“This funding decision represents not only confirmation, but above all responsibility and opportunity for us,” says Dr. Hanna Hasselblatt, Cluster Manager of nanodiag BW. “As we enter the upcoming implementation phase, we are highly motivated and fully committed to transferring our nanopore technology from the laboratory into clinically relevant applications.”
Cluster spokesperson Prof. Felix von Stetten emphasizes the importance of the renewed funding: “The approval of the next funding phase provides us with the planning security we need to systematically drive technological breakthroughs forward and translate them into market-ready solutions.”
Prof. Jan C. Behrends of the University of Freiburg, Deputy Cluster Spokesperson and co-initiator of the initiative, adds: “Over the past three years, we have succeeded in aligning the nanodiag stakeholders toward a common goal. In the second implementation phase, partly together with new partners, we are now decisively pursuing the realization of the first practical applications of nanopore technology for epigenetics and proteomics.”
nanodiag BW is working on a new generation of molecular diagnostics based on nanopore technology. This approach enables the direct, real-time analysis and identification of individual protein segments. A particular focus lies on epigenetic modifications, which play a central role in the development of many diseases such as cancer or neurodegenerative disorders. The aim is to make personalized diagnostics of epigenetic markers more accessible – by providing a cost-effective, readily available, and point-of-care alternative to established mass spectrometry methods.
During the first funding phase, important foundations were already laid: the partners developed various nanopore platforms, microfluidic systems, and AI-based methods for analyzing the electrical signatures of individual molecules. In the second phase, development will be more strongly aligned with the requirements of future clinical applications in epigenetic diagnostics.
Background
The Clusters4Future initiative of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) supports regional innovation networks in rapidly translating excellent research results into economically and socially relevant applications. Following successful evaluation, the 14 Zukunftscluster can receive BMFTR funding for up to three implementation phases of three years each.
About nanodiag BW
nanodiag BW is an interdisciplinary innovation network based in Baden-Württemberg. The cluster is coordinated by Hahn-Schickard-Gesellschaft für angewandte Forschung e.V. in cooperation with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Freiburg. It brings together more than 20 partners from research and industry with the goal of making nanopore technology usable for the molecular diagnostics of the future. By analyzing individual proteins and their modifications, novel diagnostic methods are to be developed that can be applied in clinical practice in a faster, more cost-effective, and more personalized manner.
The main focus areas of the second implementation phase include the optimization of biological pores and target enrichment. In the field of solid-state nanopores, scaling up pore fabrication and system integration will play a decisive role. In the development of a digital nanopore sequencer, the focus lies on preparing for clinical application and validating an epigenetic biomarker panel. In addition, all necessary measures will be taken to ensure the long-term sustainability of the cluster – through the selection of an appropriate legal structure – so that nanodiag BW remains viable beyond the nine-year funding period.
