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Dear Reader,
International Women’s Day, which we observed on March 8, is even a public holiday in Berlin. Women still do not enjoy the same rights as men, so it is crucial to keep reminding people of the importance of gender equality. We at the BIH are also dedicated to advancing women’s rights. For example, around 40 percent of the professors at our institute are women – which is quite remarkable for a biomedical research institution. And that is paying off: Our female professors are investigating exciting topics, developing new therapies, attracting large grants and receiving prestigious awards. One of our female researchers, Professor Kirsten Kübler, was even recently named one of Germany´s 100 Women of the Year 2022. We are proud of her!
And, yes, male BIH researchers are also doing excellent work – see for yourself in the current issue of our newsletter. Happy reading!
Best wishes,
Christopher Baum and Michael Frieser
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On February 28, 2023 was Rare Disease Day. So-called rare diseases afflict about 4 million people in Germany alone – and some 350 million people globally. Most of these rare diseases lack effective treatments and are fully or partially genetically determined. But new developments in gene- and cell-based therapies are offering new hope. The BIH gives special focus to these therapeutic innovations. It has joined up with the State of Berlin, the pharma group Bayer, and Charité to establish a center for gene and cell therapy in Berlin-Mitte. Read the press release |
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New research has identified hundreds of proteins that might contribute to the onset of common, chronic metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, and consequently pathways to potential treatments. The study, published in Nature Metabolism, was led by an international research team from the BIH around Professor Claudia Langenberg, group leader of the research group Computational Medicine, the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, and the Precision Healthcare University Research Institute (PHURI) at Queen Mary University of London. The researchers successfully linked more than 900 regions in the human genome to almost 3000 proteins in our blood, with many of these not previously identified. The team then applied these findings to existing genetic studies for hundreds of diseases and found more than 500 gene-protein-disease links.
Read the press release
Read the publication |
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When women suffer migraine attacks, it is often just before or during their monthly period. A team of researchers from Charité has now identified a possible explanation. According to their study, published in the journal Neurology, women who experience migraines have higher levels of CGRP during menstruation. CGRP is a neurotransmitter that is known to play an important role in triggering migraines. The head of the study is Dr. Bianca Raffaelli from the Headache Center of the Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology at Charité Campus Mitte. She is also a fellow of the BIH Charité Clinician Scientist Program.Read the press releaseRead the publication |
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Four teams of leading scientists from the UK, Germany and the Netherlands will collaborate on projects to accelerate progress in the detection and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The British Heart Foundation (BHF), the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) and the Dutch Heart Foundation (DHF) have awarded 5.3 million euros over four years. Under the selected teams is a project, that is, among others, led by BIH Professor Claudia Langenberg. Their project "Prot4CVD" aims to improve risk prediction and treatment of cardiovascular diseases by analyzing proteins in the blood. Read more / About the selected projects |
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Anne Schwerk Becomes Professor for Artificial Intelligence
Since February 2023 Anne Schwerk, who leads the scientific management at the BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies since August 1, 2022, is also pursuing a position as a Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the International University of Applied Sciences. The IU International University of Applied Sciences is a state-recognized private university with about 30 locations and 100.000 students throughout Germany, making it the largest private University in Germany. A strong focus will also be on research and the acquisition of grants, which is a great combination for Anne's work at the BCRT. Congratulations! |
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FOCUS magazine has honored 100 women who have "inspired, given courage and pushed boundaries." One of them is Professor Kirsten Kübler, who heads the Early Cancer Development and Cancer Prevention lab at the BIH. She is deeply grateful to receive this honor. "It shows us that we are making an important contribution to society and encourages to continue our work!" Click here to read the article in FOCUS (in German only).
Read more |
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News From the BIH QUEST Center
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Recent years have seen perceptions of a “reproducibility crisis” grow in various disciplines which poses a threat to scientific self-correction, the efficiency of research processes, and societal trust in research results. The QUEST Center will collaborate in TIER2, a EU Horizon Europe-funded project, that will study these issues and improve reproducibility. Read more |
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The innovation group “Matters of Research Assessment and its Implementation” (MAI) led by Dr. Cornelia Schendzielorz (HU, RMZ) and Dr. Miriam Kip (QUEST Center) started its work on February 1, 2023. The group focuses on the one hand with the analysis of research assessments in research alliances (MAI-A) and on the other hand with the optimization of current research assessment in appointments and tenure track evaluations (MAI-I) of the four partners of the Berlin University Alliance (BUA).
Read more |
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News From Charité BIH Innovation (CBI)
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On February 21, 2023, the BIH Digital Health Accelerator program launched with seven new project teams. Over the next six months, the new teams will intensively drive the realization of their digital health product ideas through demand, technology, and market validation (Stage 1). Together with the seven advanced project teams (Stage 2), the BIH DHA program is currently supporting 14 project teams in the development of digital health products. Read more / About the new projects |
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A SPARK-BIH funded project on the development of an innovative tumor-specific immunotherapy for the treatment of B-cell lymphomas led by PD Dr. med. Antonia Busse and Prof. Dr. med. Antonio Pezzutto has successfully been awarded a follow-on BMBF grant for a first-in-human clinical trial. Congratulations!
Read more |
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Two SPARK-BIH funded teams networked with investors and representatives of the life science industry at the international JPM BIO Partnering Event 2023.
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News From the BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy (BIA)
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In a two-stage selection process the new BIH MD Student Research Stipends were awarded in February 2023. Ten candidates (including seven women) prevailed in the selection process. The funding will start on April 1, 2023. Welcome aboard! For more information about the BIH MD Student Research Stipends please click here. |
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News From the Center of Functional Genomics
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Leif S. Ludwig, biochemist and physician from the BIH and the Max Delbrück Center, and colleagues introduce the mitochondrial single-cell ATAC-seq methodology in detail in their newest publication in Nature Protocols. The technology enables high-throughput lineage tracing of clinical samples and detailed studies of mitochondrial genetics.
Read the publication |
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Full House at UniStem Day 2023
On March 10, 2023, about 300 Berlin students and teachers flocked to the MDC for the worldwide UniStem Day. Organized by the Dialog Platform Stem Cell Research (BIH/GSCN) the Stem Cell Day dedicated a day to stem cell research from many perspectives: Simon Haas (BIH/MDC BIMSB) explained to the young bio-enthusiasts the differentiation and investigation of hematopoietic stem cells and leukemias, cardiac surgeon Christof Stamm (DHZB/Charité/BCRT) explained application experiments of cardiac stem cells after heart attacks, and Sina Bartfeld (TU Berlin) immersed herself in the genetic research methods of intestinal and gastric organoids. An exciting, challenging encounter of the students with the world of science. In groups, the young people then attended workshops in laboratories run by Sarah Hedtrich (BIH) or Verena Schöwel/Simone Spuler (BIH), explored the Biobank, discovered bio-tech start-ups or discussed animal experiments or untested stem cell therapies with Daniel Besser (BIH/GSCN). Worldwide, 14 countries from Australia to Poland participated in UniStem Day, more than 30,000 students visited research institutes and universities – a successful and finally real on-site stem cell day. |
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GSCN on Tour in Hamburg and Lübeck
Networks are formed from common interests and experiences – based on this idea, the Dialog Platform Stem Cell Research (BIH/GSCN) organized a tour to Hamburg and Lübeck to organize joint lectures of the local "stem cell scene" and to promote local networks. With great success, a symposium with lectures and discussions by researchers from Fraunhofer ITMP ScreeningPort, the University of Hamburg, UKE and the company Evotec took place on February 27, 2023 at the University Medical Center Eppendorf (UKE). As it was a hybrid event, twice the number of listeners could be reached online. The same event principle applied to Lübeck on March 1, 2023, where researchers from Kiel and Lübeck from the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Fraunhofer met for a real and hybrid lecture, discussion and exchange. A successful initiative of the Dialogue Platform Stem Cell Research, which will be continued in other regions of Germany in the future. |
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All BIH events are noted in our event calender. If you would like to receive a regular overview of upcoming BIH Events, please register here. Many thanks. |
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The "Research to Market Challenge" is aimed at individuals and teams with a business or product idea in an early phase that is related to research at Charité or cooperating institutions. All research assistants, doctoral students, alumni, and students of Freie Universität Berlin, Charité, and cooperating institutions are eligible to participate. The deadline for submissions is May 4, 2023. Applications are possible here: Apply now. Read more |
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