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Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative eye condition that affects approximately ¼ of the population. Particularly in the western world, it is the most frequent cause of blindness in humans. In most cases, the chronic progression of the retinal condition is not curable, as the window of opportunity in which any therapeutic action can be taken is very small. One potential new form of treatment is presented by stem-cell therapy. Fraunhofer researchers have now developed a new method for the production and clinical application of stem-cell-based retinal implants, which could contribute towards the successful treatment of AMD. Their approach thereby is to replace damaged tissue with stem-cell-based transplants.

On 1st December 2022, the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST was honored with this year’s B+T Innovation Award in recognition of its human-centered research and development into sustainable as well as future-oriented technologies. The recipient is selected by a panel of experts from the B+T group of companies.

Additive-manufacturing processes are characterized by the fact that the components are built up layer by layer using, for example, plastics. The adhesion of the individual layers thereby plays an important role, as it significantly influences the stability of the printed components. At the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST, plasma sources are currently being developed which can be integrated into the 3D printer, thereby enabling a targeted chemical modification of the surface during the printing process itself. Amongst other things, a significant increase in adhesion can consequently be achieved, which leads to new options for 3D-printed component manufacturing.

Artificial hip joints, made-to-measure heart valves or precision-fit blood vessels: implants – particularly those based on scaffolds, i.e. 3D-printed framework structures – are playing an increasingly significant role in regenerative and personalized medicine. It is important for the scaffolds to be readily accepted by the body’s cells and for there to be no rejection reactions. Pre-treatment with plasma can ensure the prerequisites for this. In the High-Performance Center Medical and Pharmaceutical Engineering, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST have succeeded in integrating a plasma source into a 3D printer, thereby enabling the surface to be modified. The aim is to treat the scaffolds with plasma during the actual printing process in order to produce the desired properties.

How can an economic, social and ecologically sustainable structural change be achieved in the former opencast mines near Helmstedt? How can jobs in this region be safeguarded and new ones created? Which innovations are necessary in order to strengthen the agricultural enterprises in the region in the long term? These questions are being addressed not only by politicians and the people and companies of the Helmstedt region, but also by the scientists of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.

Within the framework of the 2022 examination honors, Anton Corba, an apprentice at the Fraunhofer IST, received an accolade for his very good performance in his final examination to become an IT specialist for systems integration. IHK President Tobias Hoffmann presented the graduate with a certificate in recognition of this at the ceremony in Braunschweig’s Millenium Event Center.

Stability is one of the core requirements and at the same time an important potential weak point for components manufactured in layer-by-layer 3D printing such as Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM). One key to greater stability is to improve the adhesion between the individual layers, and the researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST achieve this through targeted chemical modification of the surface by using atmospheric pressure plasmas. Various plasma sources have been developed at the Fraunhofer IST specifically for this application, which can be integrated into the 3D printer and thus enables the individual layers, which are often no longer accessible later, to be treated during the printing process.

How can pure hydrogen be produced in a climate-neutral process, independent of solar radiation or wind strength, and then utilized to operate fuel cells or for application in the semiconductor industry? This is the question being addressed by a current research project involving the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST, the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, and Veolia Umweltservice Süd GmbH & Co. KG. Their plan is to use organic waste as a starting material for alternative hydrogen production.

Separate bathrooms for all patients, seamless and easy-to-clean bedside tables with dirt-repellent surfaces, automated cleaning concepts, disinfectant dispensers that display a smiley face when used: this is what the "patient room of the future" could look like. The walk-in demonstrator of such a two-bed room was opened on the grounds of the Städtisches Klinikum Braunschweig on 31 August 2022. In the research and study laboratory, experts from the fields of architecture, materials research and medicine develop practical model solutions for hospital architecture. Technische Universität Braunschweig, Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST and Städtisches Klinikum Braunschweig have joined forces for this purpose.

The comprehensive provision of medical care presents a major challenge, particularly in rural regions of Africa. The Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST is therefore working in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and the Stellenbosch University in South Africa on the development of a mobile healthcare platform with which even the most remote areas can be reached.