NVision announced a $55 million Series B led by Abbott and unveiled PIQC, a new quantum computing platform built on its molecular quantum technology.

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.

Led by researchers from Heidelberg Faculty of Medicine at Heidelberg University and the University of California, San Francisco (USA), an international research team has evaluated a novel approach for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. The method enables detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis without laboratory infrastructure, within a markedly shorter time frame than conventional diagnostics, and using a simple swab.

Within biological cells, molecules are constantly in motion. Investigating these motions, however, is still difficult, due to the fact that these processes occur on very small length and time scales. To overcome these challenges, researchers from HITS and MPI-P have developed a simulation method that works rapidly and can predict chemical processes in cells with high precision. Their findings have been published in Nature Communications.

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.

With victims numbering in the millions, malaria is an infectious disease caused by the bite of a mosquito carrying the malaria parasite. After penetrating the skin, the pathogen moves with helical trajectories. It almost always turns toward the right, as a team of physicists and malaria researchers from Heidelberg University recently discovered.

A new software enables brain simulations which both imitate the processes in the brain in detail and can solve challenging cognitive tasks. The program was developed by a research team at the Cluster of Excellence ‘Machine Learning: New Perspectives for Science’ at the University of Tübingen. The software thus forms the basis for a new generation of brain simulations which allow deeper insights into the functioning and performance of the brain.

Worldwide, almost one third of women of childbearing age suffer from bacterial vaginosis. Such a disorder of the vaginal flora can cause urogenital infections, abscesses on the ovaries or fallopian tubes or premature births. As part of a BW Sprint project, the DITF have laid the basis for the development of a panty liner that supports the health of the vaginal environment and can prevent bacterial vaginosis.

Developing replacement methods for animal testing is the main goal of the 3R network. One of three new 3R centres in Baden-Württemberg was launched at Ulm University at the beginning of the year and has now officially started work with a kick-off event. The abbreviation 3R stands for "Replace, Reduce, Refine", i.e. replace and reduce animal testing and improve the conditions for unavoidable animal experiments.

Medical image analysis - 25/09/2025

Powerful AI systems using synthetic training data

AI systems for image analysis are only as good as the data on which they are trained. The Göppingen-based start-up MIRA Vision has developed a novel method for generating synthetic, photorealistic images, enabling the efficient creation of large, high-quality training datasets. An intuitive platform also allows researchers to evaluate microscopy images with ease.

With the FeMEA project – Ferroelectric Microelectrodes for Biomedical Applications – Hahn-Schickard is setting a pioneering course in bioelectronics research. The aim of the project is to develop novel microelectrode arrays in which ferroelectric materials are used as functional interfaces in CMOS chips for the first time.

Soft robots, robot systems made of soft materials, open up new perspectives for medical technology and industry. Jun.-Prof. Dr. Aniket Pal from the University of Stuttgart is conducting research into viscoelastic materials that have the potential to embed intelligent functions in soft robots. He is receiving 1.5 million euros in funding for this research as part of the Emmy Noether Program. The funding period began on September 1, 2025.

In the human body, stem cells process genetic information in an exceptionally reliable and very fast manner. To do this, they access certain sections of the DNA in the cell nucleus. Researchers at KIT have investigated how the DNA-based information processing system works. Their results show that this process is comparable to processes in modern computers and could therefore serve as a model for new types of DNA-based computer chips.

When embryos grow, cells and tissue are constantly bumping into each other. This creates mechanical tensions that could endanger their development. A team from University of Hohenheim and the Japanese RIKEN Center have discovered that fly embryos have strategies to deal with this pressure. The different species have developed two different solutions. This ability to control mechanical tension could be a key to why so many body plans have evolved.

Less radiation exposure during diagnosis and treatment for breast and lung cancer: New Fraunhofer method combines X-ray imaging and radar. In the MultiMed project, which explores multimodal medical imaging in 3D, researchers are developing a method that combines X-ray imaging and radar. It´s not only expected to improve the accuracy and efficacy of diagnosing, monitoring and treating breast and lung cancer but also lighten the burden on patients.

Designing protein binders from scratch has long been a daunting challenge within the field of computational biology. Researchers have now developed an innovative, training-free pipeline that uses the fundamental principle of shape complementarity to design site-specific protein binders, which are then optimised to fit precisely onto chosen target sites. The researchers tested this on proteins linked to cancer.

Medical students at Ulm University can train in a virtual shock room and practise treatment procedures regardless of time and place. Together with the company TriCAT, the Medical Faculty has created a virtual learning environment that is based on the real-life training shock room in the TTU training hospital. The benefit: through repeated training, students deepen their skills and become more confident in dealing with emergencies.

The “Digital Integration and Innovation in Surgery” project aims to promote the transfer of new findings and research results into practice. The School of Informatics at Reutlingen University will work together with Furtwangen University, BioMedTech e.V., University Hospital Tübingen and other stakeholders to examine how intelligent digital assistance systems can contribute to improved patient care during surgical procedures.

The Max Planck Society and the Dieter Schwarz Foundation (DSS) have embarked on a groundbreaking initiative. On March 13, 2025, they signed an agreement through which the foundation will support an innovative approach by the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg to translate basic research findings into practical applications. As part of this endeavour, two new departments of the institute will be established in Heilbronn.

Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, the University of Tübingen and the University of Stuttgart under the Bionic Intelligence Tübingen Stuttgart (BITS) collaboration developed a biorobotic arm that can mirror human tremors. Artificial muscles on either side of the forearm contract and relax to suppress the involuntary shaking of the wrist and hand.

A protein with contradictory properties: Despite its large negative surface charge, it has a strong tendency to take up electrons, which are also negatively charged. The researchers discovered positively charged calcium ions inside the protein very near the electrons, counteracting their charge. They see this as a natural way of handling opposing electrical charges and allowing the protein to optimally fulfill its biological function.

A research team from Freiburg and Frankfurt has discovered how cells recognise and internally break down waste. The results are relevant for the development of therapies for diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Expert interview - 16/12/2024

Learning from Nature for Innovation

Natural phenomena are used to find technological solutions in a number of fields. In an interview with BIOPRO, Prof. Dr. Peter M. Kunz discusses groundbreaking innovations emerging from Baden-Württemberg and shares insights on how the principles of bionics can inspire the next generation of innovators.