Lübeck, January 15, 2025 - On January 15, the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Individualized and Cell-Based Medical Engineering IMTE in Lübeck hosted the handover of the grant notification for the development of Fraunhofer IMTE as a transfer center for medical technology. The Minister President of the State of Schleswig-Holstein, Daniel Günther, presented the notification with a total funding amount of 23.8 million euros from the state's economic program to the President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Prof. Holger Hanselka, and the two directors, Prof. Thorsten Buzug and Prof. Philipp Rostalski.

This funding marks an important milestone in the strategic transformation of the Lübeck Fraunhofer site into a leading research institution for medical technology in Germany. The Fraunhofer IMTE is an innovation and transfer center between research, clinics and industry. Through close cooperation with companies and clinics, the institution makes a decisive contribution to the development of customized, patient-specific medical technology solutions.

Minister President Günther emphasized the importance of the Fraunhofer IMTE for the region and beyond when handing over the funding decision: “With this funding, we are strengthening Schleswig-Holstein as a research and technology location. The medical innovations of the Fraunhofer IMTE improve patient care, increase the efficiency of the healthcare system and promote the development of new therapies. They contribute to a better understanding of diseases and more effective, targeted treatment, thereby also improving people's quality of life.”

Prof. Holger Hanselka emphasized: “As a mainstay of the German and European economy, medical technology plays an important role in the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft's research portfolio. In order to fully exploit its potential for our economy and patients, it is important to quickly translate new findings and developments into innovative healthcare products for medical practice. As a transfer center for medical technology, Fraunhofer IMTE will play a key role in driving this process forward and thus make a valuable contribution to our society.”

Prof. Buzug emphasized how essential the support of the state and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is for the implementation of the research institution's ambitious goals: “In view of the future burden on the healthcare system caused by an ageing society, diagnostics and therapy must be flanked by prevention and rehabilitation. That is why we are pursuing a holistic approach in which automation and AI play a central role,” and Prof. Rostalski adds: ”Our goal is to establish a transfer center for individualized medical technology in close cooperation with our partners that sets standards both nationally and internationally.”

“The Fraunhofer IMTE is already an important research partner for the economy in the Hansebelt and far beyond,” says Lars Schöning, Managing Director of the Lübeck Chamber of Industry and Commerce and Chairman of the IMTE Board of Trustees. “At the interface between business and science, the facility provides companies and therefore the region with plenty of impetus and innovation.”

The presentation of the decision also provided an opportunity to get to know the Fraunhofer IMTE as an institution. Representatives from politics, science and business discussed the research and development projects being pursued by the institution as part of an open lab. Research projects from the fields of robot-assisted surgery, AI-supported motion analysis, 3D printing in medicine, magnetic imaging, respiratory technology and blue health tech were presented at various stations.

Contact

Sandy Bever
Press and Mediaproduction
medien@imte.fraunhofer.de

Fraunhofer Research Institution for
Individualized and Cell-based Medical Engineering
Mönkhofer Weg 239a, 23562 Lübeck