topic Research

New Prospects in Individualized Medicine - Treating Illness More Effectively

The Federal Government supports the development of personalized diagnosis and therapy. It provides funding for research in all stages of the innovation process, from basic research in the life sciences to clinical patient-oriented research to market maturity. Another priority is research into rare diseases.

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  topic Research

  "For me, individualized medicine signifies a radical change in the way we think"

  In this interview with bmbf-online, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and physician Dr. Helge Braun explains the opportunities and challenges that come along with the concept of individualized medicine and the role it plays in the BMBF's Health Research Programme.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/18981.php)
   
  
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  topic Research

  Stem Cell Research for Alternative Treatment Options

  Many illnesses and accidents lead to the destruction of tissue or the loss of entire organs. Despite the wide range of established medical procedures, it is often not possible to cure the patient. In serious cases, the patient needs an organ transplant to survive. Although there has been great progress in the field of transplantation medicine, the lack of donor organs and the long-term effects of immunosuppression mean that a transplant is not always an option. Stem cells enable alternative treatment options. The BMBF supports stem cell research that complies with the legal requirements.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/10781.php)
   
  
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  topic Hightech Strategy

  Developing Therapies Based on Regenerative Medicine

  Considerable medical and technological achievements in the field of organ transplants and the replacement of specific cell, tissue and organ functions are already helping many patients to survive serious illnesses. The BMBF has been funding research into regenerative medicine since 1999 in order to ensure further progress.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/1084.php)
   
  
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  topic Research

  Rare Diseases

  Rare diseases are not really rare. According to the definition valid in Europe, a disease is "rare" when less than one out of 2,000 people suffers from a specific clinical syndrome. However, rare diseases often are difficult to cure. There is too little information and hardly any possibility for systematic studies which facilitate a targeted therapy.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/1109.php)
   
  
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  topic Hightech Strategy

  Clinical Trials

  There can be no new medical drug, no innovative therapy without clinical trials. New processes and medical drugs are tested in clinical trials. They are part and parcel of quality assurance in medicine. But they also provide insights into the origins and progress of diseases. The results of all available primary studies regarding a specific question, for example a specific therapy, are combined and evaluated within the framework of systematic overviews. The development of systematic reviews is an important step in the transfer of research results to patient care. However, the necessary study culture is not yet sufficiently established in Germany.
  more (URL: http://www.bmbf.de/en/1173.php)