iL‒CURRENT
February 25, 2025
LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY: Human Organs on a Chip
Organ-on-Chip (OoC) technology simulates human organs at a microscopic level, thereby revolutionizing drug testing, reducing costs and animal experiments, and ultimately saving human lives. InnovationLab will extensively address the topic of “Advancing Personalized Medicine: A Spotlight on Organ-on-Chip” in a workshop on Tuesday, April 29 (9 AM – 5 PM). For the LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY, we anticipate experts from academia, industry, and innovative institutions.
OoC systems have become highly refined
Personalized medicine and Organ-on-Chip (OoC) technologies are fundamentally transforming our approach to life sciences. On chips the size of a thumb, or at most smartphone dimensions, specialists are providing more precise, scalable, and ethical avenues for developing new drugs and modeling diseases. OoC systems have become exceptionally sophisticated, incorporating microfluidics, 3D cell cultures, and in some cases, sensors for real-time measurements. Interactions are simulated, and thanks to the undeniable advancements in 3D printing and personalized cell sources, precision methods can be continuously improved, allowing OoC models to be tested more efficiently for preclinical evaluations.
Indeed, all these innovations possess the potential to transform lives – they can tailor therapies to individual patients, accelerate pharmaceutical research, and – in the medium to long term – reduce our reliance on animal testing.
An ideal networking venue: The workshop will take place in the tower at Speyerer Straße 4. Scheduled for April 29, 2025, it marks the third event in the field of Life Science Technologies hosted by InnovationLab since 2023. Image: InnovationLab
Dr. Reza Taale: “Incredible Potential”
"This workshop aims to demonstrate the incredible potential of personalized medicine, highlighting how organ-on-chip technologies – such as microfluidics, 3D bioprinting, biosensors, and automation, etc. – enable this," says Dr. Reza Taale, Cluster Manager at iL and organizer of the workshop. "Our goal is to establish InnovationLab as a fresh and dynamic player in this field and to bring together experts from academia, industry, and innovation centers to stimulate new ideas and collaborations."
The target audience for this interdisciplinary event at the end of April includes researchers in OoC systems, microfluidics, 3D bioprinting, spatial biology, and personalized medicine, as well as representatives from pharmaceutical companies, industrial sectors specializing in biotech and application technologies, start-ups and entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, start-up advisors, and public institutions aiming to specifically support innovation and funding in the life sciences.
Dr. Reza Taale in front of the cleanroom and Nanoscribe's Quantum X bio: “Our goal is to bring together experts from academia, industry, and innovation centers to stimulate new ideas and collaborations.” Image: InnovationLab
Keynote by Dr. Elena Kromidas from the 3R-Center
Key highlights of the workshop will include a keynote by Dr. Elena Kromidas (3R-Center Tübingen) and a panel discussion led by moderator Dr. Friedemann Loos, Innovation Manager, Molecular Biologist, and PRECISEU Project Leader at the Life Science Cluster BioRN from Heidelberg, featuring four protagonists from the biopharma and medical fields. This will be followed by a session with expert presentations and a subsequent "table discussion." A pitch event, organized by the start-up investor club "PALATINA Business Angels Rhein-Neckar e.V.," is currently being planned and finalized.
In between, there will be ample time for exchanging ideas and intensive networking. Interested participants can also familiarize themselves with the unique iL infrastructure, including our biolabs and the S1 cleanroom, during a guided "Tour de InnovationLab." "We aim to create a space where groundbreaking research can flourish, innovators can connect, and strategic partnerships can grow," explains Reza Taale. "This event offers an opportunity for partners and InnovationLab itself to deepen collaborations by jointly forming consortia for future funding opportunities, attracting start-ups and researchers with highly innovative ideas, and thereby strengthening the life sciences ecosystem in our region."
Collaborations are targeted
The Rhine-Neckar life science region is called upon to collaborate in advancing future-proof organ-on-chip technology. This is particularly crucial given that the development of a new drug is a complex and costly process, lasting an average of 13 years. According to an analysis by the consulting firm Deloitte, the average cost for developing a new drug amounts to approximately 2.3 billion US dollars.
Workshop at a Glance
Title:
“Advancing Personalized Medicine: A Spotlight on Organ-on-Chip”
When?
Tuesday, April 29 (9 AM – 5 PM)
Where?
Speyerer Straße 4 in Heidelberg, InnovationLab's 'iL.Connect.Space' premises
Note:
The LIFE SCIENCE TEC DAY will be held in English.
Participation Fee:
25 Euro (Start-ups and Academia); 49 Euro (Industry)
Contact:
iL Cluster Manager Dr. Reza Taale, Phone: +49 (0) 157 806 444 92, Email: reza.taale@innovationlab.de
Joachim Klaehn
Head of Communications
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