain issues in a new way and recognise that not everything that is technically feasible should actually be carried out.
https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/progress-expands-bioethical-boundaries