The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) has approved funding of 15 million euros for the future cluster nanodiag BW for the second phase as part of the Clusters4Future initiative. The funding will enable the seamless continuation of the work from April 2026. The University of Freiburg and the University Medical Center Freiburg will receive around 4.2 million euros of this (of which about 3.1 million for the university and 1.1 million for the hospital).

nanodiag BW is an interdisciplinary innovation network in Baden-Württemberg, coordinated by the Hahn-Schickard Society for Applied Research e.V. and the Medical Faculty of the University of Freiburg. More than 20 partners from research and industry are developing nanopore-based diagnostic procedures for diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. The aim is to achieve faster, more cost-effective and more personalized molecular diagnostics in everyday clinical practice.

Nanopores are tiny channels in the nanometer range that can be used to study individual biomolecules such as proteins. The cluster uses this technology to analyze epigenetic factors that play a central role in many diseases. In the first funding phase, important foundations were created: nanopore platforms, microfluidic systems for sample processing and AI-supported evaluation methods for electrical signals of individual molecules.

In the second phase, the focus will be on targeted further development towards clinical applications. The focus is on epigenetic diagnostics, the transfer of the technology into practice and the creation of a cost-effective, on-site alternative to complex procedures such as mass spectrometry.

Prof. Dr. Jan C. Behrends, deputy cluster spokesperson and co-initiator, emphasized the importance of the funding: The strong interdisciplinary network translates basic research into concrete clinical benefits for patients – especially through new approaches in epigenetics and proteomics.

Dr. Hanna Hasselblatt, cluster manager, sees the decision as both confirmation and responsibility. The cluster will work with motivation to bring nanopore technology from the laboratory to clinically relevant applications.

nanodiag BW is part of the BMFTR’s Clusters4Future initiative, which supports regional innovation networks in quickly transferring excellent research results into economically and socially relevant applications. In total, the 14 Future Clusters can be funded for up to three phases of three years each.

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

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