Dossier - 12/10/2022

The health sector must become greener

Worldwide, the health sector is struggling with the consequences of global warming, but fatally is itself responsible for a significant proportion of greenhouse gas emissions. Studies show that hospitals and rehabilitation clinics in particular have great potential for reducing these emissions and, like the manufacturing industry, need to fundamentally revise established processes.

Prof. Chunhai Fan, who is a recipient of the Humboldt Research Award, has been conducting research at the University of Stuttgart since June. Fan works closely with Prof. Laura Na Liu of the 2nd Physics Institute. Both researchers are among the world's leading experts in the field of DNA nanotechnology.

While the cell nucleus contains almost all of the genome, the mitochondria – the powerhouses of the cell – have their own small genetic code. It consists of only 37 genes, which are organized in circular DNA – mtDNA, for short. Defects in the mitochondrial genome are related to incurable neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases, cancer and also aging processes.

Use of health data - 22/09/2026

The digital twin – shaping the future of neonatal medicine

Virtually every newborn undergoes routine screening shortly after birth to detect congenital disorders. These examinations have generated a unique wealth of data on early childhood development. However, for many years this valuable resource remained largely untapped. That all changed when researchers in Heidelberg started to use the data to develop a digital twin for newborns. Today, the technology is on the verge of entering clinical practice.

Effective 1 October 2026, Professor Jakob Nikolas Kather will assume the Hopp Foundation Professorship for “Artificial Intelligence in Medicine” at the Heidelberg Faculty of Medicine at Heidelberg University. Associated with the professorship is the establishment of the new Institute for Medical AI (IMAI) at Heidelberg University Hospital, which Professor Kather will lead as its founding director.

A team of researchers at the University of Stuttgart has developed a new method that could make MRI even more precise by eliminating “dead time,” a key limiting factor in the measurement process, thereby enabling the detection of signals that are lost using conventional methods. This method opens up new possibilities for medical diagnostics and non-destructive materials testing. The research team presents the new approach in Science Advances.

ViferaXS, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing peptide-based cancer immunotherapy for hematologic malignancies and solid tumors, today announced the close of the Series A financing round of up to €12 million, including grant funding. The round was led by SPRIND, the German Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation, and Huma, with participation from private investors.