Press / Newsroom

A partnership for the future of medicine: Representatives from the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Spanish government, the regional government of Catalonia and the city council of Barcelona signed a joint declaration of intent in Barcelona today. With this step, the Spanish funding partners have laid the groundwork for pioneering theranostics research in Spain.

How can new bio-based and biohybrid materials with improved features be developed faster? Six Fraunhofer institutes are jointly exploring this question in the SUBI²MA flagship project, using an innovative bio-based polyamide developed by Fraunhofer researchers as a model. Its specific properties make it a promising alternative to fossil-based plastics.

Time and again, unexploded aerial bombs from the Second World War need to be defused or detonated in controlled explosions. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMI are working together with partners to develop models that predict fragmentation flight and simulate the underground spread of shock waves. This can help to reduce evacuation zones as well as improve forecasting of the risks to underground structures.

Right now, the only factor determining when a road needs resurfacing is the condition of the road surface itself. However, the state of the asphalt layer beneath it is also an important marker that has not been adequately taken into account until now. To assess it, only indirect measurement methods are available, which either measure only the surface or damage the road by drilling. A new monitoring system from Fraunhofer researchers and partners detects damage early on and continuously monitors the condition of the underlying asphalt layer, comprehensively and without causing any damage. The centerpiece of the new solution is a fabric of sensors inside the asphalt. AI algorithms to analyze the data are also part of the system. Going forward, the researchers hope the interaction between the sensors and AI will help assess the condition of road structures in real time.

Stents are used to remove narrowings (stenosis) in blood vessels, stabilize the vessels and thus prevent heart attacks or strokes. However, the implantation process damages the inner wall of blood vessel, and in addition a foreign body material is inserted into the blood vessel wall. Both factors can contribute to restenosis of the affected vessel. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP at Potsdam Science Park aim to address these issues with specially coated, biocompatible, degradable stents. The team won recognition for developing a prototype as part of the senetics Innovation Award 2025.

COVID-19 patients may experience physical and mental symptoms long after the acute phase of the infection has passed. Accurate diagnosis of these symp-toms is needed in order to provide those affected with targeted treatments. The goal of the EPSILON project is to use interactive virtual reality (VR) technologies and sensors worn on the body to accurately characterize the most common symptoms — fatigue and cognitive deficits — to differentiate and clearly define them. The Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz-Institut, HHI is coordinating the project and working closely with partners to develop VR-supported diagnostic methods to identify, record and analyze Post-COVID symptoms.

A key step in German energy policy is being taken: Today, the German federal government approved its draft Fusion Action Plan, which is going allocate two billion euros for fusion research by 2029. This plan is expected to pave the way for a sustainable and zero-emission energy supply through targeted investment and collaboration while securing innovative strength and competitiveness. With its comprehensive expertise in material and manufacturing engineering and laser technology, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft stands ready to help implement the Fusion Action Plan and harness its potential for value creation.

Industrial process and wastewater pose a major challenge when it comes to environmental protection. Fraunhofer researchers in Dresden have now succeeded in developing compact and energy-efficient systems that use photocatalytic oxidation to efficiently break down impurities. At the heart of these systems are foam ceramics with multifunctional coatings.

How can research organizations support start-ups and spin-offs? The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft will be presenting its solutions at the Bits & Pretzels start-up festival, which will be held in Munich from September 29 to October 1, 2025. Among the 7,500 expected exhibitors will be six innovative start-ups with Fraunhofer involvement.

The official dedication of the new building on the Niederrad campus marks a fresh milestone in the research landscape of the state of Hesse, set by the Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP. Some 200 prominent representatives from government, the science and research sector, industry and the trades involved in the building project gathered for the opening celebration at the invitation of Gerd Geisslinger, executive director of Fraunhofer ITMP. The new research building will serve as a locus of expertise in translational medicine while strengthening Hesse as a hub of pharmaceutical and biotech activity.