Life Science Technologies

Research at the bridge between technology and life

45
ongoing projects
92.5 m
€ invested funding budget

The boundaries between living and non-living systems are becoming blurred. Technologies at the interface between engineering and life sciences are building bridges between these disciplines and are making a key contribution to personalised healthcare.

What exactly do we mean by life science technologies?

With the topic of life science technologies, we aim to tackle challenges at the interfaces of life sciences and engineering sciences. Methodical and content-related collaboration between the disciplines is required for this purpose. Biological processes need to be better understood and new technologies must be developed. Our primary goal is to improve personalised healthcare. With life sciences technologies, we are thus creating a bridge between biology, medicine, computer science, material sciences and mechanical engineering.

What do we want to achieve?

In the coming years, we would like our funding to facilitate outstanding research at universities and universities of applied sciences in four areas of activity: 

Our areas of activity

Sensors

Recording biological parameters and intelligent transmission of data to digital formats

Data

Development of new algorithms and data sets for biological and medical contexts

Surfaces

Interaction of smart bioactive/biocompatible surfaces with a changing environment

Synthetics

Design of new biological systems and processes and new paradigms for treating illnesses

We are pursuing several goals in our areas of activity. We want to

  • focus on complex matters 
  • promote interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches
  • apply research results (translation)
  • encourage the development of data concepts
  • reduce animal testing and highlight alternatives

Why is life science technologies a priority topic for us?

The demographic change in our society is leading to increased demand for medical care. In order to keep up with the growing demand, the efficiency of the healthcare system needs to be increased in the coming years and simultaneously have pressure taken off it through improved prevention. 

We strongly believe that this will be made possible through scientific progress in life sciences and engineering sciences. We are now able to individually influence atoms, genes, molecules and cells, control organ physiology or develop artificial tissues.  
Another central driver is digitalisation, which is increasingly also finding its way into the life sciences. 

These developments lead to the disciplines shrinking. Biologisation of technology and technologisation of biology and medicine is taking place. In life science technologies, additional synergies are also being created, which either accelerate technology developments or enable them in the first place.
 

Contacts

Lukas Findeisen

Program Manager

Phone: +49 (0)711 - 162213 - 20

E-mail: lukas.findeisen@carl-zeiss-stiftung.de

Dr. Phil-Alan Gärtig

Program Manager

Phone: +49 (0)711 - 162213 - 10

E-mail: phil-alan.gaertig@carl-zeiss-stiftung.de