The nanodiag BW network
The transfer of excellent research results into practical economic benefits is based on actors who are able to deliver and adapt technologies that typically have to bridge the gap between scientific testing and industrial / clinical practical application. To this end, nanodiag BW links multidisciplinary actors from universities, research institutions and companies along deep value chains ranging from basic science and materials science to nanotechnology, microelectronics, microfluidic analytics and clinical medicine.
The network is open for collaborations and the participation of new players!
Companies
Cluster stakeholders include large companies and SMEs (including 5 start-ups) with products and services in the field of nano technologies and especially nanopore technology, microelectronics, machine learning, bioinformatics, bioanalytics, epigenetics, and molecular and medical diagnostics.
Actome GmbH
Actome will develop innovative PICO reference assays for the quantitative analysis of post-translational modifications (PTM) and protein-protein interactions (PPI). Actome also acts as a technology supplier and commerscializer in the project.
Aixtron SE
AIXTRON will work on the scientific aspects and the special requirements of epitaxy (in this case MOCVD) of sophisticated transition metal based structures (TMD) for applications in nanopore technology for molecular diagnostics.
AMO gGmbH
AMO contributes expertise in the synthesis, transfer and nanostructuring of 2D materials, in particular graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) and adapts the related manufacturing techniques for the application in a solid-state nanoporeanalyzer.
Computomics
Computomics has comprehensive expertise in machine learning and sequence data analysis. Computomics will contribute to the identification of biomarkers and implement and provide a resource that can visually display genomic, epigenomic, transcriptional and phenotypic patient data and the correlations between these data. This serves all network partners and the public to interactively further explore and interpret the generated data and visualize it for possible publications.
Eurofins Genomics GmbH
Eurofins Genomics will contribute to assay development of basic microfluidic operations, as well as the development and validation of an automated high-throughput reference workflow for very small sample volumes.
Ionera GmbH
The focus of Ionera's work is on the one hand the realization of an experimental environment for the characterization of biomimetic membranes and on the other hand the realization of a chip function pattern for the automated reconstitution of individual biological nanopores. AlsoIonera will work on the modification of solid-state nanopores, especially with regard to wettability (design of a measurement cartridge and the integration of powerful redox electrodes).
Moleqlar Analytics
Based on mass spectrometry technology, Moleqlar Analytics has been analyzing post-translational modifications of proteins since 2018. We will actively contribute this know-how together with further developments in the field of automated sample preparation and the application area of epigenetics.
Nanion GmbH
Nanion develops and produces analysis systems for ion channels and biological nanopores. Microstructured chip substrates are used for electrophysiological measurements. AlsoNanion contributes expertise with regard to electrical measurement technology for nanopores and will also contribute to the fluidic and electrical integration of nanopores in diagnostic systems.
NanoTemper GmbH
Nanotemper Technologies will develop technologies and workflows to screen mutants of Aerolysin and will use the advanced biophysics instrumentation to characterise both the biophysical and biochemical properties of the resultant mutants.
Q-Bios GmbH
Development of DNA polymerases, enzymes and reaction conditions for isothermal reactions in a high-saline environment in combination with the Nanopore technology.
Robert Bosch GmbH
Bosch cotributes to the topics solid state nanopores and nanopore CMOS integration, especially design, fabrication and packaging for lateral nanopores and microelectronics and embedded software.
Sciomics GmbH
Sciomics uses the antibody microarray platform "scioDiscover" to investigate around 1,300 biomedically highly relevant proteins. For the identification of post-translational protein modifications in the context of non-invasive diagnostics Sciomics extends the analytical possibilities by a highly parallel screening of modifications such as methylation and acetylation and thereby contributes a world-leading multiplex platform for an antibody-based search for protein biomarker candidates.
Signatope GmbH
Signatope contributes immunoaffinity mass spectrometry for protein quantification, binder generation (library > 400 antibodies) and assay development / validation.
Steinbeis GmbH + Co.KG
The Steinbeis Europa Zentrum coordinates the continuation of the joint cluster and R&D strategy with the overall objective to focus the scientific and technological developments and to accelerate the innovation process.
Temicon GmbH
Temicon is developing new manufacturing methods for picoliter well arrays and uses the resulting microfluidic chips to explore electrical contacting of the novel well arrays.
trenzyme GmbH
trenzyme will develop production processes from gene to protein for various demanding targets in different expression systems to support the project partners with high-quality engineered protein material and to ensure the long-term supply after successful completion of the project.
Research Organizations
Numerous successfully established collaborations already exist between the research partners of the cluster. Among them, the Institutes of the Innovationsallianz Baden-Württemberg (InnBW), namely Hahn-Schickard, ILM, and NMI form a close linkage between basic research and industry / clinics.
Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkstoffmechanik IWM, Freiburg
The Fraunhofer Institute contributes analysis of MD-data (ab-initio interactions between peptides and pore-surfaces) and establishes multi-scale models for signal prediction.
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
The work of the group of Prof. Schiller focuses on the development & (bio)synthesis of complex, amphiphilic molecular systems for adaptive membrane architectures that allow the selective reconstitution and sensitive analysis of biological nanopores.
Hahn-Schickard, Freiburg und Villingen-Schwenningen
The manyfold contributions of Hahn-Schickard cover work on solid state nanopores, CMOS based signal amplification, nanopore functionalisation, assay development, and microfluidic automation . as well as innovation support, public relations, and cluster management.
ILM Institut für Lasertechnologien in der Medizin und Meßtechnik an der Universität Ulm
The ILM is investigating the fabrication of laser-induced solid-state nanopores. After analyzing the requirements, the process will be established and further developed with the help of a modular confocal microscope setup to be implemented. The characterized solid-state nanoporeswill then be made available to the project partners.
NMI, Naturwissenschaftlichs und Medizinisches Institut Reutlingen
Jannik Meyer's "Advanced Materials" research group will explore the targeted insertion of nanopores into 2D materials and other membrane materials and investigate the structure of the membranes and pores using atomic-resolution electron microscopy.
Peter Jones's research group fabricates solid-state nanopores using focused electron or ion beams and also integrate them in arrays with microfluidics and electrodes. The expertise includes low-noise ionic current measurements at high-bandwidths, and characterization of nanopores' structure and chemistry at the atomic scale using (S)TEM, EDX, and EELS.
Max-Planck-Institut für Immunbiologie und Epigenetik (MPI-IE), Freiburg
Affinity methods are to be developed which provide peptides carrying specific sequence variations or modifications .This will allowto isolate individual peptides or peptide families from highly complex mixtures (biological and clinical samples) and make them accessible for bionanopore analysis.
RWTH Rheinisch.Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen
The group of Prof. Fyta simulates nanopore materials and environment und uses machine learning algorithms for processing nanopore signals and development of read-out protocols.
Universität Freiburg
The group of Prof. Behrends works on membrane physioloy & technology using e.g.electrophysiology, fluorescence spectroscopy, site-directed mutagenesis, and protein purification.
The group of Prof. Einsle works on biochemistry using e.g. protein biochemistry & crystallisation, X-ray diffractometry, cryo-electron microscopy, spectroscopy, and calorimetry.
The group of Prof. Krossing works on complex and molecular chemistry, providing weakly coordinating anions adjustable in size as “molecular rulers” for the determination of pore sizes.
The group of Prof. Reiter works on experimental polymer chemistry using e.g. optical microscopy, AFM, STM, Langmuir-Trouth, ellipsometry, angular X-ray diffraction, UV/VIS spectrometry, and differential calorimety.
The group of Prof. Zengerle works on applications of MEMS using e.g. micro/nano dispensing, volumetrics, 3D-printing, and simulation-based microfluidic designs.
The group of Prof. Backofen works on bioinformatics, using e.g. deep sequencing, biopolymer structure prediction & visualisation, and machine learming.
Universitätsklinikum Freiburg
The University Clinic Freiburg contributes a wide range of clinical expertise especially in the fields of medical epigenetics and oncology, e.g. clinically-relevant tasks, patient samples collection tissue, cells, blood, processing of clinical samples - and last but not least, the direct contact to patients.
General information about this partner institution:
https://www.uniklinik-freiburg.de/medizin1.html
The group of Prof. Becker contributes their expertise on T-cells: The work aims to use recently developed innovative analytical methods to identify novel epigenetic biomarkers for precision oncology and establish them as part of personalized medicine in the long term.
The group of Prof. Schüle contributes their expertise on epigenetics, especially KMT9 monomethylates H4K12 and control proliferation of prostate cancer cells. This will allow for in vitro assays for the analysis of cancer-relevant histone H4 mathylation byKTM 9 (H4K12).
The group of Prof. Schilling contributes their expertise on proteomics, expecially translational proteomics (system integration for the analysis of histone modifications in biological samples).
The group of Prof. Nazarekno contributes their expertise on extracellular vesicles, liquid biopsy and epigenetics. This will allow for the identification and evaluation of epigenetic biomarkers in T-cells and extracellular vesicles (EVs)
Universität Stuttgart
The group of Prof. Holm develops in collaboration with Prof. Fyta (RWTH Aachen University) a software framework using machine learning methods to enable fast and reliable recognition of protein sequences.
Also atomistic MD simulations are performed to resolve microscale processes of protein translocation within aerolys in nanopores using a multiscale simulation approach together with Prof. Walter (Freiburg).
The research group of Prof. Nussberger is investigating the assembly kinetics of different biological nanopore variants and the development of methods for inserting individual nanochannels into membranes for nanopore sensing. Methodologically, the aim is to visualize the assembly and integration process in artificial lipid membranes optically at the single molecule level.
