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

The Bayer Foundation's Early Excellence in Science Award 2024 in the category of Data Science goes to Ivana Winkler of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). Winkler's work uncovered the unexpected effect of female reproductive capacity: the constantly recurring remodeling of the organs of the female reproductive tract during the sexual cycle leads to fibrosis and chronic inflammation over the years.

Expert interview - 16/12/2024

Learning from Nature for Innovation

Natural phenomena are used to find technological solutions in a number of fields. In an interview with BIOPRO, Prof. Dr. Peter M. Kunz discusses groundbreaking innovations emerging from Baden-Württemberg and shares insights on how the principles of bionics can inspire the next generation of innovators.

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is currently funding a project at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Heidelberg University Hospital with around 1.2 million euros. The aim is to use 3D printing technology to produce individualized implants directly in the clinic, thus enabling faster, more efficient and more precise patient-specific care. To this end, the UKHD is working with an industrial partner.

Dr Simon Binder has been awarded a five-year, 1.5 million euro grant from the Carl Zeiss Foundation for his research into novel neuroimplants. Binder will establish the early career research group ‘Biohybrid Neuroimplants based on Soft Hydrogel Electrodes’ at the University of Freiburg. It is affiliated with the research institutions BrainLinks-BrainTools.

A cutting-edge chemical process is the first to make it possible to quickly and easily produce modified peptides with boronic acids. As part of this work, scientists managed to synthesize a large number of different biologically active peptide boronic acids and investigate their properties. They open up new possibilities in the young research field of synthetic immunology and could go on to be used primarily in immunotherapy.

The constant remodeling of the organs of the female reproductive tract during the reproductive cycle leads to fibrosis and chronic inflammation over the years. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have now uncovered these unexpected long-term consequences of female reproductive function in mice. The results have been published in the scientific journal CELL.

Help with osteoarthritis of the knee - 27/09/2023

Individualised knee-joint cartilage: artificial tissue that fits

Knee joints are subject to considerable stress throughout our lives. The natural shock absorber cartilage wears out over a lifetime, so many people develop knee osteoarthritis. Treatment is available in the form of artificial cartilage. This "off-the-shelf" tissue often does not grow well. Researchers are developing an individualised cartilage replacement made from biomaterial that is produced by 3D printing based on MRI images.

Project BlindZero - 03/08/2023

Hope for patients with eye diseases: human cornea from 3D printers

Thousands of cornea transplants are performed every year. However, donors are rare and the procedure is not always without complications. Researchers at the University of Heidelberg are developing an innovative technique in the project BlindZero. It involves ‘printing’ human corneas directly onto patients’ eyes using 3D bioprinting. The reprogrammed genetically engineered cells used for this purpose are not expected to cause a rejection reaction.

"Programmable" polymer materials - 24/04/2023

Medicine of the future: intelligent 4D polymers from the printer

It is impossible to imagine medicine without 3D printing, which can be used to make implants or for culturing cells and tissues. It is now possible for 3D objects to be given an added dimension, namely an ability to make simple autonomous movements, by changing their size. Researchers at Heidelberg University have been able to produce microscopically small 4D structures from intelligent polymers that can be tailored to individual requirements.

Inovedis GmbH’s innovative implant - 28/03/2023

Next-generation minimally invasive shoulder surgery

The treatment of shoulder injuries such as rotator cuff tears is one of the most common orthopaedic interventions. It is therefore quite surprising that the surgical procedure has not changed much for decades - although it is relatively complicated. The start-up Inovedis has now developed a completely new surgical technique based on an implant that can be performed simply, safely, quickly and cost-effectively with minimal stress for patients.

Start-up Actimi GmbH - 23/11/2022

Real-time telemonitoring of heart failure

Improved quality of life for patients and lower costs for health insurers: these are the advantages of telemonitoring patients with advanced heart failure. The Stuttgart-based start-up Actimi offers an all-in-one platform for those who treat and those who suffer from the disease.

MEDICA and COMPAMED continue to develop in an extremely vital manner. The world's leading medical trade fair and the international No. 1 for the medical technology supply sector once again impressively underscored their positive results from the previous year with strong numbers – despite continuing adverse conditions. A significant increase in bookings on the part of the exhibiting companies was followed after four days by a marked increase…

From human intestines to the bottom of the sea: Microorganisms populate nearly any habitat, no matter how hostile it is. Their great variety of survival strategies is of huge potential in biotechnology. Most of these organisms, however, are unknown, because they cannot be cultivated.

In the field of optogenetics, scientists investigate the activity of neurons in the brain using light. A team led by Prof. Dr. Ilka Diester and Dr. David Eriksson from the Optophysiology Laboratory at the University of Freiburg has developed a new method to simultaneously conduct laminar recordings, multifiber stimulations, 3D optogenetic stimulation, connectivity inference, and behavioral quantification on brains.

The cochlear implant (CI) is the most successful neural prosthesis worldwide. Thanks to direct stimulation of the auditory nerve, it enables more than half a million people worldwide to hear, even though those affected were born deaf or deafened.

Article - 14/04/2021

Calling for quality seal for implants

Today's seniors are older and more active, which is why implants remain in the body longer and are subjected to greater strain than before. Improved surfaces are expected to ensure that the implants heal and integrate into the bone optimally. In an interview with BIOPRO, Dietmar Schaffarczyk, CEO of Konstanz-based stimOS GmbH, explains why a voluntary quality seal makes sense and gives consumers a better chance of recognising high-quality…

Expert interview - 03/03/2021

Healthcare movers – the future of Baden-Württemberg's healthcare industry

The 'Healthcare Movers 2020 - Baden-Württemberg Report' reveals the potentials and challenges Baden-Württemberg healthcare companies encounter as the digital transformation of the healthcare market progresses. In an interview with Dr. Ariane Pott from BIOPRO, the authors of the report, Beatus Hofrichter and Dr. Ursula Kramer, explain what is required to take the major step towards becoming a digital avant-garde company.

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.

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.

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.

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.