Medical technology

Until now, it has been technically nearly impossible to rotate highly sensitive samples in all directions under a microscope without making contact. Researchers at the KIT have developed a new laser-based technique that allows microscopic samples such as cells to be rotated contact-free in all three spatial directions. The laser creates tiny temperature differences in the liquid, which trigger gentle fluid flows that move the sample.

Prof. Dr Simon Elsässer will be awarded one of this year’s Alexander von Humboldt Professorships in Berlin on 12 May 2026. With funding of five million euros, Elsässer will strengthen Freiburg’s research focus ‘Signals of Life’ over the next five years. In this interview, he discusses complex decision-making processes in cells, the significance of signals and what makes the research environment in Freiburg so special.

MRI analysis of fat and muscle distribution in more than 66,000 people provides a more accurate assessment of health risks / Poor muscle quality poses an additional risk / Study provides reference values based on age, sex, and height

Digital bone twin by OSORA medical - 04/05/2026

Fractures in focus: predicting rather than waiting

Bone fractures are generally healed by the body without any issues. However, there are hundreds of thousands of cases each year in which a fracture either fails to heal or only does so slowly. To reduce the number of cases where this happens, a start-up called OSORA medical has developed methods to predict the healing process and, if necessary, make preventative adjustments.

A novel biomimetic tissue substitute combines precisely tunable mechanical properties with biological functionality and is now ready for applications in medical technology. The material was developed in the »PolyKARD« project by Fraunhofer IAP and the NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute. From 20.-24.04, 2026, the material will be presented together with further developments at the Hannover Messe, Fraunhofer joint booth.

How can you charge electric cars without plugging them into the power grid for hours on end? How can industrial robots be “refueled” during operation? And how does wireless energy transfer improve medical technology? These questions have occupied Prof. Nejila Parspour, Director of the Institute of Electrical Energy Conversion (IEW) at the University of Stuttgart, for more than twenty years.

Brain-computer interfaces can read neural signals and influence brain activity. We spoke with Pascal Fries about how this technology can benefit people with neurological and psychiatric conditions, future developments, and his views on ethical boundaries.

Computer simulations and Artificial Intelligence are the main pillars of the “SIMPLAIX” collaboration, initiated by the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS). Together with colleagues from Heidelberg University and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, HITS researchers are addressing challenges in the simulation of biomolecules and molecular materials by pooling their expertise in multiscale computer simulation and machine learning.

Computer simulations and Artificial Intelligence are the main pillars of the “SIMPLAIX” collaboration, initiated by the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS). Together with colleagues from Heidelberg University and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, HITS researchers are addressing challenges in the simulation of biomolecules and molecular materials by pooling their expertise in multiscale computer simulation and machine learning.

The Volkswagen Foundation is supporting the Ulm scientist Professor Walter Karlen with more than 940,000 euros from the funding initiative "Momentum - funding for first-time researchers". The engineer has headed the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at Ulm University since 2021. Karlen conducts research in the field of mobile health on so-called Medicine Wearables, i.e. portable technology for recording health data.

Women who have experienced a stroke or heart attack are at a higher risk of mortality than men. Fraunhofer researchers want to improve gender-specific aftercare with a customized assistance system – thus helping to prevent further heart disease.

Protein activity can be precisely regulated via subtle changes in temperature using heat-sensitive switches. Underlying this capability is a novel modular design strategy developed by researchers at the Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology of Heidelberg University. The strategy allows the integration of sensory domains in various proteins regardless of function or spatial structure.