MEDICA Trade Fair - International Trade Fair with forums and conferences for medical technology, medical imaging, health-IT, laboratory equipment, diagnostics and drugs. Düsseldorf.

Image: A woman with blond hair in a white coat sits in a laboratory and works with Petri dishes; Copyright: University of the West of Scotland

University of the West of Scotland

Radiology: Research could improve cancer treatment

22.03.2023

UWS School of Computing Engineering and Physical Sciences are developing breakthrough investigations into advanced radiation treatment technique, after receiving funding from Cancer Research UK RadNet – the charity's radiation research network.
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Image: Close-up of a female hand holding the orange ribbon symbolizing the fight against leukemia; Copyright: JoPanwatD

JoPanwatD

AI finds targets for CAR-T cell therapy against acute myeloid leukemia

20.03.2023

Unlike other forms of blood cancer, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cannot currently be treated with CAR-T cell immunotherapy. The reason is that specific molecular targets with which certain immune cells could specifically target AML cells are lacking, which would permit the immune system to attack cancer.
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Image: Detailed measurement of how the motor protein kinesin-1 (red) walks on microtubules (white); Copyright: Max-Planck-Institut für medizinische Forschung

Max-Planck-Institut für medizinische Forschung

Further advance in super-resolution fluorescence microscopy

16.03.2023

Scientists led by Nobel Laureate Stefan Hell at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg have developed a super-resolution microscope with a spatio-temporal precision of one nanometer per millisecond.
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Image: Close-up of a scientist wearing protective clothing looking through a microscope; Copyright: ckstockphoto

ckstockphoto

Smart microscopy works out where to take the picture

16.03.2023

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have now developed a software solution for smart, data-driven microscopy, which makes this possible.
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Image: A baby with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia is ventilated in an incubator; Copyright: Colourbox

Colourbox

Stem cell model: research into malformation of the newborn lung

15.03.2023

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia is one of the deadliest birth defects. To better understand and treat this condition in the future, an international team of researchers involving Leipzig University Hospital designed a new cell model in the laboratory and tested a drug therapy on it.
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Image: Black cones show water molecules being oriented in the electric field at the interface with the lipid; Copyright: Carlos Marques / ENS Lyon

Carlos Marques / ENS Lyon

Standard model of electroporation refuted

15.03.2023

Technology developed at the University of Freiburg enables experimental test. The new findings could help to improve the transport of active substances into cells
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Image: Medical research Close-up of a microplate; Copyright: manjurulhaque

manjurulhaque

RIANA: Viennese start-up develops novel, precise anti-cancer drugs

14.03.2023

The technological basis is a proprietary platform technology for the discovery of drugs that target cancer-causing protein-protein interactions (PPIs).
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Image: A small dark box, a mobile impedance spectrometer; Copyright: Fraunhofer ISC

Fraunhofer ISC

Innovative in vitro eye irritation test to replace standard animal testing

10.03.2023

Researchers at the Translational Center for Regenerative Therapies TLC-RT of the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC want to work with partners to replace animal testing.
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Image: Microscopic image: Mouse lymph nodes with colored fluorescent markers; Copyright: AG Hoelzel/UKB

AG Hoelzel/UKB

Artificial intelligence to help tumor immunology

09.03.2023

Developing methods to predict the nature of the tumor microenvironment is the goal of researchers from the Clusters of Excellence ImmunoSensation2 and the Hausdorff Center for Mathematics (HCM) led by Prof. Kevin Thurley at the University of Bonn.
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Image: Two men in white laboratory clothing are working on new quantum light modules; Copyright: FBH/P. Immerz

FBH/P. Immerz

Entangled photon pairs to help fighting cancer

06.03.2023

The recently launched QEED project aims to significantly reduce measurement time in clinical cancer diagnostics by developing a spectrally resolved imaging technique based on entangled photon pairs. FBH scientists will develop the required diode lasers and quantum light modules.
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Image: Portrait of a researcher with PPE equipment analyzing brain activity; Copyright: DC_Studio

DC_Studio

New artificial model validates antibodies ability to reach the brain

03.03.2023

A research group at Uppsala University has developed a simple and effective artificial blood-brain barrier model that can be used to determine how well antibody-based therapies can enter the brain.
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Image: Photograph of the semitransparent hydrogel used in this study; Copyright: Satoshi Tanikawa, et al. 2023

Satoshi Tanikawa, et al. 2023

Healing the brain: hydrogels enable neuronal tissue growth

03.03.2023

Synthetic hydrogels were shown to provide an effective scaffold for neuronal tissue growth in areas of brain damage, providing a possible approach for brain tissue reconstruction.
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Image: Pipette adding sample to stem cell cultures growing in pots for stem cell implantation; Copyright: imagesourcecurated

imagesourcecurated

Electrodes grown in the brain – paving the way for future therapies for neurological disorders

02.03.2023

The boundaries between biology and technology are becoming blurred. Researchers at Linköping, Lund, and Gothenburg universities in Sweden have successfully grown electrodes in living tissue using the body’s molecules as triggers. The result, published in the journal Science, paves the way for the formation of fully integrated electronic circuits in living organisms.
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Image: The photo shows the scanning of a blood sample in a laboratory at CiiM.; Copyright: Karin Kaiser / MHH

Karin Kaiser / MHH

What leads to severe COVID-19 diseases?

01.03.2023

Infection with SARS-CoV-2 leads to severe disease in some people, while others do not get ill or only experience mild disease. But why is this the case? Unfortunately, we do not know exactly. We do know that an overactive innate immune system is causing severe COVID-19 disease, but it is unclear how this is regulated.
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Image: Two men and a woman stand in front of a building and smile for the camera; Copyright: RUB, Marquard

RUB, Marquard

AI with infrared imaging enables precise colon cancer diagnostics

23.02.2023

Researchers at the Centre for Protein Diagnostics PRODI at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, are using artificial intelligence in combination with infrared imaging to optimally tailor colon cancer therapy to individual patients.
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Image: Young female scientist in protective mask and glasses examining chemical or biological sample with microscope in laboratory; Copyright: Pressmaster

Pressmaster

AI analyses cell movement under the microscope

22.02.2023

The enormous amount of data obtained by filming biological processes using a microscope has previously been an obstacle for analyses.
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Image: Immune cell trafficking in diabetic cataract formation.; Copyright: HAWK

HAWK

Imaging: role of immune cells in early diabetic cataract development

22.02.2023

The team of researchers, led by Prof. Dr. Ali Hafezi-Moghadam, Director of the Molecular Biomarkers Nano-Imaging Laboratory (MBNI), in collaboration with Professor Dr. Christoph Rußmann, Dean of the Health Campus and a Visiting Professor at MBNI, found early signs of damage in the eye before the onset of type 2 diabetes.
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Image: The use of sound waves to create a pressure field to print particles; Copyright: Kai Melde, MPI für medizinische Forschung

Kai Melde, MPI für medizinische Forschung

Creating 3D objects with sound

17.02.2023

Scientists from the Micro, Nano and Molecular Systems Lab at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research and the Institute for Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials at Heidelberg University have created a new technology to assemble matter in 3D.
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Image: Fluorescence staining of Arlo cells. The image shows the overlay of a staining of cell nuclei (gray) and the tight junction protein 1 (blue); Copyright: HIPS/Boese

HIPS/Boese

New cell model for the human lung

16.02.2023

A team led by Prof Claus-Michael Lehr of the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) has developed a novel human lung cell line that should enable much more accurate predictions of the behavior of active substances or dosage forms in humans than previous systems.
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Image: A white electrospun Renacer membrane (5 x 5 cm) on a black background; Copyright: Fraunhofer ISC

Fraunhofer ISC

Bioresorbable membrane for healing internal and external wounds

10.02.2023

Fraunhofer researchers have succeeded in using the bioresorbable silica gel Renacer to produce an electrospun membrane that is neither cytotoxic to cells nor genotoxic.
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Image: Close-up of the healing process of a corneal ulcer, postoperative results in vivo; Copyright: POSTECH

POSTECH

Treating cornea ulcers with diagnostic light instead of corneal transplantation

08.02.2023

Recently, a Korean joint research team from POSTECH-KKU has developed a new tissue adhesive that restores the damaged cornea by simply filling it and exposing it to light.
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Image: Human blood cells, highly magnified under the microscope; Copyright: PeterHermesFurian

PeterHermesFurian

"Spleen-on-a-chip" yields insight into sickle cell disease

06.02.2023

With this microfluidic device, researchers modeled how sickled blood cells clog the spleen’s filters, leading to a potentially life-threatening condition.
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Image: During their journey through the blood, blood proteins accumulate on the surface of nanoparticles. 3D illustration; Copyright: MPI-P

MPI-P

New insights into the utilization of nanotechnology-based drugs

01.02.2023

Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research have now followed the path of such a particle into a cell using a combination of several microscopy methods. They were able to observe a cell-internal process that effectively separates blood components and nanoparticles.
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Bild: DNA strand assembly from different elements. 3D illustration; Copyright: iLexx

iLexx

The architecture of shattered genomes

27.01.2023

Hunting for disease clues in the dark matter of our DNA. Scientists have reconstructed the chromosomes of patients with an extremely high number of aberrations in their genome that could alter the expression of nearby genes and potentially cause disease. Their results were published in Nature Communications in October 2022.
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Image: Dr Christoph Schultheiss determines blood values for Long COVID in the research laboratory; Copyright: Universitätsmedizin Halle

Universitätsmedizin Halle

Long COVID: blood values indicate reprogramming of immune cells

26.01.2023

The underlying mechanisms of long COVID are not yet fully understood. Molecular clues to different subgroups of long COVID have now been provided by a research group at University Medicine Halle.
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Image: An elderly man sits at an eye diagnostic device and is examined by a doctor; Copyright: Beachbumledford

Beachbumledford

Controlled manufacture, storage and freezing of artificial retinal cells

25.01.2023

Fraunhofer researchers have now developed a new method for the production and clinical application of stem-cell-based retinal implants, which could contribute towards the successful treatment of AMD.
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Image: Researcher examines cell culture plates under the microscope; Copyright: manjurulhaque

manjurulhaque

Analyzing disease progression and cell processes with TIGER: in vivo and non-invasively

18.01.2023

Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) and the Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) in Würzburg have developed a technology they call TIGER. It allows complex processes in individual cells to be deciphered in vivo by recording past RNA transcripts.
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Image: Two men and two women are standing in a laboratory and examining a small apparatus (microphysiological system); Copyright: Amac Garbe/Fraunhofer IWS

Amac Garbe/Fraunhofer IWS

Radioactive substances fight cancer in the mini-lab

13.01.2023

Two Dresden research institutes want to reduce the number of animal experiments in radiopharmaceutical research with a new idea.
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Image: Small moldecules - illustration in orange; Copyright: Aalto University

Aalto University

Gaining unprecedented view of small molecules by machine learning

06.01.2023

A new tool to identify small molecules offers benefits for diagnostics, drug discovery and fundamental research. A new machine learning model will help scientists identify small molecules, with applications in medicine, drug discovery and environmental chemistry.
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Image: small empty test tubes with lids in different colors; Copyright: Messe Düsseldorf/C. Tillmann

Messe Düsseldorf/C. Tillmann

RNA technologies make targeted immune activation possible

03.11.2022

MEDICA 2022 is right around the corner, ready to deliver insights into the advancements and innovations in laboratory medicine. One of the key topics of the MEDICA LABMED Forum is RNA technologies and the wide range of applications that involve cell biology. RNA technologies not only enable Covid-19 vaccines but promise an array of treatment options for genetic diseases, in and beyond oncology.
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Image: Scientist works with medical test tube to analyze green liquid; Copyright: DC_Studio

DC_Studio

Diagnosing breast cancer through liquid biopsy

22.09.2022

Breast cancer diagnosis usually includes invasive testing with tissue biopsies. The samples have to be extracted from the cancerous tissue or cells. To make the process easier on the patients, the project LIBIMEDOTS is currently developing a different approach with liquid biopsy technology.
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Image: Thierry Nordmann (left) & Lisa Schweizer are standing in the lab, each with a pipette in hand and a microtiter plate in front of them; Copyright: Susanne Vondenbusch-Teetz, MPI for Biochemistry

Susanne Vondenbusch-Teetz, MPI for Biochemistry

Deep Visual Proteomics: tracking down cancer

08.09.2022

Proteins are frequently called the building blocks of life because they are found everywhere, including in our cells. This makes them an important factor when it comes to diseases. As a result, mapping the protein landscape can be a crucial ally in the fight against diseases. Now, a German-Danish team has developed a method that provides researchers with unprecedented insights into cancer.
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Image: Doctor and medical assistant at the bedside of a patient who has breathing problems and is wearing an oxygen mask; Copyright: DC_Studio

DC_Studio

Why some people get a more severe COVID-19 progression than others

22.08.2022

A team of scientists from the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) together with colleagues from the United Kingdom and Canada have found genes and proteins that contribute to a higher risk of severe COVID-19.
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Image: Person in the laboratory holding cell samples under a microscope; Copyright: MICROGEN@GMAIL.COM

MICROGEN@GMAIL.COM

Molecular markers: predicting the most effective treatment for IBD

09.08.2022

Early effective treatment can help manage this condition and improve the quality of life of patients. A research project aims to identify molecular markers to better assess the chances of success of certain biological therapies and subsequently determine the best individualized treatment plan.
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Image: Two male researchers analyzing data sets on a computer screen; Copyright: Felix Petermann | MDC

Felix Petermann | MDC

Project "ikarus" provides new insights for cancer research

01.08.2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) is about to become a game changer, especially in diagnostics. However, there are still limits to the use of AI. Dr. Altuna Akalin had to recognize this as well. The head of the Max Delbrück Center's (MDC) technology platform for "Bioinformatics and Omics Data Science" developed "ikarus" with his team.
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Image: Chip with adipose tissue is held in place by hands in purple disposable gloves; Copyright: Berthold Steinhilber

Berthold Steinhilber

Ex vivo obesity research thanks to the adipose-on-chip system

08.07.2022

Ex vivo studies of human obesity without animal testing? The Adipose-on-Chip system offers a solution that allows scientists to gain better insights into various obesity-linked secondary diseases and comorbidities in the future.
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Image: Professor Dr Peter Hillemanns and PD Dr Matthias Jentschke with the HPV self-tests; Copyright: Karin Kaiser/MHH

Karin Kaiser/MHH

Prevention of cervical cancer with HPV self-testing

28.10.2021

Cervical cancer is one of the most common diseases of the female reproductive organs. Human papilloma viruses are almost always responsible for cervical cancer and the corresponding precancerous lesions. As part of the statutory preventive medical check-up, women from the age of 20 can have a cell smear taken from the cervix once a year, the so-called Pap test, to detect cell changes.
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Image: A man with a smartwatch on his wrist; Copyright: PantherMedia/Wavebreakmedia Ltd

PantherMedia/Wavebreakmedia Ltd

Controlling insulin production with a smartwatch

15.06.2021

Many modern fitness trackers and smartwatches feature integrated LEDs. The green light emitted, whether continuous or pulsed, penetrates the skin and can be used to measure the wearer's heart rate during physical activity or while at rest.
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Image: Preview picture of video

Tissue Engineering and Bioprinting – From artificial heart valves and printed humans

27.01.2021

Drug research and artificial skin replacement - these are the areas in which tissue engineering and bioprinting are already used today. What else could be possible in the future? We asked Dr. Nadine Nottrodt from Fraunhofer ILT and Prof. Sabine Neuß-Stein from RWTH Aachen University Hospital!
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Image: wound-healing gel; Copyright: RUDN University

RUDN University

Wound-healing gel with metabolic products of trichoderma

07.12.2020

Researchers from the Department of Biochemistry of RUDN University developed a wound-healing gel based on a substance that is produced by Trichoderma fungi. The results of the study were published in the Nov.-Dec. 2020 issue Systematic Reviews in Pharmacy journal.
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Image: Illustrations of various 3D-printed prostheses, implants and organs; Copyright: PantherMedia/annyart

Printed life – possibilities and limits of bioprinting

01.12.2020

Implants, prostheses and various other components made of plastic, metal or ceramics are already being produced by additive manufacturing. But skin, blood vessels or entire organs from the printer – is that possible? For years now, intensive research has been underway into the production of biologically functional tissue using printing processes. Some things are already possible with bioprinting.
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Image: cell matrix; Copyright: TU Wien

Multi-photon lithography: printing cells with micrometer accuracy

01.12.2020

How do cells react to certain drugs? And how exactly is new tissue created? This can be analyzed by using bioprinting to embed cells in fine frameworks. However, current methods are often imprecise or too slow to process cells before they are damaged. At the TU Vienna, a high-resolution bioprinting process has now been developed using a new bio-ink.
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Image: 3D printer with a human heart inside, next to a box with

Bioprinting: life from the printer

01.12.2020

It aims at the production of test systems for drug research and gives patients on the waiting lists for donor organs hope: bioprinting. Thereby biologically functional tissues are printed. But how does that actually work? What are the different bioprinting methods? And can entire organs be printed with it? These and other questions are examined in our Topic of the Month.
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Image: three vials, one with hydrogels, one with bio ink and one with unmodified gelatine; Copyright: Fraunhofer IGB

"Cells are highly sensitive" – material development for bioprinting

01.12.2020

The big hope of bioprinting is to someday be able to print whole human organs. So far, the process has been limited to testing platforms such as organs-on-a-chip. That's because the actual printing process already poses challenges. Scientists need suitable printing materials that ensure the cell's survival as it undergoes the procedure. The Fraunhofer IGB is researching and analyzing this aspect.
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Image: Preview picture of video

Smartlab – Robotics and automation in the laboratory

15.09.2020

Some tasks in the laboratory are repetitive, need to be done extremely precise and require a lot of time. Such tasks are very tedious for humans, but they are tailor-made for robots. Such is the case with the "AutoCRAT" project at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT in Aachen. Here, a robotic platform is developed to produce stem cells for the treatment of osteoarthritis.
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Image: Preview picture of video

Medical products made of collagen - Biocompatible, elastic, stable

19.03.2020

Regenerative medicine often relies on implants and materials that support healing in our body. Collagen has a special significance here. It is compatible to the body and offers an excellent environment for the growing of new cells. In our video, we took a look on where collagen and collagen products for medicine come from.
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Image: The shoulder of a man with a surgical suture; Copyright: panthermedia.net/JPCPROD

Regenerative medicine: helps the body healing

03.02.2020

Severe wounds heal slowly and leave scars. This is why we have been using regenerative therapies for some time now to accelerate and improve healing. They also help to avoid permanent damage. Still, complex applications like replacing organs or limbs will rather remain vision than become reality for a long time.
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Image: Computer-generated image of an arborizing blood vessel; Copyright: panthermedia.net/Ugreen

Angiogenesis: light shows blood vessels the way

03.02.2020

Regenerative medicine aims to replace damage in the body with functional tissue and restore normal function. The first defense for large defects are implants made of hydrogels, designed to promote cell growth. They need their own blood supply, which is a problem when it comes to larger implants because you cannot regulate where and how the blood vessels grow - until now.
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Image: Volker Bruns; Copyright: Fraunhofer ISS

Fraunhofer ISS

AI software: "iSTIX opens your world to the possibilities of digital pathology"

08.10.2019

The healthcare market offers a multitude of microscopes that make cells visible to the human eye. The same applies to AI-based software for image analysis. After taking the microscopic images, scientist are faced with large volumes of scans with usually low resolution. Yet when all aspects merge together, they open up a the world of digital pathology.
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Image: Preview picture of video

Multi-organ chips: Drug research without animal testing at vasQlab

15.05.2019

New active substances that are suitable for drugs are initially tested in animal experiments. However, the results cannot always be transferred to the human organism. At the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Prof. Ute Schepers from vasQlab explains how active substances can be tested in human tissue without endangering human health.
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Image: Man and woman in a laboratory presenting a multi-organ chip; Copyright: TissUse GmbH

Multi-Organ Chips – The Patients of Tomorrow?

01.02.2019

The liver, nervous tissue or the intestines: all are important human organs that have in the past been tested for their function and compatibility using animal or in vitro test methods. In recent years, TissUse GmbH, a spin-off of the Technical University of Berlin (TU Berlin), has launched multi-organ chip platforms. But that’s not all.
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Image: Cell cultivation in a Petri dish; Copyright: panthermedia.net / matej kastelic

Organ-on-a-chip – Organs in miniature format

01.02.2019

In vitro processes and animal tests are used to develop new medications and novel therapeutic approaches. However, animal testing raises important ethical concerns. Organ-on-a-chip models promise to be a feasible alternative. In a system the size of a smartphone, organs are connected using artificial circulation.
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Image: Graphic rendering of several cells in a petri dish; Copyright: panthermedia.net/dani3315

Organ-on-a-chip systems: limited validity?

01.02.2019

Organ-on-a-chip systems are technically a great enhancement of medical research because they facilitate testing of active ingredients on cell cultures in the chambers of a plastic chip. This replaces animal testing and improves patient safety. That being said, they are not a true-to-life replication of the human body and can only simulate a few functions and activities.
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