GRK 2203:  Micro- and nano-scale sensor technologies for the lung

• Subject Area: Electrical Engineering and Information Technology ; Materials Science ; Medicine ; Fluid Mechanics, Technical Thermodynamics and Thermal Energy Engineering ; Systems Engineering
• Term: from 2016 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 278012962

The proposed research training group PULMOSENS is focused on innovating sensory methods and its application to the functional examination of the lung epithelium under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. For this purpose novel measurement systems will be developed for single cells, differentiated epithelia, epi-endothelial co-cultures as well as the whole organ. In the medical field, scientific goals are to gain elementary knowledge for pulmonary function under physiological and pathophysiological conditions, while the development of innovative methods for integrated sensory and analytical systems are intended on the engineering and natural sciences side. These systems will enhance the detection sensitivity and spatial resolution as well as enable multimodal measurements, or such systems are developed which are specialized in the lung epithelium, and which allow new approaches to elucidate mechanisms at the molecular, cellular level and on organ level. Using extensive collaboration of engineers, natural scientists and medical researchers, as well as by the cooperative integration of external users it will be assured that the new concepts are continuously checked for their practical relevance. On long term, the methodological/technological advancements shall be utilized in diagnostics and therapy. A further fundamental objective of PULMOSENS is the joint training of young scientists in a very interdisciplinary context between the life sciences, natural sciences and engineering sciences to break down the language barriers at an early stage of their scientific career, and to further strengthen the interdisciplinary research profile of Ulm University. In addition to the already established junior-professorship for Integrated Biomedical Sensors another junior-professor and a habilitand are centrally involved as applicants for the promotion of young scientists; another postdoc position is planned in PULMOSENS. In engineering and the natural sciences, the research subject of PULMOSENS is also considered as a measure to enhance the attractiveness to female young researchers. Through cooperation with the study programs Biophysics, Advanced Materials and Sensor Systems Technology the visibility of PULMOSENS to students is increased. Cooperation with UULM PROMint&MED will improve the research starting phase and PhD process.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Universität Ulm
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr.-Ing. Maurits Ortmanns
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Vasileios Belagiannis, since 8/2019; Professor Dr.-Ing. Christian Damm, since 10/2019; Dr. Katharina Ernst, since 5/2019; Professor Dr. Manfred Frick; Professor Dr. Kay-Eberhard Gottschalk; Dr. Clair Hartmann, since 5/2019; Professor Dr.-Ing. Dietmar Kissinger, since 8/2019; Professorin Dr. Christine Kranz; Professor Dr. Othmar Marti; Professor Dr. Boris Mizaikoff; Professor Dr. Peter Leonhard Radermacher; Privatdozentin Dr. Sabine Vettorazzi, since 5/2019