Technology Offerings

Synchronization and control of linear accelerator, multi-leaf collimator, gantry system, patient support system and x-ray beam generation system at the same time is difficult to establish, particularly with hard real-time requirements. The presented technology comprises a control unit consisting of standardized programmable logic controllers for real-time operation of all subsystems of a radiation therapy device. Thus, the technology allows precise and dynamic patient treatment with high time resolution.

Several limitations restrict conventional Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) application. Examples are: 1) Low temporal resolution, which prohibits measurements of faster processes 2) FRAP evaluation schemes cannot include spatial constraints imposed by the cellular environment on protein mobility 3) FRAP ignores the sequential nature of the bleaching and image acquisition process. In order to overcome these limitations of conventional FRAP DKFZ researchers developed a novel FRAP based method called 3PEA (Pixel-wise Photobleaching Profile Evolution Analysis). The advantages of 3PEA are e.g.: accurate mobility measurements of fast, slow, and immobile proteins and fast determination of effective diffusion coefficients. The presented technology is thought to be suitable for use in all confocal laser scanning microscopes (no additional hardware is needed) and would allow automated high throughput FRAP experiments.

Virus-like particles (VLPs) of EBV, completely devoid of viral DNA, for the prevention of infectious mononucleosis (IM) and EBV-associated diseases like lymphomas often developed in patients with immunosuppression.

In 50-80% OPSCC patients human papilloma virus (HPV) can be detected. These patients have an improved survival and would benefit from deescalate cancer treatment. The technology provides a reliable marker based on RNA pattern.

DKFZ inventors identified the Wnt secretion protein Evi/Gpr177 as new target, which is strikingly upregulated during glioma tumorigenesis in a stage-independent way and which correlated with poor prognosis. Silencing of the Evi/Gpr177 protein significantly inhibited glioma cell proliferation and migration. Additionally an inhibitory antibody against Evi/Gpr177 was invented that significantly reduced Wnt Evi/Gpr177 gene response.

Currently, multi leaf collimators (MLC) are established and state of the art in numerous devices for radiotherapy used for cancer treatment. However, the established MLC comprising 80 and more leafs require an enormous space at the level of the leaves for corresponding drive and controlling elements if realized with normal electric motors. Since space is very limited within the head of linear accelerators the invention proposes a new small and convenient driving/controlling device based on piezoelectricity, which is directly coupled to the leaves and their driving rods.