http://magazine.merck.deenMerck KGaAThu, 09 Feb 2012 17:54:33When you’re suddenly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), how does it affect your working life? The disease is not that uncommon: Statistically speaking, in a company with about 750 employees, one person will be affected by MS. Despite typical symptoms such as chronic fatigue, many people are still able to continue working. Openness and consideration can be a huge help.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/multiple_sclerosis/MS1/2012-01-16T10:00:00In the pharmaceutical industry, cooperating with partners can reduce the time needed to develop drugs, which means faster, more efficient help for patients. Such collaboration requires ideas — not only for the development of technologies, but also for cooperation involving very different partners. Here are some examples of Merck Serono’s experiences.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/collaborations/nanobodies1/2012-01-16T10:00:00The inhabitants of the german city Ulm are a persistent lot. No less than 513 years after its foundation stone was laid, their church was finally completed — with the highest spire in the world. Soon after that, conservation measures were started, and they will continue to preserve this majestic Gothic minster in the future.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/Ulm_Minster/Microquant1/2012-01-16T10:00:00Innovation and inspiration are the main forces driving the Innospire process that Merck uses to promote the extraordinary project ideas that its employees have come up with. At the Innospire bootcamp in October 2011, the participating teams turned their ideas into business plans and worked on refining their presentations to the program’s grand jury.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/Innovation_Inspiration/Innospire1/2011-12-05T10:00:00It still makes headlines today when a woman is appointed to a top-level position in the business world. That's an indication that women in senior management positions are still the exception to the rule. The Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association is working to change that. Merck is a corporate sponsor supporting this initiative, which already has more than 6,000 highly qualified members.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/women_career/HBA1/2011-12-05T10:00:00The Joint Age Calculator is an online tool for determining the true age of the body’s joints — and it offers a training program for strengthening tired bones.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/Joints/Joint_Age_Calculator1/2011-12-05T10:00:00Water is the most important nutrient. The water utilities in almost all industrialized countries make huge efforts to supply their consumers with drinking water that does not pose any health risks. But what happens inside the home? New regulations from the European Union will increase safety in this area — for example, by testing for the presence of Legionella bacteria.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/drinking_water/legionella1/2011-11-07T10:00:00Counterfeited, adulterated, stolen — criminals are taking aim at the products of global pharmaceutical manufacturers. And by doing so, they are putting patients at considerable risk. Merck is helping to ward off this threat with the "Merck Anti-Counterfeiting Operational Network," or MACON. One key component of this network is highly specialized analytical chemistry.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/analytical_services/counterfeit_medicines1/2011-11-07T10:00:00For individuals and companies alike, situations that present two or more different options require a decision. The task of ethics is to provide the foundation for a just decision. It has served mankind as a source of support for thousands of years. But increasing progress, especially in the field of research, requires ethical behavior from companies as well.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/Bioethics/ethics_council1/2011-11-07T10:00:00New products result from the creativity of individuals and teams, as well as from suitable framework conditions. That is why Merck systematically fosters a culture of innovation. The annual Merck Innovation Award is just one of many honors and incentives.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/innovation/culture_of_innovation1/2011-11-07T10:00:00Meat consumption is considered an indicator of prosperity — the more, the better. However, gourmet chef Michael Hoffmann has dedicated himself to making new discoveries in the realm of vegetarian cuisine. He's moving fennel, Jerusalem artichoke, and celeriac from the edges to the middle of the plate. His recipes are the result of many experiments in the kitchen as well as the garden.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/Michael_Hoffmann/vegetable_cuisine1/2011-10-04T10:00:00The company Carl Zeiss, which was founded in Jena in 1846, has influenced and consistently advanced the world of optics like practically no other company. Developments pioneered by this technology firm, a global leader in many fields, are also expanding our knowledge of the world and the way we process that knowledge electronically. And those are only two aspects of its achievements.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/Optics/Carl_Zeiss1/2011-10-04T10:00:00How do you get people fired up about innovation? This is the question addressed by Merck in a brochure entitled New. Since 1668. The new publication illustrates the aims and achievements of ingenious research with a series of striking images that were created — many of them in a Hamburg studio — during 11 days of shooting.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/innovation_brochure/photo_shoot1/2011-09-23T10:00:00It’s 50 years old and still going strong: Nasivin® cold medicine from Merck first debuted on the market in 1961. The nose drops containing the active ingredient oxymetazoline have since grown into an entire product family that’s helping people to breathe more easily in over 60 countries.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/Nasivin/anniversary1/2011-09-05T10:00:00An occupation is not only for earning a living — it should also be a good fit. Nonetheless, many young people choose apprenticeships that don’t really suit them. Merck is now putting video clips on the Internet to help young people make the right decisions about their vocational future.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/apprentices/apprentice_reporters1/2011-09-05T10:00:00Merck has been supplying pure products for chemical analysis since 1888. And since that time, there have been major changes in the standards that reagents are expected to meet. For example, the ultrapure laboratory water produced today can hardly be compared with the liquid that was considered “pure” water as recently as ten years ago.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/purity/pure_water1/2011-09-05T10:00:00Like a good spring mattress, healthy articular cartilage is firm and elastic. It cushions blows, carries the body’s weight, and protects the bone surface of joints. Osteoarthritis leads to the softening and eventual loss of this cartilage. Now, however, a new biologic that induces cartilage cell growth may well become the first therapy to treat the causes of this degenerative disease.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/osteoarthritis/FGF18_1/2011-08-01T10:00:00Thanks to biodiesel, climate-neutral mobility is becoming a possibility. And if the fuel is made from algae it won’t even compete with valuable food products. However, cultivation of these water plants has to be managed with great precision. Merck Millipore supplies the measuring equipment needed to make this possible.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/biodiesel/guava1/2011-08-01T10:00:00Circles. That is what internationally renowned Vienna-based artist Robert Schaberl paints. At least, that is how it appears at first glance. Then the subconscious takes over, and things get exciting.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/central_forms/RobertSchaberl1/2011-08-01T10:00:00So-called integrin inhibitors prevent cancer cells from colonizing their immediate environment. As a result, tumor growth is rapidly stopped and the malignancy in effect starves to death. Cilengitide, an innovative new integrin inhibitor from Merck, gives grounds for optimism regarding the treatment of glioblastomas and other malignancies.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/brain_tumors/cilengitide1/2011-07-04T10:00:00When it comes to optimizing climate-neutral energy generation techniques, chemical research is also very much in demand. Merck, for example, has developed a process for increasing the usable area on solar cells so that the electricity yield can be raised. The focus here is on an innovative etching paste, which can be used to electrically isolate the sides of a solar cell from each another.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/solar_cells/SolarEtch1/2011-07-04T10:00:00The fact that the natural sciences and technology are fascinating topics is demonstrated every year by the “Jugend forscht” (Young Researchers) competition in Germany. Merck has been the site for the selection of winners in the German federal state of Hesse for 15 years now. Merck's commitment to young scientists and researchers goes beyond the competition, however.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/Young_Researchers/Jugend_forscht1/2011-07-04T10:00:00Teamwork is essential if industrial research is to bear fruit. That’s why Merck is bringing researchers and customers close together at its new Material Research Center. By promoting efficiency, transparency, and communication, even the building’s architecture supports the development process.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/MRC/MRC1/2011-07-04T10:00:00Head lice can plague people from all walks of life, but they obviously prefer children. There is a shampoo, however, that exploits the anatomy of lice to put an end to the little bloodsuckers, eliminating lice infestations within about two weeks. After that, those who are still scratching their heads are only doing so as a displacement activity while thinking.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/lice/Apaisyl1/2011-06-01T10:00:00No patient likes to wait — especially if he or she has to periodically go to the hospital for chemotherapy. With the support of Merck Serono in France, a team at the Georges Pompidou European Hospital (HEGP) in Paris has developed an innovative program that makes treatment sessions more convenient for patients and gives doctors and medical staff more time to actually provide them with care.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/chemotherapy/Proche1/2011-06-01T10:00:00Young girls are often totally entranced by mom’s make-up bag, and they find it hard to resist a chance to turn themselves into little princesses. But they should be cautious about using some of the products and instead ask their parents for special “children’s cosmetics.” That way, everyone is on the safe side.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/cosmetic_products/cosmetics_for_children1/2011-06-01T10:00:00Is it possible to copy every medicine? Biological compounds confront the pharmaceutical sector with unexpected challenges, because the gigantic biomolecules have their own life stories. That’s why the term “biosimilars” doesn’t simply mean “generics.”http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/biopharma/biosimilars1/2011-04-29T10:00:00Merck supplies its customers around the world from the Distribution Center in Darmstadt. Thousands of packages, cartons, and pallets leave the site every day, and the latest technology ensures fast delivery turnaround times.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/logistics/Distribution_Center1/2011-04-29T10:00:00Measures to prevent pregnancy are older and better known than the ways to help satisfy an otherwise unfulfilled desire to have a child. The international study “Starting Families” looked into the various ways people view parenthood in 18 countries. And it looked at the question of what can be done when parenthood doesn’t seem possible. That was the case with Helen and Steve Cove.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/in_vitro_fertilization/Starting_Families1/2011-04-29T10:00:00Laboratories have an image of sober reliability. They’re hardly ever thought of as centers of innovative design — at least, not until now. But the first glance at the Mobius® series of bioreactors will certainly change this impression. They not only bring a range of bright colors into the gray world of the lab but also provide greater utility.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/Design/MerckMillipore1/2011-04-29T10:00:00When traveling abroad, travelers should always be prepared to encounter both old and new “acquaintances”. Those with chronic diseases should make sure to take along medicines from home. But even those who feel completely healthy should also be prepared for an emergency.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/travelling/first_aid_kit1/2011-04-07T10:00:00Even the highest of salaries and the most promising career opportunities are of little use if your private life suffers as a result of too much work. Nowadays, when applicants decide on where to work, one major consideration is whether companies encourage their employees to focus on their working and family life in equal measure. Merck has recognized that for a long time.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/careers/work_life_balance1/2011-04-07T10:00:00About 120,000 people in Germany have multiple sclerosis (MS), and that number is increasing by 3,000 to 5,000 every year. Simone Miegel is a specialized nurse who works with MS patients. She takes some of the workload off the attending physicians, gives patients professional and personal support, and encourages them to proactively combat this disease.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/multiple_sclerosis/MS_nurse1/2011-04-07T10:00:00Every company would be well advised to take advantage of professional consulting. Inhouse Consulting from Merck demonstrates that professional consulting can also come from within the company.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/corporate_consultants/inhouse_consulting1/2011-04-07T10:00:00In order to develop an effective therapy for a disease, you have to know its causes. When it comes to cancer, a new concept is evolving; this model explains the formation of tumors and the spread of metastases in a way fundamentally different from before. The starting point is the hierarchical structure of a tumor, whose growth is controlled by mutated stem cells.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/cancer/cancer_stem_cells1/2011-03-01T10:00:00Merck is making life difficult for counterfeiters. With Securalic® security solutions for brand and product protection, consumer products or industrial goods can be marked distinctively and thus prevent the counterfeiting of these products. Thanks to the multitude of combination possibilities, Merck can create for every brand protection program an individual security solution.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/product_protection/Securalic1/2011-03-01T10:00:00Patients whose kidneys have failed generally spend around 5,460 hours on a dialysis machine before a donor can be found for them. The average waiting time for a kidney transplant is currently seven years. During this period, dialysis machines clean patients’ blood and provide it with vital salts. Barbara Schmidt has been undergoing this procedure since 2004.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/dialysis/kidney_transplants1/2011-03-01T10:00:00Which achievement was more monumental: the moon landing in 1969 or the eradication of smallpox 11 years later? The terrible virus that had killed nearly one-third of those afflicted with it was finally defeated in 1980. Smallpox was a true scourge to humanity for thousands of years, and it is even mentioned with horror in the Old Testament.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/cancer_immunotherapy/stimuvax1/2011-02-01T10:00:00Merck is a company whose employees act on their sense of social responsibility in many ways. And they do so creatively: Through open-air concerts, benefits and fundraising campaigns they put the company’s sense of corporate social responsibility into practice on a personal level. One good example is the Benefit that Merck employees organize every other year.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/social_issues/donations1/2011-02-01T10:00:00When it comes to color design, product designers have a cornucopia of options. Loud or subtle, white or black, matt or glossy: Designers who aim to please customers’ tastes have to know the rules of color design.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/pigments/product_design1/2011-02-01T10:00:00Vanilla or dung — the human nose needs just a few milliseconds to analyze what is placed in front of it. Innovative sensors now harbor the potential to surpass the nose in terms of sensitivity and discernment. These sensors, which are based on organic field-effect thin-film transistors, were developed by a team headed by Professor Luisa Torsi of Italy.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/thin_film_transistors/Luisa_Torsi1/2011-01-14T11:13:00Children and adolescents are curious by nature. And they can also become quickly fascinated by the natural sciences once their interest is sparked. This fact helped pave the way for the creation of the Merck-TU Darmstadt Junior Laboratory at the Lichtwiese campus of the Technical University of Darmstadt. Since 2008 the lab has been welcoming school classes from all over the region as guests.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/education/Junior_Laboratory1/2011-01-14T10:01:00Protecting nature and the environment through sustainable use — that is UNESCO’s objective in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve in South Africa. With the help of Merck, the natural vegetation in the Bushbuckridge region is to be stabilized by means of a medicinal plants garden funded in part by the sale of innovative Titripac® packs, which are used in chemical analysis.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/Kruger_to_Canyons/Biosphere_Reserve1/2011-01-14T10:00:00The “Pilsner Big Bang” is the term connoisseurs use for the premiere of a pale golden-yellow lager brewed from barley malt, Saaz hops, and soft water that is still the prototype of all Pilsner-style beers today. This “big bang” emanated from West Bohemia in 1842.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/beer/PilsnerUrquell1/2010-12-10T10:00:00How can the number of women in management be increased? Many companies are asking themselves this question, for they consider "feminine intelligence" — for lack of a better term — to be a tremendous plus. The cross-company mentoring program offers new insights and perspectives in tandem.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/Mentoring/career1/2010-12-10T10:00:00Judo is the art of using an attacking an opponent’s strength to defend against the attack. Most people prefer to immediately brush ticks away rather than study them more closely, but researchers at Merck Serono in Geneva, Switzerland, took a very good look at the parasites. While studying the tick's saliva, they discovered a new class of proteins that may have a bright future.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/tick_proteins/evasins/2010-11-12T10:00:00Medical therapies are more effective the more precisely they are monitored — and that’s why Merck has begun to provide medicines equipped with data recorders. Merck is also Germany’s leading company for the efficient use of state-of-the-art information technology in other fields, for which it recently received the IT Strategy Award 2010.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/information_technology/IT_Strategy_Award1/2010-11-12T10:00:00Since time immemorial, men and women have been striving for a youthful appearance. They use creams, lotions, and massages to get rid of what they have in many cases caused themselves through their reckless treatment of our largest organ, the skin. Merck has now developed cyclopeptide-5, an active ingredient that functions as a key to success in the struggle for beauty.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/peptides/cyclopeptid1/2010-11-12T10:00:00New architecture eschews the fuss and relies on subtle accents. Viewing angles play a major role when it comes to the color scheme of facades with effect pigments. Merck supplies the key components for the production of powder coatings for aluminum elements.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/architecture/effect_pigments1/2010-11-12T10:00:00Active pharmaceutical ingredients often require innovative dosage forms – and the mission of the field of research known as pharmaceutical formulation is to develop them. At Merck, for example, pharmaceutical formulation researchers develop processes to ensure that therapeutic vaccines reach the right area of the body. This requires exceptional detective skills and creative ingenuity.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/pharmaceutical_formulation/dosage_forms1/2010-10-08T10:00:00Creativity alone is often not enough to develop marketable products; capital is needed as well. Among the various methods for raising funds, corporate venture capital is a particularly interesting option for investors and start-up companies alike. However, few companies in Germany have made use of it to date.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/CorporateVentureCapital/CVC1/2010-10-08T10:00:00Touchscreens facilitate communication between people and equipment — and the latest generation of such screens can even be operated with several fingers at a time. Technology from Merck plays a key role in the production of these versatile devices.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/touchscreens/displays1/2010-10-08T10:00:00Merck’s new image film “Live a Better Life” premiered in September at this year’s Group Executive Conference. The film portrays the uniqueness of Merck and its employees by presenting fascinating images. It was filmed in Spain, Switzerland, and Japan. Footage was also taken in Darmstadt, where the cinematographer and director Laszlo Kadar provided a look behind the scenes.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/ImageFilm/Live_a_Better_Life1/2010-09-08T10:00:00Merck’s fire department works closely together with other firefighting units. That’s also what led to the creation of the “decontamination container on wheels,” which was used in June 2010 during a large-scale exercise on the site premises. The special unit was devised by the fire departments of the chemical companies Merck and Evonik Röhm, along with the fire department of the city of Darmstadt.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/fire_department/exercise1/2010-09-08T10:00:00Hygiene laws and increasing demands on the part of consumers are making it necessary to thoroughly document the origin and biography of farm animals. Ear tags in which the information has been deeply embedded with lasers and special color pigments are forgery-proof and easily readable. This technique has great potential not only for animal husbandry.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/laser_markings/Micabs1/2010-09-08T10:00:00The painter and engraver William Hogarth (1697 – 1764) was considered the first major English artist to attract people’s attention outside of the United Kingdom. Following his apprenticeship, Hogarth first created several series of satirical illustrations before he turned to painting portraits. His pictures of follies and excesses were popularized in Germany by Georg Christoph Lichtenberg.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/engravings/WilliamHogarth01/2010-09-08T10:00:00Whether for flexible displays, luminous wallpaper or large-area photovoltaic cells, organic semiconductors are paving the way for entirely new electronic applications. Merck is developing the innovative materials at Chilworth Technical Centre near Southampton, UK. The Merck researchers use high-tech equipment to produce pioneering, customer-specific solutions.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/Organic_Electronic/ink_jetting_electronics01/2010-08-16T10:00:00A former sea captain and a CEO have joined forces to provide medical services to patients in rural areas of the African island of Madagascar. In cooperation with government agencies, the AR MADA organization has conducted nine missions to the island each year since 2000. Through these missions it has given the country’s government-run healthcare system a sustained boost. http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/healthcare_system/ARMada1/2010-08-16T10:00:00Large patterns, extensive color palettes, and a diverse array of surfaces — the comeback of wallpaper is due to more than just the creativity of the designers. Vastly improved material properties — due in part to Merck effect pigments — have once again made wallpapering a home decorating trend.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/wallpaper/wallpaper_design01/2010-08-16T10:00:00When is a disease considered "rare"? In Europe this is precisely defined: when, at most, five out of every 10,000 people have it. Developing drugs for these so-called orphan diseases is therefore a challenge on not only the scientific but also the economic front. Merck's activities in this field include the development of treatment for the metabolic disorder PKU. http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/orphan_drugs/orphan_diseases1/2010-07-12T10:38:00Merck Corporate History serves as the company’s memory. The department includes an exhibition of the company’s history, runs the Merck Archive, and maintains an unusual library containing specialist publications and pharmacopoeia (compendia of pharmaceutical drug specifications) compiled over centuries. The collection offers outstanding opportunities to conduct research.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/corporate_history/pharmacopoeia01/2010-07-12T10:00:00The UK BSkyB television broadcaster has launched test operations for 3D television. Viewers participating in the tests can now experience the impression of spatial depth outside of a cinema for the first time. Fast-reacting TV screens play a key role here — and the liquid crystals needed for them were developed by Merck.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/Displays/3D_TV01/2010-06-14T10:42:00Every newborn human being is a fascinating miracle — simply because of the amazing way everything works. It's possible to make sure this small miracle is healthy and grows strong by taking some simple precautions even before conception. For example, spina bifida and abnormalities of the urinary tract can be avoided. This is the history of a pregnancy, as told by Isabell Spilker.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/Pregnancy/Femibion1/2010-06-14T10:00:00At first glance, there seems to be little in common between a human being and a bacterium that lives in salt lakes. But they have a similar problem: while the bacterium is in danger of drying out because of the high concentration of salt, human skin is exposed to this risk as well under the influence of the sun and wind. But the bacteria have a way of protecting themselves. And man can take advantage of it.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/Ectoin/cosmetics1/2010-06-14T10:00:00How can regular administration of drugs be made more comfortable? Glucophage® powder, the new diabetes treatment from Merck Serono, is an innovative example of successful product development. It’s the latest generation of the tried-and-tested family of drugs based on the active ingredient metformin hydrochloride. The newly developed powder form is easier to administer and better-tasting.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/product_development/Glucophage_powder1/2010-05-10T10:00:00Cod liver oil is “worth its weight in gold.” But before this fish oil can look the part, it needs to undergo a multistage refining process, at the end of which the high-quality product smells more pleasant than fishy. The Seven Seas company located in the English city of Hull is one of the global leaders in the cod liver oil refining, and its Cod Liver Oil brand boasts a market share of 61.5 percent in the UK alone.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/cod_liver_oil/Seven_Seas1/2010-05-10T10:00:00Merck issued its first Corporate Responsibility Report in 2003. Since then, each edition reflects the essence of a great number of different processes that are leading toward a sustainable future. The social responsibility is not something that Merck has only recently discovered, but rather is a legacy extending back over three centuries.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/Corporate_Responsibility/sustainability1/2010-05-10T10:00:00The works of Hans Dieter Tylle move between the poles of industry and art. In a new major project, Deutschlandreise, the artist is once again committing the worlds of the factory, mine, and shipyard to canvas. The first station of this “Tour of Germany” was Merck in Darmstadt, where the 55-year-old artist has created six remarkable works.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/HD_Tylle/Merck_facilities_paintings1/2010-05-10T10:00:00Anna suffers from a growth disorder. Until recently, this self-confident young girl was the shortest in her group of friends. Thanks to hormone treatments, she has experienced a spurt of growth in a short period of time—and is now enjoying a new lease on life.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/growth_disorder/hormone_treatments1/2010-04-12T09:00:00Functional pigments from Merck do more than just endow surfaces with new properties. When used to inscribe barcodes on animal ear tags, electronic components, and water bottles, they are robust, forgery-proof, and a very practical answer to highly specific user requirements. The new laser egg from Merck shows customers how the pigments look in real life.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/functional_pigments/Lazerflair1/2010-04-12T09:00:00Cosmetics perform a whole range of functions in complex ways. As a rule, they are applied directly to the skin, where customers expect them to deliver what they promise. To meet these expectations, a growing number of basic ingredients and manufacturing processes are used. Merck's Cosmetic Technology Center helps cosmetics manufacturers to bring their ideas for new products to life.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/Cosmetics/Cosmetic_Technology_Center/2010-04-12T09:00:00Iodine deficiency means the thyroid gland cannot produce certain hormones, which are, however, vital for specific bodily functions. An ultrasound examination of the thyroid makes it possible to detect inadequate supplies at an early stage. “ThyroMobils” have been on the road on five continents, serving as mobile doctors’ offices since 1993. “M — The Explorer Magazine” met up with one in Cologne.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/iodine_deficiency_screening/Thyromobil1/2010-03-02T10:00:00Between the time they are produced and their delivery to customers, pharmaceutical products are shipped over long distances. That’s why Merck’s quality pledge is based not only on high-quality raw materials and production processes but also on seamless monitoring of the distribution chain. A look at the cancer-treatment drug Erbitux® offers a good example of how inspections are carried out.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/distribution_chain/Erbitux1/2010-03-02T09:00:00Each year an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 people die from schistosomiasis. This is why the World Health Organization (WHO) has stepped up the fight against the tropical disease transferred by parasites. Also fighting on the front line: Dr. Lester Chitsulo. He is energetically coordinating the worldwide control effort.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/Lester_Chitsulo/Schistosomiasis1/2010-03-02T09:00:00The future of electric mobility is bringing energy suppliers and automakers together. Only powerful and long-lasting power storage units can provide vehicles with sufficient energy for traveling long distances. Researchers from Merck are developing key components for this in the form of electrolytes that will be used in the next generation of lithium-ion batteries.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/electric_cars/lithium_ion_batteries1/2009-11-23T09:00:00In Canada people are keeping track of their year with an unusual calendar: Heather Kenalty, an employee of EMD Serono Canada, created fascinating portraits of people afflicted with multiple sclerosis. The result of her work is 12 calendar pages full of passion for life, gratitude and confidence.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/multiple_sclerosis/MS_Calendar1/2009-11-23T09:00:00Family businesses exert a certain fascination. By growing over many years and yet remaining innovative, they seem to contradict the logic of the capital markets. This circumstance is examined from two different perspectives in a talk with the psychiatrist Professor Fritz B. Simon and an interview with the economist Professor Benoît Leleux.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/family_businesses/Fritz_B_Simon/2009-11-16T10:00:00Electronics have thus far centered on silicon, but recent years have seen big advances in the use of organic substances to produce components that process electrical signals. These substances are inexpensive and can even be printed to produce such things as smart labels for yogurt containers. The launch of a new masters program underscores the significance of this up-and-coming technology.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/organic_electronics/research_cluster1/2009-11-09T11:00:00Good TV has always been about action and movement. In order to show fast scenes in the highest quality, liquid crystal displays must meet demanding specifications in terms of picture frequency, contrast and color intensity. Use of innovative materials is now making it possible to manufacture LCD TVs to this standard. And these new sets are also eco-friendly.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/LCD_TV/tv_display_technology1/2009-11-09T11:00:00An ecologically optimized building with high-quality architecture? For a long time, this ideal combination of form, function and ecology seemed impossible for architects. But the headquarters of Merck Serono in Geneva proves that it is achievable – with fascinating architecture and an ecological system.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/Merck_Serono/ecological_architecture1/2009-11-09T11:00:00Cyanokit® from Merck Serono, the reliable antidote to cyanide poisoning, can also be used in suspected cases of exposure, in cases of smoke inhalation, for example. Merck Pharma GmbH launched Cyanokit® on the German market in January 2009. M – The Explorer Magazine talked with Jürgen Warmbier, head of the site fire department at Merck, about the antidote’s potential.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/toxic_smoke_inhalation/Cyanokit1/2009-10-26T08:50:00Millions of people are plagued by a fear of injections. They faint, avoid visiting the doctor or even discontinue essential treatments. Merck Serono has developed two devices which can alleviate many patients’ fears.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/autoinjector/easypod_RebiSmart1/2009-10-26T08:50:00Greenhouse gases intensify the greenhouse effect. The resulting climate change is one of the challenges of the 21st century. Merck also wants to do its part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and is targeting a 20 percent reduction in its carbon dioxide emissions by 2020. M – The Explorer Magazine spoke about the new targets with Gerd Vollmer, climate policy spokesman at the Merck Group.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/environmental_protection/reducing_emissions1/2009-10-26T08:50:00Tom Isaacs comes in two versions: when his medications for Parkinson's are working (“on”), and when their effect wears off (“off”) and he loses control of his body. Shake Well Before Use is the title of his travelogue recounting his walk around Britain’s coastline. Able to see humour in his situation, he points out he is a “mover and shaker” in other ways, as well.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/Parkinson/Tom_Isaacs1/2009-10-12T13:29:00Pigments turn dreams of color into reality — as they’ve been doing for thousands of years. Today they are more radiant than ever. Once upon a time, pigments were extracted from fish scales and mother-of-pearl — now they emerge from a realm that straddles the border between chemistry and physics. They also lend a mysterious gloss to the everyday world, making objects appear in a magical light.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/colors/pigments1/2009-10-12T13:03:00China’s government is planning to reform the country’s public healthcare system so that the rural population in particular will be able to benefit from affordable medication and a comprehensive network of medical facilities in the future. Traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine will be assigned equal roles in this reform.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/medical_treatment_China/Chinese_healthcare_system1/2009-10-12T11:01:00Madagascar is home to a diversity of flora and fauna and is rich in water. But there lurks a dangerous enemy: parasitic flukes that cause the dreaded schistosomiasis in humans. Merck is supporting the battle against the parasites and so saving children from the serious illness.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/Schistosomiasis/aid_program1/2009-09-25T12:00:00Merck employees in the Austrian town of Spittal have achieved perfection in a field in which only a few other experts around the world are even capable of operating: They manufacture tablets in three layers, one of which carries probiotic bacteria. Production of this diet product has to be carried out very carefully in what is a fascinating process of precision on a scale of billions.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/three_layer_tablets/Bion3_1/2009-06-16T14:46:00The market for renewable energy is booming, and rising energy prices are giving a big boost to photovoltaic systems in particular. With isishape®, Merck has developed an environmentally friendly process that optimizes the production of solar cells while raising their efficiency. http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/isishape/solar_cells1/2009-06-15T16:58:00Today’s designers know what the car drivers of tomorrow want: Years before a car hits the streets, design experts have already determined which colors it should be used. Merck’s “Automotive Color Proposals,” a folder containing the color patterns of the automotive future, has been providing major paint manufacturers worldwide with valuable color suggestions for 15 years.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/automotive_colors/colors_for_cars/2009-06-15T15:20:00There is quite a difference between vacationing on a different continent and working for a number of years in a country with what is, at first, an unusual culture. Like a “cultural illiterate,” the newcomer must first decipher the social codes of business and personal life before a foreign country can become a second home.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/foreign_cultures/living_in_taiwan1/2009-06-15T15:19:00Visible growth achieved through voluntary effort is the most convincing form of thanks for an intensive commitment. That’s why employees, customers, and their friends are planting thousands of trees in Thailand. Here, cooperation with the non-profit “Plant a Tree Today” organization also safeguards a system of sustainable planning.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/PATT/planting_in_Thailand1/2009-06-15T14:40:00Approximately 500 million Indians are under the age of 25. For them, education is the raw material of their future careers. But not all talented young people have the means to attend school for very long. The income of many parents is simply too low to make this possible. Merck India is helping by offering scholarships — to young learners like Alefiya and Omkar.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/scholarships/Indian_education_system1/2009-06-15T12:50:00Counterfeit medicines are endangering the provision of health care to people living in developing countries. To counter such fakes, Merck is sponsoring the distribution of a mobile minilab to check the authenticity of medicines, quickly and cost-efficiently. The results could also lead the medical community to rethink its views of resistance to drug treatment.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/GPHF/counterfeit_medicines1/2009-06-15T11:24:00In western industrialized countries, people take clean water for granted. Its quality is regularly checked and it flows out of faucets in a seemingly inexhaustible supply. But this isn’t the case everywhere in the world. What’s more, only tough inspections can ensure that quality standards are maintained in industrialized countries as well, and analysis systems from Merck play a crucial role in this effort.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/water_analysis_tools/Spectroquant_Merckoquant1/2009-06-12T16:18:00Religious obligations and prohibitions aren’t suspended when a therapy begins. Merck takes this aspect into account by issuing halal certificates, which are available on the Merck website. But what exactly makes something permissible — and thus “halal” — for the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims? A search for the answers, from dietary prohibitions to pioneering Arab physicians.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/certificates/Halal_seal1/2009-06-12T15:42:00Scientific pharmaceuticals research developed out of herbal medicine, and in some cases it has returned to its roots. An example of this is comfrey root extract, which has been used to make a pain-relief ointment since 1931. Its range of complex ingredients are even more effective than modern substances. Here’s the story of Kytta ointment.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/comfrey_root/Kytta_ointment1/2009-06-10T12:14:00Every person is an individual whose body reacts in its own way — and scientists are now beginning to exploit such differences in the areas of diagnostics and treatment. Initial results on the path to customized therapies are encouraging: Among other things, scientists have succeeded in detecting genetic mutations in cancer cells.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/cancer_therapy/KRAS_test1/2009-06-10T11:05:00Nanoparticles have a wide range of properties: They can be used in chemistry to enhance the quality of surfaces, and as “smart carriers” in medicine they open up entirely new diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Merck is conducting research in both areas — with pioneering results that also have dual applications.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/nanoparticles/nanotechnology1/2009-05-11T12:00:00He has multiple sclerosis, and writing the book "Mein Dämon ist ein Stubenhocker" ("My Demon is a Couch Potato") about it turned Maximilian Dorner, an artistic director in the German theatre scene, into a successful author at the first go. In his interview he touches on work, illness and creativity. And how it all fits together.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/Multiple_Sklerosis/Maximilian_Dorner1/2009-05-11T12:00:00An unsatisfied wish for children is no longer a matter of fate. Ewan Michael Alexander, for example, owes his existence to reproductive medicine. His parents experienced how the products that Colin works to develop can satisfy the desire for a family of their own.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Assistance/Fertility/reproductive_medicine1/2009-05-11T12:00:00In the past, simple tests sufficed to check the quality of milk powder. That was before the tragic infant deaths in China revealed the illegal practice of using melamine as a cheap additive. Merck has developed a sensitive and quick test to detect this dangerous substance.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/food_testing/toxic_milk_powder/2009-05-11T12:00:00More robust, less expensive and faster: Microreaction technology miniaturizes the production of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Will it therefore replace classical batch technology one day? Research is currently under way on such projects.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/microreaction_technology/microreactor1/2009-05-11T12:00:00Roses like red light, but far-red radiation hinders their growth. Merck has developed Solarflair, a technology for greenhouse roofs that blocks far-red light. This allows not only the plants to thrive, but the people working in the greenhouses as well.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Quality/coating_greenhouses/Solarflair_pigments1/2009-05-11T12:00:00The snuffles are annoying enough here on Earth — in space the mundane ailment can jeopardize missions costing billions. NASA therefore sent a current bestseller from Merck up on the Apollo 11 mission with astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin in 1969: Nasivin.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/Nasivin/Nasivin_for_NASA1/2009-05-11T12:00:00Imaginative concerts that bring children closer to the world of music. International tours with attractive programmes. And the renowned “Musical Autumn” festival, which takes place every two years in Darmstadt: The Philharmonie Merck serves as a cultural ambassador for the company, sending out a musical message that thrills audiences.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Responsibility/cultural_promotion/Merck_Philharmonic_Orchestra1/2009-05-11T12:00:00Liquid crystal displays (LCD) are used in a large number of different technical devices and have replaced cathode ray tubes almost entirely. The first flat panel displays couldn’t come close to matching the brilliance of today’s displays, however. A journey through time showing how far LCDs have come. http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/LCD/liquid_crystal_displays1/2009-05-11T12:00:00The colour of Buddhism was actually a dirty yellow-brown, but the aesthetics of the Bangkok style resulted in many temples in Myanmar and Thailand being ostentatiously decorated with shining gold. Today coloured lacquer is frequently used, and thanks to the Merck pigments the temples are shining more brightly than ever before.http://magazine.merck.de/en/Life_and_Style/golden_temples/pigments_for_temples1/2009-05-11T12:00:00Error: No descriptionhttp://magazine.merck.de/en/newsletter/success_page_subscribe/Error: No dateError: No descriptionhttp://magazine.merck.de/en/newsletter/error_page_subscribe/Error: No dateError: No descriptionhttp://magazine.merck.de/en/newsletter/success_page_unsubscribe/Error: No dateError: No descriptionhttp://magazine.merck.de/en/newsletter/error_page_unsubscribe/Error: No dateError: No descriptionhttp://magazine.merck.de/en/Standard_Pages/ipad/ipad_landingpage/Error: No date