610 Medizin, Gesundheit
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Knee osteoarthritis is a common complication and can lead to total loss of joint function in patients. Treatment by either partial or total knee replacement with appropriate UHMWPE based implantsis highly invasive, may cause complications and may show unsatisfying results. Alternatively, treatment may be done by insertion of an elastic interpositional knee spacer with optimized material characteristics.
We report the development of high performance polyurethane-based polymers modified with bioactive molecules for fabrication of such knee spacers. In order to tailor mechanical and tribological properties and to improve resist to enzymatic degradation we propose a core-shell model for the spacer with specifically adapted properties.
Tumorzellen on the move : mikrosystem-basierter Assay zur Untersuchung der Tumorzellen-Migration
(2016)
Die Invasion von Tumorzellen in umliegendes Gewebe und die Bildung von Metastasen transformieren einen lokal wachsenden Tumor in eine systemische und lebensbedrohliche Krankheit mit schlechter Prognose. Dabei spielt die aktive Migration der Tumorzellen eine entscheidende Rolle. Tumorzellen gelangen durch die aktive Zellbewegung in das Lymph- oder Blutsystem und breiten sich im Körper aus. Bei der Invasion in ein neues Organ migrieren die Zellen ebenfalls wieder in komplexer Weise durch das Gewebe und können schließlich dort Metastasen bilden. Auf Grund der enormen medizinischen Relevanz der Tumorzell-Invasion, wird die Bewegung von Tumorzellen seit Jahrzehnten unter Laborbedingungen umfassend untersucht und ist ein wichtiger Marker für die Aggressivität der Tumorzellen. Zur Bewegungsanalyse gibt es mehrere experimentelle und auch kommerziell erhältliche in-vitro Untersuchungsmethoden. Ziel des interdisziplinären Projektes „MigChip“ ist die Entwicklung, Herstellung und experimentelle Validierung eines Mikrofludik-Chips zur verbesserten, detailgenauen in-vitro Untersuchung der Tumorzellen-Migration.
New drugs serving unmet medical needs are one of the key value drivers of research-based pharmaceutical companies. The efficiency of research and development (R&D), defined as the successful approval and launch of new medicines (output) in the rate of the monetary investments required for R&D (input), has declined since decades. We aimed to identify, analyze and describe the factors that impact the R&D efficiency. Based on publicly available information, we reviewed the R&D models of major research-based pharmaceutical companies and analyzed the key challenges and success factors of a sustainable R&D output. We calculated that the R&D efficiencies of major research-based pharmaceutical companies were in the range of USD 3.2–32.3 billion (2006–2014). As these numbers challenge the model of an innovation-driven pharmaceutical industry, we analyzed the concepts that companies are following to increase their R&D efficiencies: (A) Activities to reduce portfolio and project risk, (B) activities to reduce R&D costs, and (C) activities to increase the innovation potential. While category A comprises measures such as portfolio management and licensing, measures grouped in category B are outsourcing and risk-sharing in late-stage development. Companies made diverse steps to increase their innovation potential and open innovation, exemplified by open source, innovation centers, or crowdsourcing, plays a key role in doing so. In conclusion, research-based pharmaceutical companies need to be aware of the key factors, which impact the rate of innovation, R&D cost and probability of success. Depending on their company strategy and their R&D set-up they can opt for one of the following open innovators: knowledge creator, knowledge integrator or knowledge leverager.
Methacrylated gelatin and mature adipocytes are promising components for adipose tissue engineering
(2016)
In vitro engineering of autologous fatty tissue constructs is still a major challenge for the treatment of congenital deformities, tumor resections or high-graded burns. In this study, we evaluated the suitability of photo-crosslinkable methacrylated gelatin (GM) and mature adipocytes as components for the composition of three-dimensional fatty tissue constructs. Cytocompatibility evaluations of the GM and the photoinitiator Lithium phenyl-2,4,6 trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP) showed no cytotoxicity in the relevant range of concentrations. Matrix stiffness of cell-laden hydrogels was adjusted to native fatty tissue by tuning the degree of crosslinking and was shown to be comparable to that of native fatty tissue. Mature adipocytes were then cultured for 14 days within the GM resulting in a fatty tissue construct loaded with viable cells expressing cell markers perilipin A and laminin. This work demonstrates that mature adipocytes are a highly valuable cell source for the composition of fatty tissue equivalents in vitro. Photo-crosslinkable methacrylated gelatin is an excellent tissue scaffold and a promising bioink for new printing techniques due to its biocompatibility and tunable properties.