2018 Biotechnology Awards

18 GHP / Biotechnology Awards 2018 , Established in 2001, Bioglobe was originally created by Prof. Hoeppner as a spin-off of the Institute of Hormone and Fertility Research (IHF), a famous private research institute affiliated to the University Medical Centre Hamburg. Since inception the company has flourished, and Bioglobe has since become one of the most renowned and advanced laboratories for molecular genetics services in Germany. It provides BI180030 Best Molecular Genetic Services Laboratory – Germany & Award for Excellence in Medical Genetics 2018 Bioglobe is an innovative molecular genetic services laboratory, which is one of few labs in Europe which offers SNP-Genotyping with theMassArray™ technology. We profile the firm to find out more about the unique solutions it provides. molecular genetics diagnostic, pharmacogenomics, forensics, as well as the support of all kind of genetic studies and molecular biology experiments. From humble beginnings the firm has grown into a successful and respected laboratory. The year the firm began, was not an easy year to establish a biotechnology company, as after 9/11 it became very hard to find investors. Bioglobe mastered this problem by financing its growth mainly through public grants. Hamburg was an ideal place to start a biotechnology company, as the Ministry of Economy, Traffic and Innovation of the Federal state of Hamburg had established a funding agency supporting start-ups and innovative R&D projects for small and medium enterprises. Together with partners at the University of Hamburg and the research institute IHF, Prof. Hoeppner successfully applied for public funding for academic research projects from national and European sources. For these projects experienced scientists with skills in DNA technology and biomedicine were hired as well as qualified technicians with research experience. The main business division of Bioglobe was medical genetics, where highest priority is given to exacting scientific standards, reliability and accuracy coupled with professional service. Bioglobe took the initiative in 2003 to promote quality genetic testing by establishing external quality assessment schemes together with the German Society of Human Genetics. From 2008 on, these schemes were organized by the European Molecular Quality Network (EMQN) with Professor Hoeppner as responsible scheme organizer for two important genetic tests. Today genetic laboratories from all over the world participate in these proficiency testing schemes, which are conducted once a year. By combining the experience from medical genetics and from numerous research projects in which genetic markers for disease were investigated, Bioglobe developed genetic profiles for the prediction of age related diseases. These tests are named GUARDS and are available for the prediction of diabetes, arteriosclerosis, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Hoeppnet, CEO of BIoglobe GmbH