The Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering (website) belongs to the Life Science Network of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Future-oriented strategic research is carried out with the aim of promoting innovations in key technologies with an economic and social relevance in the next five to ten years. The Cell-based Censors & Biomonitoring Group at Fraunhofer acts at the interface of MEMS/NEMS and cellular, micro- and molecular biology, providing a series of products and services in biotechnology & bioanalytics and tissue engineering. The focus of our R&D field is the development of 3D-biohybrid MEMS/NEMS and methods for a non invasive characterisation of cells. The equipment of Fraunhofer-IBMT includes cell culture laboratories, nanotechnology, microsystems and microimaging technology, a research cleanroom for microfabrication and many application-specific laboratories.

The Fraunhofer Institute's contribution to the Osteocord project is in the development of techniques and test systems for the non-invasive characterisation of CB-MSCs: Development of appropriate 3D capillary chip, pre- and post-osteogenic induction. Development of single cell chip for comparative bioimpedance charaterisation of CB-MSCs, BM-MSCs and ES cells. Development of cell culture systems for the generation of 3D cell cultures.

Biohybrid Systems Department, Fraunhofer Institut Biomedizinishe Tehnik, Ensheimer Strasse 48, PO Box 66386, St Ingbert GERMANY

Dr Hagen Thieleke e-mail	Dr Cornelia Hildebrandt e-mail

Click on the links to access the other Partners:

1. University of York, UK
2. University Hospital of Odense, Denmark
3. University of Southern Denmark
4. Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering
5. University of Nottingham, UK
6. Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, Mannheim, Germany
7. Angel Biotechnology, Edinburgh, Scotland
8. EC Bio, Oeiras, Portugal
9. Regentec, Nottingham, UK