Press releases

On 1st March 2020, a new research project was launched at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI). Imaging of living cells is to be improved by means of viral and bacterial targeting sequences. The project is supported by the VolkswagenStiftung.

PIONEER is a European Network of Excellence for Big Data in Prostate Cancer, consisting of 32 partners across 9 countries, among them Fraunhofer IZI. In an important step forward the first datasets have been transferred into the PIONEER Big Data platform by PIONEER partner Erasmus University Medical Centre (MC). Through the application of Big Data and the analyses of real-world evidence PIONEER aims to change the prostate cancer landscape to improve the health and social care received by all prostate cancer patients and their families. Fraunhofer IZI works in the framework of the PIONEER project on the topics data harmonisation of transcriptome-wide expression studies as well as statistical data analyses to identify and confirm biomarkers.

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) and, more specifically, their envelope proteins are suspected of transporting diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatism and tumor diseases. However, the actual function of these specific factors remains to be seen. Cellular damage and the misdirected stimulation of the immune system caused by HERV are assumed to be disease mechanisms. A joint research project between the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI and Halle University Hospital is expected to deliver new insights based on the characterization of HERV envelope proteins. The aim is to develop therapeutic antibodies for HERV-associated autoimmune and tumor diseases.

Fraunhofer IZI takes lead on EU project developing highly innovative model systems to evaluate immunomodulatory therapeutic agents. The development of immunomodulatory agents and therapies has received fresh impetus following the latest successes in immuno-oncology. And cancer medicine is not the only area where cell and gene therapies are increasingly taking hold as alternatives or complementary to classic, low-molecular drugs and biologicals.

New biodegradable rods promise to provide better treatment for periodontal disease. Researchers from the Institute of Pharmacy at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) have re-combined an already approved active ingredient and filed for a patent for their invention together with two Fraunhofer Institutes from Halle. The innovation would spare patients from having many side effects. Their findings were published in the "International Journal of Pharmaceutics".

Research into new endogenous mechanisms of tissue regeneration is an innovative research avenue in cardiac regeneration. This is the central goal of the REANIMA project (New‐generation cardiac therapeutic strategies directed to the activation of endogenous regenerative mechanisms), a research program coordinated by the Madrid-located Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) and supported by €8 million funding over 5 years. The project will launch in January 2020. The Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI is part of the project consortium.

Leipzig / Nuremberg, 07/10/2019 – Just over a year ago, on 27 August 2018, the European Commission gave their approval for the CAR-T cells developed by Novartis to be used in Germany. Since then, patients with certain types of life-threatening blood cancer and extremely limited survival prospects may, for the first time, have an opportunity to prolong their life thanks to the CAR-T cell therapy developed by Novartis. In Germany, more than 15 hospitals1 are now certified to carry out this treatment. Novartis worked in close collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI to establish a complex process for CAR-T cells.

People who suffer from end stage renal desease frequently undergo dialysis on a fixed schedule. For patients this artificial washing of the blood is a major burden. To remove toxins from the blood, large quantities of dialysis water for clearance are required. Until now there has been no solution so far to recover this dialysate cost-effectively. Therefore a cryo-purification method is being developed by Fraunhofer researchers that clears the water without loosing it. This approach not only reduces costs – it may even pave the way for a wearable artificial kidney by milder long-term dialysis treatment at complete water autonomy.

Dr. Alexandra Rockstroh from the Department of Immunology at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI received one of the PhD prizes awarded in 2019 by the Faculty of Medicine at Leipzig University for her doctoral thesis entitled “Development of procedures for the specific, serological diagnosis of dengue and Zika virus infections using modified envelope proteins”. Handed out every year in recognition of outstanding scientific achievements in the fields of medicine and dentistry, the prize was presented on September 17, 2019, by faculty dean Prof. Christoph Josten during the faculty council meeting.

On September 16 and 17, 2019, just under 200 distinguished international experts and junior researchers from the field of cell and gene therapy will come together at Leipzig's Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, where they will discuss the latest developments in immuno-oncology as part of the DG-GT theme day “CAR-T cells and beyond”.