iL-CURRENT
May 13, 2025
iL Workshop: “Pioneer for successful technology transfer”
We look back fondly on the LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY: The event at the InnovationLab was attended by a total of 60 participants from Germany and abroad, who engaged in intensive discussions on the topic of "Further Development of Personalized Medicine: A Spotlight on Organ‒on‒Chip." In our review, we share our views with various speakers and participants.
Dr. Rainer Wessel, Chief Innovation Officer of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ):
“In a pleasant and constructive atmosphere, I was able to take part in a very good exchange between experts from the life sciences and engineering with entrepreneurs and investors on the topic of organ-on-chip.
The workshop once again confirmed to me the importance of interdisciplinary events and substantially deepened my understanding of the significance of the automated application of organoid models in research and development in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors."
Dr. Julia Schaft, Managing Director of the Life Science Cluster bioRN:
"Our member InnovationLab is a pioneer in the region for successful technology transfer. The LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY demonstrates how innovations are created and implemented locally."
Dr. Friedemann Loos, Innovation Manager at bioRN:
"The LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY was a complete success, with exciting discussions and new insights into technological advances in the field of organ-on-chip. It's fantastic what's emerging in the InnovationLab and bioRN network!"
Dr. Rainer Wessel from the DKFZ: “The workshop confirmed to me how important interdisciplinary events are.” Image: Lukas Adler
Prof. Dr. Jasmin Aghassi‒ Hagmann, Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT):
"The LIFE SCIENCE TEC DAY presented an extremely good mix of innovative ideas from startups paired with excellent examples from research. There was also plenty of room for discussing initial project ideas and a great atmosphere for shared visions, including with clinical users. Experiences regarding specific challenges in materials research, printing with various inks, and cell cultivation were openly shared."
Dr. Benjamin Richter, Application Manager Life Science at Nanoscribe:
"The Life Science Tech Day 2025 was an inspiring experience for me. The event provided an excellent platform for exchange between academia, industry, and startups in the field of organ-on-chip technology. I was particularly impressed by the diversity of approaches presented and the openness to interdisciplinary collaboration. For Nanoscribe, I take away the fact that the integration of 3D microfabrication and bioprinting into OoC systems is becoming increasingly important. The discussions and presentations opened up new perspectives on how we can use our technologies even more specifically in personalized medicine."
Dr. Roman Zantl, CEO of ibidi:
"I found the workshop very interesting. I really liked the composition of the participants, as well as the concept. I also think the topic is important, and the format was well-suited to further understanding organ-on-chip technology. I found the panel discussion very well moderated. I achieved my networking goals exactly.
Speaking for ibidi, I can say that I found the discussion about the patent situation with the DKFZ and GSK very informative. I also gained insight into the activities of several other companies."
In conversation: Dr. Carlo Alberto Paggi (l.) of Chiron and Dr. Roman Zantl of ibidi. Photo: Lukas Adler
Dr. Carlo Alberto Paggi, CXO and Co-Founder of Chiron/Netherlands:
"The workshop was simply fantastic! A very focused team and excellent presentations from leading opinion leaders as well as professors and scientists from the pharmaceutical industry. The panel discussion at the beginning provided valuable insights. If I had the opportunity, I would even extend the workshop to two days.
For Chiron, we've identified several potential collaboration partners from industry and academia. We plan to continue working with them and explore where we can join forces to combat challenging diseases."
Dr. Kai Melde, IMSEAM of Heidelberg University :
"The keynote speech was excellently chosen; Elena Kromidas was able to get us in the mood for the day with impressive examples of various tissues on a chip. I really enjoyed the panel discussion. I was able to bring my research perspective to the complex field of NAMs. However, the impressions of the other participants, whether users or pharmaceutical companies, are much more exciting for me and help me recalibrate my priorities. I found the number of participants and the size just right; it was a great and relaxed atmosphere that encouraged exchange. Comparability and reliability of results are difficult to achieve in research without available standard tools. However, since we are working with the latest tools, we naturally have the power to at least make a difference. I certainly took away some food for thought."
Kurt Glöckler, Account Manager RMS at Zeiss Research Microscopy Solutions:
"The workshop was very helpful in better understanding the topic of organ-on-chip and the motivation behind it. The workshop showed me that, as an account manager for the region, I can contribute to networking. It showed me that despite all the efforts in developing the OoC system, the final goal is not always considered. With a better understanding of what exactly should be measured and with which methods, OoC systems could be even better.
Due to the numerous free parameters in the system, many advances can only be achieved with considerable effort. The discussion in a smaller group showed that closer networking among partners could help reduce effort and achieve results more quickly. I admire everyone working on this topic and look forward to supporting more."
Panel: Experts from the life sciences industry engage in intensive discussions in front of an interested audience. Image: Lukas Adler
Dr. Marian Weiss, Director Microfluidics at VERAXA Biotech GmbH:
"Participating in the LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY 2025 was an extremely valuable experience for us at VERAXA. The workshop not only offered exciting insights into current developments in the field of organ-on-chip (OoC) and personalized medicine, but also provided an excellent platform for direct exchange with leading players from industry and academia.
Particularly impressive were the contributions on the standardization and automation of OoC systems, as well as the discussions on their use in personalized drug development. These ideas are highly relevant to our work at VERAXA—particularly with regard to the development and validation of our BiTAC platform—and open up interesting perspectives for future collaborations.
Also worth mentioning are the panel discussions and the open table discussion format, which enabled an open, in-depth exchange that went far beyond the content of the presentations. The interactive nature of these formats contributed significantly to gaining new perspectives and further developing concrete ideas.
Our thanks go to the organizers, InnovationLab, for the inspiring event. We really look forward to further dialogue!"
Dr. Christoph Kutzner, CEO and CSO at Badische Peptide & Proteine GmbH:
"I have gained a comprehensive picture of the players in a field that is exciting for us—from basic research to suppliers to research-based companies that are either customers or competitors. We will seek contact with both industrial and academic partners."
Anna Münch, student at Heidelberg University:
"A very pleasant atmosphere with a very good mix of industry, startups, and academia, which has created a good foundation for exchange. As I currently observe the Heidelberg organoid and organ-on-chip bubble from the outside, I found it exciting to see that closer cooperation and collaboration is desired from all sides, but that there is a lack of structures and meetings to initiate and facilitate collaboration. InnovationLab can play a very important role in this."
Dr. Laura Windt, Project Lead of Health Holland/Netherlands:
"It was a very inspiring workshop. The success of organ-on-chip technology depends to a large extent on interdisciplinary collaboration: It's important to bring all stakeholders together. I am convinced that fruitful collaborations will emerge."
Satisfied with the LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY: Managing Director Dr. Michael Kröger is looking forward to the 2026 workshop. Photo: Lukas Adler
"The positive response to the day reinforces our belief that such a format is needed in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. We see it as our responsibility to repeat the format regularly and, at the same time, to support emerging collaborations with further assistance and offers from InnovationLab," says iL Managing Director Dr. Michael Kröger.
The LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY 2026 can come.
Joachim Klaehn
Head of Communications
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