Biomaterial research in Teltow for humans and the environment
Oftentimes, nature is a model for groundbreaking scientific discoveries. Sustainable handling of natural resources enables a multitude of benefits for us that can serve humanity and the environment.
In the town of Teltow near Berlin, at the Institute for Active Polymers of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, scientists are researching materials with very special characteristics to drive innovation in health technologies, medical technology and biotechnology.
For example, materials are being designed here that mirror flora such as climbing plants, which adapt to their environment and can morph and move independently. Multifunctional materials of this nature could be used in the future as artificial muscles in soft robots, which, due to their mechanical properties, are particularly suitable for use in contact with humans.
The product life cycle of plastics is also being taken into account. The biomaterial research in Teltow has created a method for predicting the long-term behavior of plastics by means of quick tests on ultra-thin layers in combination with computer-assisted models. Thereby, for example, both the degradation behavior and the degradation duration of bacterially produced bioplastics can be determined within a few hours – instead of months or years.
Moreover, biomaterial research in Teltow assists medical professionals in individually planning highly complex, minimally invasive heart surgeries, thus achieving the best possible result for every patient. Individual and exact 3D models of patients' hearts help cardiologists, for example, repair a defective heart valve with clamp-shaped implants without having to replace the entire heart valve.
Regardless of whether the topic is basic research or application-oriented translational research: Brandenburg is the place where a foundation for a sustainable future is being developed.