+49 234 32 10179
nora.diehl@pknrw.de
Do you have any questions about the Department or need further information? Please contact us.
Concept of Research
As one of the leading scientific fields of the 21st century, the life sciences are of particular relevance to two major global challenges of our time: health and sustainability. Together with health technologies, they contribute to preserving the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment, improving quality of life, and strengthening technological innovation and economic competitiveness. Both areas also represent some of the most rapidly expanding labor markets of the coming decades.
The methodological spectrum in the life sciences covers almost the entire range of natural and engineering sciences and extends into the humanities and social sciences. Accordingly, the Department’s theoretical and methodological approaches are highly interdisciplinary while maintaining a strong focus on living systems.
The Department’s orientation facilitates cross-disciplinary collaboration, enabling the development of broader scientific contexts as well as innovative life science products and processes.
Key Research Areas
The Department’s research activities are primarily structured around two key research areas that define its scientific profile: ‘Biomedical Sciences’ and ‘Biogenic Resources in Value Networks’. These are closely interconnected, particularly through the cross-cutting ‘Biomaterials’ and ‘Computational Life Sciences’ platforms.
Biomedical Sciences
This research area applies scientific and engineering methods to address biomedical questions and challenges, focusing on innovative approaches to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases of high societal relevance. The disciplines represented include molecular and cell biology, biochemistry, biophysics, biomedical sciences, and medical technology.
Research includes interdisciplinary approaches to the use of human cells and tissue materials from different origins, and the study of physiological and pathophysiological processes relevant to various diseases. These include injury- and age-related degenerative diseases of the skeletal or nervous systems, congenital metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and infectious diseases. Further research focuses on the advancement of genome-editing technologies and the development of transposon-derived and viral vectors for applications in cell and gene therapy.
In the medical technology field, the research area develops novel, interdisciplinary technologies and methods for high-quality and efficient diagnostics and therapy. The overarching goal is to improve therapeutic effectiveness and diagnostic outcomes while minimizing adverse side effects and reducing the workload of medical staff.
Biogenic Resources in Value Networks
The global challenges of climate change, food security, and the health of humans and the environment (One Health) are driving a shift from a fossil-based, linear economy to a bio-based, circular one. Against this background, this research area focuses on sustainable, biologically based production systems that connect agriculture, environment, and product development.
Research centers on the production of food and other life science products for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries using biogenic resources within value networks. Cross-cutting technologies such as biotechnology, hygiene, and bioprocess engineering are also applied to ensure the safe and sustainable use of biogenic materials along entire process chains.
Working with partners from agriculture, industry, trade, environmental associations, government bodies, and consumers (“from farm to products”), research in this area generates new knowledge, methods, products, and standards that foster a more sustainable society and strengthen the bio-based circular economy.
Platforms
The platforms comprise methods and technologies that support the Department’s key research areas in a cross-functional way. In addition, they pursue their own research and development projects.
Biomaterials
Research on the use of biomaterials finds wide application in both key research areas — ‘Biomedical Sciences’ and ‘Biogenic Resources in Value Networks’. This work represents a typical contribution of chemistry to the life sciences, focusing on the development of new biomaterials from biogenic resources for applications in biomedicine, agriculture, environmental science, and food technology.
Ongoing projects include biomaterials for biomedical applications and new formulation materials for agricultural use. Future directions involve materials for microfluidic diagnostic systems, the development of new and hybrid biomaterials at multiple scales, new immobilization materials for pharmaceutical carriers and their drying, and biomaterials for stem cell carriers and drug delivery systems using electrospinning, electrospraying, and 3D printing technologies.
Computational Life Sciences
The ‘Computational Life Sciences’ platform supports the entire Department in applying advanced computational methods and ensuring an adequate software and hardware infrastructure. It also conducts independent research on the development and enhancement of computational approaches.
Computational Life Sciences enable in silico experiments as a valuable complement to traditional in vivo and in vitro studies. Typical activities include mathematical modeling of new biomaterials, computational analysis of biomolecular and physiological processes, prediction of pharmacological structure–activity relationships, physical simulation of customized implants, statistical data analysis, and the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence for complex biomedical questions. The platform also designs and evaluates “what-if” simulation scenarios.
Due to its strong computational focus, the platform serves as an attractive hub for doctoral candidates from STEM disciplines.
At the interface of the ‘Biomedical Sciences’ and ‘Biogenic Resources in Value Networks’ research areas — and in conjunction with the ‘Biomaterials’ and ‘Computational Life Sciences’ platforms — additional fields of collaboration emerge. These include research on functional food components for disease prevention, the development of healthy food products, innovative biotechnological cultivation strategies, new formulation materials and methods, pathogen transfer, and smart product design (development and manufacturing of foods, pharmaceuticals, and medical products).
Disciplinary Positioning
The Department defines itself as an interdisciplinary research environment that fosters collaboration across traditional academic boundaries. Nonetheless, it is primarily rooted in the disciplines of biology, medicine, chemistry, physics, and process engineering.
Activities
The Department regularly organizes colloquia, methodological workshops, and lecture series. It also hosts networking events for professors and doctoral candidates. Since the winter semester of 2023/24, the Department of Life Sciences and Health Technologies has been offering the doctoral program Life Sciences and Health Technologies.
Dr. Nora Diehl
Coordination of the Department of Life Sciences and Health Technologies
Lena Elisa Freitag, M.A.
Coordination of the Department of Life Sciences and Health Technologies
+49 234 32 10159
lena.freitag@pknrw.de
Do you have any questions about the Department or need further information? Please contact us.
