Press releases and news 1999

The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB) and UTEK Corporation, announce the formation of a strategic alliance to merchandise select Fraunhofer IGB inventions. Under the terms of the alliance, UTEK will seek to find corporate partners for new technologies developed at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany.

In 1999 two Fraunhofer IGB students were awarded with the Hugo Geiger Prize.

Before creams and body lotions appear on the market, they have to be tested thoroughly on their skin compatibility and effects. As tests on living animals should be reduced to a minimum researchers at IGB have developed a novel alternative: the three-dimensional whole skin model AST-2000 which is presented on the Trade Fair Biotechnica in Hannover.

Interferon-beta is used for therapy of multiple sclerosis. A major problem, however, poses the low solubility of the protein. A new method of enhancing its solubility is now presented by Fraunhofer IGB on the Trade Fair Biotechnica, Hannover: By hydrophobicity engineering the scientist have developed a variant which is more soluble and furthermore, pharmacokinetically more stable than wildtype Interferon-beta.

Deterioration is threatening numerous historical books in libraries and archives. An interdisciplinary research team aims to arrest this deterioration of precious cultural heritage and remedy existing damage by applying plasma technology.

DNA analysis has become an indispensable feature of modern medicine. New automated processes have been devised to speed up the preparation of tissue samples and enable diseases to be diagnosed more reliably.

Production in many areas of the food and pharmaceuticals industries is governed by strict regulations. An optical particle counter monitors airborne particles during manufacturing, allowing immediate action to be taken if the level becomes too high.