In order to further strengthen Heidelberg University as an internationally recognized location of infection research, Prof. Dr Mathias Lichterfeld has been selected for an Alexander von Humboldt Professorship endowed with 7.8 million euros. Leading international academics are granted this most valuable of German research awards to enable them to conduct long-term, cutting-edge research at German universities.

Gelatin is a versatile natural material. To tailor its properties specifically to the various applications in medicine, diagnostics, and cosmetics, the Fraunhofer IGB has developed a toolbox for chemical functionalization. With the help of automated processes, the modifications can now be scaled under defined conditions, and reproducible batches of modified gelatin can be produced on a scale ranging from grams to kg for customer sampling.

It goes without saying that new drug compounds should place as little strain on the heart as possible. But how can potential effects be reliably predicted? Researchers from the NMI, Hannover Medical School (project lead), the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, and industry partners Multi Channel Systems and Foresee Biosystems are tackling this challenge in the new HEARTCORE project.

The University of Freiburg and Nagoya University are strengthening their strategic partnership through a joint doctoral programme and the Nagoya University Global Campus, which serves as a permanently staffed representative office in Freiburg.

For the first time in 14 years, there has been a change at the top of the hospital rankings, which are published annually by the MINQ Institute in collaboration with Stern. In its very first year of existence, the Heidelberg and Mannheim University Hospitals Consortium has taken first place.