Research areas

For a few years now, immuno-oncology has been complementing the classic methods of cancer therapy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery. Here, medicine makes use of the natural function of the immune system to eliminate foreign and degenerate cells via a wide variety of mechanisms. With the research area immuno-oncology, Fraunhofer IZI supports partners in the development and translation of innovative immunotherapies.

R&D focus

• ATMP development
• Preclinical development of cell and gene therapies (efficacy and safety analysis)
• Cell analysis, assay development and diagnostics
• GMP process development / process transfer
• Manufacturing of clinical investigational medicinal products

Infectious diseases continue to pose a global threat to human and animal health. Understanding the spread, pathogenesis and possibilities of diagnosis, is essential for their effective control. With the research area infectious disease pathology, Fraunhofer IZI supports partners in the development and translation of technologies for research, diagnostics, prevention and therapy of infectious diseases.

R&D focus

• Preclinical development of active agents and vaccines (efficacy and safety analysis)
• Vaccine technologies
• Drug and material testing
• Assays and diagnostics

The Fraunhofer IZI offers R&D services for pharmaceutical, biotechnological and medical technology companies as well as for partners from research institutions, hospitals and diagnostic laboratories.

Preclinical development and testing

• Target identification and validation
• ATMP design
• Vector development
• In vivo models and model development
• GLP studies (efficacy & toxicity studies)
• Cell analysis
• Risk assessment
• Companion diagnostics

Process development and manufacturing

• GMP process design
• Automation solutions
• GMP process transfer
• Manufacturing authorization
• Proof-of-concept studies
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing incl. quality management (GMP)

Preclinical development and testing

• Drug / vaccine design
• Target validation / proof-of-concept studies
• In vivo studies and model development up to Biosafety Level 3
• Companion diagnostics
• Non-Clinical Development
• Drug / vaccine characterization
• Efficacy & toxicity studies

Process development

• Design of manufacturing processes and analytical methods
• Development of new manufacturing technologies

Assay development and validation

• Development of protein- and nucleic acid-based assays
• Assay integration into microfluidic chips and / or miniaturized systems
• Development and optimization of various binding molecules (antibodies, peptides, others)

Diagnostic techniques and prevention strategies for infectious diseases (particularly emerging and vector-borne viral infections) in human and veterinary medicine

Isolation and characterization of extracellular vesicles

• Isolation, characterization, and quality control of extracellular vesicle preparations, as well as the development of exosome-based diagnostic methods

Biomarker development and medical bioinformatics

• Next-generation sequencing, multimodal and spatial single-cell analysis, multi-omics methods, advanced analytics platform
• Identification and validation of disease-associated biomarkers, biostatistics

Imaging

• Image analysis and processing

Non-invasive diagnostics and breath gas analysis

• Analysis of volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath using ion mobility spectrometry for various diseases

Microfluidics and point-of-care systems

• Development of diagnostic and analytical test systems for applications in the environmental, food, and medical-clinical sectors
• Rapid prototyping of microfluidic structures and development / application of microfluidic organ-on-a-chip

Technology development and optimization

• Albumin dialysis
• Cryo-based detoxification procedures / mobile dialysis
• Cell-based extracorporeal therapies

Component development / testing

• Adsorbers
• Filters
• Bioreactors