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REGENERATIVE MEDICINE IN GERMANY
Regenerative therapies that exploit and stimulate the body’s research into the imaging, modelling (involving pre-clinical in vivo
regenerative capacity are one major goal of biomedical research. models), and monitoring of regeneration. The TRM-Leipzig always
Some successful regenerative therapies are already being performed, welcomes applications from candidates who feel that they would make
but stem cell therapy is not yet a reality in most other clinical fi elds. a valuable contribution to research and translation at the Centre.
Compared to more traditional prosthetic-reconstructive approaches,
Berlin: Twenty-three new research groups will be funded in the new
however, stem cell-based therapies hold great promise for controlled
central facility of the Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative
tissue regeneration. If regenerative medicine’s inherent potential for
Therapies (BCRT). This new center is located in the heart of Germany’s
curing disease is to be realised, then only a multidisciplinary research
dynamic health capital Berlin. The BCRT represents a joint effort between
effort in molecular biomedicine and biomaterials, geared towards
Europe’s biggest university hospital, the Charité, and Germany’s largest
application in clinical research programs, can overcome these obstacles
research organisation, the Helmholtz Association and is substantially
and lead to success.
funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Tissue engineering and stem cell research have a strong tradition
The centre pools the expertise of internationally recognised researchers
in Germany, but clinical translation of novel cell-based therapies
and clinicians in Berlin-Brandenburg in order to advance new therapies
is becoming increasingly important. In recent years, a national
designed, for example, to cure conditions such as heart attacks, strokes
competition in this fi eld has lead to the formation of four major
and lymphoma or to accelerate bone healing. International relations
Regenerative Medicine Centres. The German Research Foundation
have been established between the BCRT and numerous partners
(Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) and the German Federal
abroad, including those created through projects of the European
Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) have approved funding for
Commission, the International Consortium of Stem Cell Networks
four new research centres in Dresden, Hannover, Berlin and Leipzig.
and with the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the
Dresden: The DFG research Center for Regenerative Therapies University of Pittsburgh, USA.
Dresden (CRTD) and Cluster of Excellence of the Dresden University
Regenerative Medicine, a highly interdisciplinary fi eld of research
of Technology has a strong focus not only on basic stem cell research,
that harnesses the body’s own healing abilities, is fi rmly established
but also its translation into the clinic, especially in the areas of
in Germany. It encompasses a broad spectrum of activities that range
haematology, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. The dense,
from stem cell biology and molecular imaging to tissue engineering and
interdisciplinary network of the CRTD allows new fi ndings from basic
clinical medicine.
research to rapidly fi nd their way into clinical application, and helps
new regenerative therapies to become reality. These four dedicated centres are integrated within the recently
founded Regenerative Medicine Initiative Germany (RMIG) serving
Hannover: REBIRTH - as an acronym for “From Regenerative Biology
as an umbrella organisation and communication platform in the fi eld of
to Reconstructive Therapy” - in Hannover was selected as a research
regenerative medicine. A common national strategy is to be developed,
centre of excellence by the German federal- and state-level initiative
integrating all German activities within the fi eld. (Contact RMIG initially
aimed at promotion top-level research in Germany. REBIRTH connects
via BCRT).
seven major players in the fi eld of biomedical sciences and related
enabling technologies. The city of Hannover, Lower Saxony’s state Specifi c contact addresses and internet links see the page on the right.
capital, is home to REBIRTH’s leading institution, Hannover Medical
School (MHH), and to the two partner establishments of higher
education, Hannover School of Veterinary Medicine (TiHo) and the
Leibniz University of Hannover, as well as to the Fraunhofer Institute
for Toxicology & Experimental Medicine (ITEM). Three external
partners, including the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI)
in Braunschweig, the Institute of Animal Breeding (FAL) in Neustadt-
Mariensee and the Max Planck Institute in Münster, have - or are in the
process of establishing - joint laboratories on the MHH campus.
Leipzig: Developing diagnostic and therapeutic concepts; translating
and implementing them effectively into the clinical setting;
monitoring, imaging, and documenting regeneration; and enhancing
the effectiveness of novel therapies – these are among the ongoing
challenges in regenerative medicine. It was precisely to meet these
challenges that the Translational Centre for Regenerative Medicine
(TRM-Leipzig) was established in October 2006 at the Universität
Leipzig - Germany’s second oldest university, established in 1409 -
with over 30 million euros’ worth of funding from Germany’s Federal
Ministry of Education and Research, the Free State of Saxony, and the
University itself.
Integrated into the vision is the understanding that, for the majority of
pathological conditions, there are three possible therapeutic solutions:
(i) replacement strategies using artifi cial materials and devices, (ii)
the use of cells, tissues or organs for repair and substitution, and
(iii) stimulation of the self-healing potential. In addition, we support
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