The Free State of Saxony wants to boost support for the Biotechnology in Saxony. In the framework of the „Offensive Biotechnologie und Lebenswissenschaften 2020“ (Initiative Biotechnology and Life Sciences 2020) the coalition factions have additionally put in nine million Euros into the two-year budget 2013/2014. Each year, 4.5 million Euros will be invested in Saxon biotechnology projects. The funding is integrated in the research funding of the Free State of Saxony. This fund is exclusively financed by state funding. 
 „Biotechnology is without a doubt, on key technology of the 21st century.  This is especially true for us here in Saxony”, says the education policy spokesman of the CDU- state parliament faction Geert Mackenroth. „Since the start of the BIOTECH Initiative in the summer of 2000, we achieved a lot in this area.  That is especially visible with the economic successes that are expressed in the continually rising part of the total tax income of the field. Impressive as well are the rising numbers on a high level of spin-offs and emerging businesses in the last years. With these funds that were now decided in the state parliament, we want to continue the positive development of the biotechnology in Saxony“, continues Mackenroth.
 
For the companies and research institutes, this financial support comes at the right time. "The successes of the Saxon Biotechnology Initiative show: Dresden, and also Saxony, are firmly anchored on the international map of biotechnology. This funding decision in the new two-year budget was made at a strategically important time, where we can consolidate our achievements and discover new approaches of biotechnology. Biotechnology is a future technology of the 21st century – and Saxony is present at the top”, says the director of the DFG-Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden - Cluster of Excellence at the TU Dresden (CRTD), Prof. Michael Brand.

The German Research Foundation welcomes Vice Presidents and Presidents for research and international affairs of the 15 universities in Canada that are the strongest in research. On December 12, 2012, the delegation is visiting the TU Dresden. The Rektor of the TU Dresden, Prof. Hans Müller-Steinhagen, is presenting the Institutional Strategy that was successful in the Excellence Initiative. Moreover, the Canadian delegation is visiting the CRTD, one of the Cluster of Excellence of the TU Dresden. The director of the CRTD presents single projects to the delegation. At the end of the visit, the visitors from Canada will take a look at the collaborative research center 639 entitled „Textilverstärkte Verbundkomponenten für funktionsintegrierende Mischbauweisen bei komplexen Leichtbauweisen“.

German Press Release of the TU Dresden.

Scientists around Prof. Lorenz Hofbauer from the Clinic and Policlinic III and Dr. Christine Hamann from the Clinic and Policlinic for Orthopedics at the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (UKD) examined together with their colleagues from the Max-Bergmann-Center Dresden and the biotechnology company Amgen a new drug for bone formation. Its operating principle is based on the blockade of the bone protein sklerostin. For this, Dr. Hamann recently received the Young Investigator Award of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR). Their results were published now in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. Prof. Lorenz Hofbauer and his team at the UKD and the CRTD found that sklerostin appears to be a braking signal for the regeneration of bones. If the “brake” sklerostin is missing, more bone is being build up and this improves the bone stability. In their study, the scientists inhibited sklerostin with the help of an antibody therapy. As a next step, the bone experts want to examine the drug within a clinical Phase III trial with women, aged 60-90, who suffer from osteoporosis.   The recruiting of participants starts in January 2013. If you are interested in participating, please contact the secretariat of Prof. Hofbauer. Phone: +49 (0)351 458-3173 or E-Mail to theresa.reiche@uniklinikum-dresden.de

German Press Release

The EU-Commissioner for Research Máire Geoghegan-Quinn attended during her Dresden journey with the Saxon Research Minister Sabine von Schorlemer the DFG Research Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden – Cluster of Excellence at the TU Dresden (CRTD) on  December 4th, 2012. She was particularly interested in the regeneration research with the Axolotl by Professor Elly Tanaka. In January the research group leader of the CRTD received an European grant by the European Research Council (ERC) in Brussels. Her comparative research work will be funded with almost 2.5 million euro for five years. During this period, Elly Tanaka will examine the cell population fibroblasts in connective tissue in more detail: Why can these cells regenerate bones and skin in the Mexican salamander Axolotl but not in adult frogs or mice? Tanaka is sure: “To identify cells and molecules which are responsible for the regeneration after injuries in different animals is of great clinical interest.”

German Press Release

Sumeyye Tuncel, a Turkish Master’s student in the CRTD/BIOTEC Master’s Program „Regenerative Biology and Medicine”, can look forward to a scholarship from the Association of Friends and Sponsors of TU Dresden e.V.  She is an exceptional student and will receive the financial support over the course of four months. Suemeyye is currently working on her Master’s thesis titled “Investigating role of enteroviral infection in type 1 diabetes”. In her thesis, she is investigating the role of viruses that have long been considered as one potential environmental factor that may cause this disease. In particular, Suemeyye is looking into the group B coxsackievirus, a member of the enterovirus genus. The connection between this virus and the disease has not been firmly established yet. Hence, more research in this area is important in order to find causes of Type 1 diabetes. 

Computer simulation can predict the risk of a relapse after discontinuation of Imatinib therapy for chronic myeloid leukaemia

Scientists of the Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry at the Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, in cooperation with colleagues in Leipzig as well as clinical partners in Mannheim and Jena, have developed a mathematical model which can be used to estimate the individual risk of patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) for a relapse after discontinuation of the Imatinib therapy. The scientists have now published their findings in the world´s leading scientific journal on haematology “Blood”. German Press Release

Scientists of the CRTD have identified a new gene that regulates the regeneration on neuronal cells in the zebrafish after severe traumatic injuries. Their results were published in the journal Developmental Cell (Developmental Cell 2012, 0.1016/j.devcel.2012.10.014). The research team led by Dr. Caghan Kizil in Prof. Michael Brand's lab identified that the gene Gata3 acts as a main switch that has to be flipped, in order for neuronal regeneration to start. The injury-induced activity of this gene could be one of the fundamental differences between the adult brain of regenerating vertebrates and mammals, because in contrast to the zebrafish, the human brain cannot regenerate destroyed neuronal cells after severe injuries. The researchers were also able to show that Gata3 is not only the starting gene for the regeneration of neuronal cells, but also for the regeneration of heart and fin cells. The knowledge regarding the mechanisms of the self-healing processes of a zebrafish could contribute to the development of future therapeutic approaches for diseases and injuries of the human brains.

Press Release

The CRTD is saddened by the loss of Professor George S. Eisenbarth who passed away on November 13, 2012. He was especially dear to the CRTD as the Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board until July of this year when he stepped down due to ill health.
Dr. George S. Eisenbarth, a pioneer in type 1 diabetes research and prevention, served as the executive director of the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes and as a professor of pediatrics, medicine, and immunology at the University of Colorado Denver (USA) until his death. He was also the former president (2006) of the Clinical Immunology Society.
The CRTD wishes to express its gratitude for his invaluable work and guidance. On behalf of all of us at the CRTD we send our deepest condolences to his family, the Barbara Davis Center, and those who were close to him.

Diseases of the retina are one of the frequent causes for visual impairment in the western industrialized countries. About 30.000 people in Germany are suffering from Retinitis Pigmentosa and the Usher Syndrome and hundreds of thousands suffer from Macular Degeneration. Since 2009, the Retina Information Day is offering up to date results from research and clinics regarding retinal diseases. In the center of attention are the diseases Retinitis Pigmentosa, Macular Degeneration, and glaucoma. Patients, basic researchers, clinicians and a support group are meeting on this day in order to exchange ideas. About 150 visitors came to the 4th Retina Information Day on November 10th with lots of questions. During the talks, at the info stands, and especially during the question and answer session with scientists, doctors and representatives of a support group the visitors received their answers. The 5th Retina Information Day in 2013 is already in the planning stage.  This event is jointly organized by the CRTD, the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics Dresden, the Dresden University Clinics Carl Gustav Carus, and the PRO RETINA Deutschland e.V.

The international CRTD/BIOTEC Master’s Program „Regenerative Biology and Medicine” was awarded with the teaching award on November 9, 2012 for its concept of the “Lab Rotations”. This award is sponsored by the Association of Friends and Sponsors of TU Dresden e.V.  and has been given to outstanding and innovative teaching concepts since 1998. The „Lab-Rotations“ were awarded with 2.000 € and include project work in international research labs as an alternative to traditional teaching methods. During the lab rotations, the students learn to design and run experiments and thus gain comprehensive experience in experimental work with model organisms, in molecular biology as well in cell- and organ research.  Six proposals were submitted and four were chosen for the teaching award. This award is supposed to create incentives for the improvement of teaching and inspirations for new ideas and concepts.

New mechanism for regeneration decoded after severe brain injuries in zebrafish.

Injuries in the human brain and spinal cord cause an inflammatory response. Since decades it is discussed in medicine, if this reaction of the immune system after injuries of the central nervous system is rather promoting or inhibiting the healing process. For the first time, regeneration researchers of the DFG-Research Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden - Cluster of Excellence at the TU Dresden (CRTD) demonstrated, using the model of a zebrafish, that the inflammatory reaction is nessecary that the neuronal cells can regeneration in the first place after a brain injury . In that way, they identified a new mechanism, which is regulating the regeneration of the zebrafish brain with neuronal stem cells. Indeed, the brains of humans and zebrafish are different regarding size and appearance but are in terms of Neuroanatomy and Genetics evolutionary related.  (Science 2012, DOI 10.1126.science.1228773)

See German Press Release

Prof. Martin Bornhäuser, Vice Director of the CRTD and deputy director at the Medical Clinic und Policlinic I, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus in Dresden  speaks on Wednesday, November 7th, 2012 at 7pm in the CRTD about: "Stem cells - revolutionary cells in medicine? Insights into current stem cell research and therapy." 

This lecture belongs to the supporting program of the photo exhibition “A Child is born” from Lennart Nilsson. The program invites you to explore science and unknown worlds, as well as art and science photography. The photos can be seen from September 10 to November 30, 2012, Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm, in the CRTD (Fetscherstraße 105, 01307 Dresden). Admission free.

German Press Release.

Prof. Gerd Kempermann, CRTD research group leader for „Genomics of Regeneration“ and speaker of the Dresden partner institute of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) speaks on Thursday, October 25th, 2012 at 7pm in the CRTD about: "The development never stops. How experiences and activity are changing the brain lifelong." 

This lecture belongs to the supporting program of the photo exhibition “A Child is born” from Lennart Nilsson. The program invites you to explore science and unknown worlds, as well as art and science photography. The photos can be seen from September 10 to November 30, 2012, Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm, in the CRTD (Fetscherstraße 105, 01307 Dresden). Admission free.

German Press Release.

Prof. Paul Walther, Head of the Central Electron Microscopy Facility, Universität Ulm, explains on Thursday, October 11th 2012 in the CRTD how micro images are produced. Professor Paul Walther, who once had a visit of Lennart Nilsson at his facility at the Universität Ulm, explains the techniques Nilsson used. Prof. Walther speaks about the history of microscopy and technological developments of electron microscopy in modern molecular biologic and medical research.

This lecture belongs to the supporting program of the photo exhibition “A Child is born” from Lennart Nilsson. The program invites you to explore science and unknown worlds, as well as art and science photography. The photos can be seen from September 10 to November 30, 2012, Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm, in the CRTD (Fetscherstraße 105, 01307 Dresden). Admission free.

German Press Release.

“The medical diagnosis was clear: Parkinson’s disease. Not only the hands are shaking but also thoughts and memories are disappearing.“ That is what the German author Stefan Berg describes on the back of his book „Zitterpartie“. It was in 2008 when the SPIEGEL magazine author and family man received the shocking diagnosis. In his book he speaks clearly and describes what it means to have an incurable disease, which will not come up “eventually“ but which is present “now“. Berg is not in control anymore; his body has its own dynamic. With his characteristic humor the author describes his thoughts and experiences after the diagnosis.

This reading belongs to the supporting program of the photo exhibition “A Child is born” by Lennart Nilsson. The program invites you to explore science and unknown worlds, as well as art and science photography. The photos can be seen from September 10 to November 30, 2012, Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm, in the DFG Research Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (Fetscherstraße 105, 01307 Dresden). Admission free.

See German Press Release.

From September 10 to November 30, 2012 the DFG-Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden /Cluster of Excellence at the TU Dresden (CRTD) will display the world-renowned photo series “A child is born” by Lennart Nilsson. When the pictures of an embryo developing in the womb were first published in Life magazine in 1965, they caused a sensation. As a loan from the Fotografiska Museet in Stockholm, 30 of these pioneering photographs can now be seen in the new CRTD building. The exhibition will be shown for three months during the opening hours. Admission is free. An accompanying series of five events will invite the visitors to explore science and unknown worlds, art and scientific photography. The exhibition in the CRTD was made possible with the support of the Klaus Tschira Foundation as well as the Hertie Foundation. The Swedish Embassy supported the organization of the exhibition.

„Welcome – Federal Minister. My name is Tiffany and today I am very happy that you are visiting the University of Excellence, the TU Dresden, together with the State Prime Ministers and the Minister of State”, with these words, the robot NAO did welcome the Federal Minister for Education and Research. Together with the Prime Minister of Saxony, Stanislaw Tillich, and the Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt, Reiner Haseloff, she was informed about the research foci of the Technischen Universität Dresden on August 22, 2012. The rector of the TU Dresden, Professor Hans Müller-Steinhagen, other members of the rector’s office and scientists presented the five Research Priority Areas as well as the projects of the TU Dresden successfully approved in the Excellence Initiative. The DFG-Research Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden /Cluster of Excellence at the TU Dresden (CRTD) represented the Research Priority Area “Health Sciences, Biomedicine and Bioengineering”. Prof. Martin Bornhäuser, Vice Director of the CRTD, gave an overview about the research of the center, using the example of the salamander Axolotl who has a remarkable ability to regenerate.
Moreover, a meeting was held with the members of the scientific network DRESDEN-concept. The cooperation of the TU Dresden with non-university research institutions in DRESDEN-concept is a fundamental part of the future development strategy for which the TU Dresden was chosen as University of Excellence in the Excellence initiative of the Federal and the State governments.

Photo: Federal Minister Annette Schavan (left), the Prime Minister of Saxony Stanislaw Tillich (middle), and the Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt Reiner Haseloff (right) are having a look at the Axolotl and listen to Prof. Martin Bornhäuser. (Copyright: CRTD/Kiel)

At the ThyssenKrupp Ideenpark from August 11 – 23, 2012, the DFG-Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden / Cluster of Excellence at the TU Dresden (CRTD) shows with an exhibit the remarkable ability of Axolotls to regenerate. Five other exhibits of the TU Dresden (partner university of ThyssenKrupp) also present their research there. The Mexican salamander Axolotl is able to regrow damaged limbs and organs (regeneration). Scientists at the CRTD study why the cells of the Axolotl regenerate and which molecular processes are involved. Until recently, researchers thought that the regrowing limbs are formed out of embryonic stem cells, cells that can develop into any kind of cell type. But they found out that the limbs of the Axolotl regenerate from cells that are - similar to human cells - restricted in their development potential. In 2011 the Axolotl exhibit was already on display on the MS Wissenschaft . (photo: Axolotl exhibit on the MS Wissenschaft, Copyright:Ilja C. Hendel/Wissenschaft im Dialog)

Press release of the TU Dresden

More than 400 international scientists are sharing their experience about the latest research in stem cell biology from July 18th – 20th 2012 on the 4th International Stem Cell Congress in Dresden. This time, system biologists were explicitly invited to join the congress in order to contribute quantitative methods and theoretical approaches. This 4th Stem Cell Congress with 54 talks and 170 posters is smaller than in the years before, but in return significantly more specific. This setup enhances interdisciplinary and open exchange of ideas.
Venue of the congress that takes place since 2006 every second year is for the first the new building of the CRTD. A symposium about stem cell heterogeneity and stem cell fate decisions in different tissues and cell types marks the start of the congress. The topics range from theoretical biology to systems biology. More specific seminars with the focus on hematopoietic and neural stem cells, as well as diabetes are completing the congress. Website of the Stem Cell Congress: http://www.stemcellcongress-dresden.org/

The 10th Long Night of Science – for the first time in the new CRTD building – was a great success. From 6pm - 1am, about 1,600 visitors caught up on the research of the DFG Research Center for Regenerative Therapies – Cluster of Excellence (CRTD), the Biotechnology Center of the TU Dresden (BIOTEC), the ZIK BCube, the Paul Langerhans Institute, and the Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), whose scientists presented their research. At various stations, lectures, and lab tours it was possible for anyone to get an insight into the work of the CRTD and other institutes in the network: The visitors were able to extract DNA from bananas together with international students of the School Projects, learn more about the regenerative capacity of axolotls and zebrafish. Information was also available about forces in the cell or latest diabetes research.

We want to say "Thank you" to all the scientists for their contributions to this successful long night of science. They made this diverse programme possible.

The next Dresden Science Night will be on July 5th, 2013.

Dresden’s research center again receives research funds from the excellence initiative
The Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD) has successfully passed the third phase of the excellence initiative. The Cluster of Excellence of the TU Dresden (TUD) and the Research Center of the German Research Foundation (DFG) – the CRTD has qualified to keep these two titles and will be continuously funded for the coming five years. This was confirmed today by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as well as the German Research Foundation together with the German Council of Science and Humanities. English Press Release

More than 300 members from the CRTD network took part in the 6th CRTD Summer Conference on Regenerative Medicine on June 08, 2011.  The conference started with the keynote speaker Prof. Matthias Gunzer from the University Duisburg-Essen who talked about hin current work in the field of “in vivo” microscopy. The CRTD members Prof. Axel Roers from the University Hospital Dresden, Institute of Immunology, Prof. Lorenz Hofbauer from the University Hospital Dresden, Medical Clinic III, and Prof. Yixin Zhang from the ZIK BCube presented their research work. Furthermore, four talks, chosen from the submitted poster abstracts, completed the sessions before lunch.

The following two poster sessions presented 73 posters from the 5 different research areas of the CRTD plus the field of "Innovative Technologies". The posters in each area were evaluated by judges for poster prizes that were sponsored by Olympus. The prize winners are:
A - Hematology/Immunology: Nehir Cosgun (CRTD)
B – Diabetes and Pancreatic Islet Regeneration: Anja Marciniak (CRTD)
C - Neurodegeneration/Degeneration of the Retina: Reiner Ahrendt (CRTD)
D – Bone and Cartilage Repair: Daniel Wehner (BIOTEC)
E - Cardiovascular diseases: Claudia Eickholt (University Clinic Dresden)
F - Innovative Technologies: Roberta Galli (University Clinic Dresden)
Best Thesis Prize: Franziska Knopf "Bone regenerates via dedifferentiation of osteoblasts in the zebrafish fin"

Over 400 guests celebrated until late in the evening at the Summer Party after the conference with lots of attractions for the children and music. Hope to see you all next year!

Cooperation agreement between CRTD and Martin-Andersen-Nexö-Gymnasium

During the this year’s “CRTD Summer Conference on Regenerative Medicine“ the DFG Research Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden – Cluster of Excellence at the TU Dresden and the Martin-Andersen-Nexö-Gymnasium have signed a cooperation agreement. The CRTD will support to broaden the offers of this specialized Dresden grammar school, which specifically promotes mathematics and science to gifted and interested students through advanced teaching modules and projects. In addition the CRTD will complement these efforts by adding insight into the current research of modern life sciences. German Press Release

Max Planck Society founds new center in Dresden

With support from the Klaus Tschira Foundation, the Max Planck Society founds a center for systems biology in Dresden. Eugene W. Myers was appointed director of the center, heading a department at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden and a junior research group at the HITS, the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies. Further information

Dresden's top physicians explore new ways to transplant animal tissues and organs

The German Research Foundation (DFG) funds with more than 13 million euro the special research field (SFB)/Transregio 127 „Biology of xenogenous cell and organ transplantation – from laboratory to clinic“. In cooperation with scientists of the LMU München, TU München, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, and four other research institutes top physicians of the TU Dresden explore new ways of organ, tissue and cell transplantation.

German Press Release of the TU Dresden

Biophysicist of TU Dresden awarded with Humboldt Professorship

The biophysicist Jochen Guck (age 39) of the Biotechnology Center at the Technical University of Dresden (BIOTEC) is now officially an Alexander von Humboldt Professor of Cellular Machines. In Berlin, the Humboldt Foundation has awarded six professors with this most valuable international award for research in Germany. Since January 2012, Jochen Guck builds up his laboratory and his research group at the BIOTEC for developing new biophysical approaches in stem cell research, blood cell diagnostics and neuroregeneration. For this purpose, the Foundation’s prize money of five million Euro for five years is at his disposal.

German Press Release

Press Release of the Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation

At the DFG Research Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden – Cluster of Excellence of the TU Dresden (CRTD) as well as at the Biotechnology Center of the TU Dresden (BIOTEC) the German Research Foundation (DFG) supports two new technology  platforms which will each establish a cross-institutional service- and device pool of the highest scientific standards. Each of these research centers will be supported with 450,000 € for three years. A total of 57 applications have been filed nationwide, of which 11 projects will receive funding, two of them alone in Dresden, as announced by the DFG today. 

German Press Release of CRTD/BIOTEC

German Press Release of the German Research Foundation

Can I enjoy Genom Engineering? What is the career path of a biologist who today observes, which cells can regenerate the injured foot of an axolotl? What tasks does a technician in the fish facility have in a research institute? If you are interested in the answers to these kinds of questions or if you just want to get a taste of science, then the DFG Research Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden/ Cluster of Excellence and the Biotechnology Center of the TU Dresden is the right place for you on April 26th from 2:30pm! Here, researchers from all over the world are working in different areas like cell biology, biophysics, (regenerative) medicine, or bioinformatics. 
You will have the opportunity to talk to scientists and ask them lots of questions. A tour through our building will also give you an idea about the research taking place. Interested girls can register here for the Girl's Day.

The biochemist Prof. Elly Tanaka received the European „ERC Advanced Investigator Award“. This was announced yesterday by the European Research Council (ERC) in Brussels. The professor of the DFG Research Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden – Cluster of Excellence (CRTD) of the TU Dresden is one of the nearly 300 top scientists who have been awarded with the European grant. Her comparative research work will be funded with nearly 2.5 million euro for five years. German Press Release