Thinking Works
Research at iL
Effective innovation arises where different perspectives, skills, and experiences come together. The InnovationLab is exactly that kind of place: Here, close collaboration between research institutions, companies, investors, and technology partners makes it possible to pool knowledge, develop ideas more quickly, and put promising approaches into practice.
Early-stage research
... in the fields of life sciences, clean tech, and advanced manufacturing
Innovation begins with early-stage research—in the fields of life sciences, clean tech, and advanced manufacturing. This is where new scientific insights, technologies, and solutions emerge, laying the foundation for medical progress, sustainable transformation, and the industry of the future.
We are convinced that the greatest breakthroughs occur at the intersection of science, technology, and industry. After all, innovation realizes its full potential through collaboration.
At the InnovationLab, collaboration is more than just an organizational principle—it is part of our culture. Here, 13 research teams and researchers from the University of Heidelberg, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) work together in a unique research environment that specifically promotes exchange across disciplines and institutions.
This physical proximity creates significant added value: ideas can be discussed immediately, expertise can be quickly tapped into, and joint research approaches can be further developed without bureaucratic hurdles. Communication lines are short, dialogue is direct, and spontaneous conversations often spark new ideas for groundbreaking innovations.
In our Shared Labs, during informal encounters in the building, or in daily exchanges between teams, collaboration is a natural part of our culture. Different perspectives come together, knowledge is shared, and expertise is strategically pooled—openly, straightforwardly, and on equal footing.
This fosters a research atmosphere in which excellent science takes place not alongside one another, but together. An environment that promotes creative ideas, creates synergies, and paves the way for tomorrow’s innovations.
Research Groups at iL
Currently, 12 groups from Heidelberg University, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, and the University of Freiburg are working at the InnovationLab, each focusing on different areas of research.
Heidelberg University
Heidelberg University is currently represented at iL by five research groups from two different institutes.
Institute for Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials (IMSEAM)
Of its seven working groups, IMSEAM currently has four at iL:
IMSEAM is home to approximately 120 employees in five research groups (Blasco, Fischer, Heinzelmann, Kemerink, Selhuber-Unkel) and one early-career research group (Gerlt, Melde), as well as several researchers from affiliated groups.
Research at IMSEAM focuses on the design and synthesis of new polymer-based functional materials with applications in 3D/4D printing, responsive and 3D-structured materials, and bio-inspired systems, soft robotics, the interaction of acoustic, optical, electrical, and magnetic fields with matter at the micro- and nanometer scales, and 3D fabrication methods through self-organization and holographic techniques. IMSEAM’s research also includes the innovative fabrication of organic solar cells, molecular ferro- and piezoelectronics, and organic thermoelectronics—including the underlying electronic processes—ranging from experimental work to numerical simulations. Detailed information on the research topics can be found on the groups’ websites.
Precision Organoid Engineering for Multi-Organ Interaction Studies (POEM)
Dr. Ramsey Najm is the scientific director of the Organoid Engineering Lab and Facility within the Precision Organoid Engineering for Multi-Organ Interaction Studies (POEM) research initiative at Heidelberg University. In this role, he is responsible for establishing and providing scientific leadership for POEM’s central organoid platform.
Precision Organoid Engineering for Multi-Organ Interaction Studies (POEM) is an interdisciplinary research initiative at Heidelberg University that develops innovative organoid technologies to simulate the interaction of various human tissues and organs under conditions that closely mimic reality. By combining bioengineering, stem cell biology, materials science, and microfluidics, the initiative creates precise model systems that provide new insights into disease mechanisms and accelerate the development of personalized therapies. POEM thus builds a vital bridge between basic research and biomedical applications and helps efficiently translate new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches into medical practice.
The Organoid Engineering Lab at Heidelberg University contributes to the Precision Organoid Engineering for Multi-Organ Interaction Studies (POEM) network and is dedicated to developing the next generation of 3D in vitro model systems and integrating them into collaborative research projects.
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is one of Europe’s leading research and innovation institutions. As a combination of a university and a national research center, KIT combines excellent basic research with application-oriented development. Scientists work across disciplines to find solutions to key issues for the future, such as energy, mobility, digitalization, sustainable production, and climate protection. Through close collaboration with industry, the business community, and international partners, KIT promotes the transfer of knowledge and technology and helps to rapidly translate scientific findings into innovative applications and marketable technologies.
With a total of 6 working groups from three different institutes (and 28??? people), KIT is participating in the InnovationLab
Lighting Technology Institute (LTI)
The Institute of Lighting Technology (LTI) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is one of the world’s leading research institutions in the field of lighting and photonics technologies. Its research focuses on the efficient generation, control, and application of light—ranging from innovative lighting systems to optical communications and biotechnology, as well as UV technologies, automotive technology, and display technology. Through the close integration of basic research, application-oriented development, and industrial collaboration, the LTI plays a key role in transforming new photonics-based technologies into market-ready innovations and in developing solutions to key challenges facing industry and society.
Institute for Nanotechnology (INT)
The Institute for Nanotechnology (INT) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is one of the leading research institutions in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Its focus is on the development and characterization of innovative nanomaterials and nanoscale systems for applications in the fields of energy, health, electronics, sensor technology, and sustainable production. Through the close integration of basic research, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and interdisciplinary collaboration with partners from academia and industry, the INT lays the foundation for technological innovations and accelerates the transfer of scientific findings into marketable applications.
Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg
