Healthcare Industries: a Powerful Innovative Edge

In Berlin and Brandenburg, 230 biotech companies, 300 medical technology businesses and approximately 20 pharmaceutical companies form the core of the Healthcare Industries cluster. They are joined by various clinics, medical-optic device manufacturers and many companies that use their products and services. Building on a strong industrial basis with a targeted innovation policy, the German Capital Region developed this efficient cluster with ultramodern jobs in companies that enjoy a leading position in Europe and are present on international markets.

One special feature of this cluster is its above-average R&D activities, excelling through their trans-regional networking, international relevance and pioneering innovation potential. Brandenburg boasts Germany’s highest density of R&D facilities. This unique scientific landscape gives rise to numerous start-ups and networks in the Healthcare Industries cluster. Every year, around 3,000 graduates from the life sciences and related disciplines leave the German Capital Region’s universities, which explains why there is such an excellent pool of qualified personnel and budding scientists in Berlin and Brandenburg.

Highly innovative and globally competitive products are developed not only for cardiovascular and oncological applications, but also in medical imaging, telemedicine, minimally invasive surgery and orthopaedic technology/implants.

Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT)
Interdisciplinary teams involving physicians, scientists and engineers develop novel methods to boost the body’s own healing and regenerative powers, especially for the treatment of acute and chronic diseases of the muscles, the skeleton, the immune system and the cardiovascular system. The aim is to enable a recovery for a variety of diseases, for which there are only palliative treatments at present. For instance, the BCRT network conducts research into methods to make bone defects and muscle injuries heal more quickly.

The research activities focus on the following fields:

• Regenerative therapies
• Diseases of the immune system
• Diseases of the cardiovascular system
• Diseases of the muscles and the skeleton
• Development of biomaterials.

DiagnostikNet-BB
Members of this network are companies, institutes, hospital users and medical laboratories that join forces to develop and market novel or improved need-based in-vitro diagnostics. This network developed under the GRW guideline covers the entire value-added chain, thus offering customers the advantages of services from a single source.

Main objectives of the network:

• Development of diagnostics solutions
• Involvement of the users in product development
• Development of shared marketing and sales structures.

glyconet Berlin Brandenburg e.V.
The glyconet Berlin Brandenburg (glyconet BB) network currently comprises 20 members (12 research-based SMEs and eight research institutes). The strategic goal of the network is to develop innovative products and processes in the field of glycobiology and glycobiotechnology and to rapidly transfer them into the market. This is intended to strengthen economic growth in the region and support the creation of new jobs and the establishment of new interregional and international partnerships. The network’s administrative office is located at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology in Potsdam-Golm.

Imaging Network Berlin (INB)
This network has been involved in imaging for oncology, neurology, cardiovascular disorders and gastro-intestinal diseases since 2006. Medical imaging can display and quantify molecular changes caused by the onset of diseases before morphological changes take place.
The INB network brings experts and users from science and industry together, thereby optimising use of the different resources. The network coordination lies with the medical technology department of Berlin Partner for Business and Technology (Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie GmbH).
Now with members throughout Germany, the network is an interdisciplinary innovation platform for the exchange of experiences and information between specialists from the fields of medicine, biotechnology, nanotechnology, medical technology and information technology. It not only initiates and supports R&D projects, but also organises knowledge transfer seminars, workshops and meetings.

Initiative Gesundheitswirtschaft Brandenburg e. V. (IGW BB)
IGW BB was founded in 2009 and agitates for Healthcare Industries in Brandenburg. The Network understood itself as connector between sciences and economic, players from public administration and politics as well as health payer. Famous health resorts and clinics, excellence scientific institutes, innovative and efficient companies from the biotech-, medtech-, wellness- and nutritionsector as well as health payer are among the regional player.

Life Science Alliance Brandenburg-Berlin (LAB-B)
The Life Science Alliance Brandenburg-Berlin is a cooperation network, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy within the framework of the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs
The network consists of small and medium-sized enterprises, hospitals, universities/research facilities, associated partners in Germany and abroad as well as larger companies.
The network's focus is on medical technology and eHealth in the life sciences sector. The aim is to implement innovative ideas from the life science sector quickly into marketable products in order to improve medical care. The network helps here at different levels, for example by bringing together suitable partners for cooperation, support for funding applications or by finding suitable premises for companies.

Center for Molecular Diagnostics and Bioanalysis (ZMDB)
This key project under Berlin-Brandenburg’s joint innovation strategy is a platform for technology transfer as regards the development and production of innovative diagnostic methods. It is involved in the following fields:

• Basic research
• Clinical research
• Technology development
• Industrial applications.

Further Networks:

• bbb - Biotechnologieverbund Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.

• NetPhaSol - The Network for Pharma Solutions

Universities and Colleges

Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg
Focus on: systems engineering; information and communication Technology, nanobiotechnology, protein biochemistry, enzyme engineering, genome analysis, phototropic bioengineering, molecular biology, rehabilitation technology, biocompatible materials, biomechanics, lightweight medical products.

Europa Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)
Focus on: research and training in issues related to the health sciences in the context of the ongoing globalisation of medicine; relationships between medicine, culture, legislation and business.

MHB Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor Fontane
Private medical academia with a campus in Neuruppin and Brandenburg/Havel.
Focus on: medicine of aging
Clinics:
Ruppiner Kliniken
Klinikum Brandenburg
Immanuel Klinikum Bernau, Brandenburg Heart Center
Abteilung für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatik der Immanuel Klinik Rüdersdorf

Technische Hochschule Brandenburg
Focus on: diagnostics using fluorescence spectroscopy; evaluation of medical signals (biosignal processing); artificial intelligence systems.

Technische Hochschule Wildau
Focus on: microengineering, cell culture engineering, computer science, process engineering, applications of systems engineering in biology, software development, telematics, e-business, applications of computer science in business and management, telecommunications, new media, decision support systems, electronics, instrument design.

Universität Potsdam
Focus on: Biochemistry and Biology, Bioinformatics, Biodiversity Research/ Systematic Botany, Molecular Biotechnology, Evolutionary Biology/Systematic Zoology, Genetics, Life-science Materials, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Cell Biology

Non-university Research Facilities

German Institute of Human Nutrition, DIfE
Focus on: Molecular Toxicology, Experimental Diabetology, Molecular Epidemiology, Gastrointenstinal Microbiology, Adipocyte Development and Nutrition, Physiology of Energy Metabolism, Nutrition and Gerontology, Decision Neuroscience and Nutrition

Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP
Focus on: Biopolymers, Functional Polymer Systems, Synthesis and Polymer Technology, Life Science and Bioprocesses, Nano-medical Applications

Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses IZI-BB
Focus on: Automation and Miniaturization, Bioanalytics and Biosensors, Assay Development, Cell Processing and Industrial Biotechnology, Cell-Free and Cell-Bases Bioproduction

Hasso-Plattner-Institute
Focus on: Enterprise Platform and Integration Concepts, Internet Technologies and Systems, Algorithm Engineering, Business Process Technolog, Computergraphics Systems, Data Engineering Systems, Digital Health – Personlized Medicine, Digital Health – Connected Healthcare, Digital Health – Machine Learning, Human Computer Interaction, Information Systems, Operating Systems and Middleware, Software Architectures, Systems Analysis and Modeling, School of Design Thinking

IFN Schönow e.V.

Institut für Biomaterialforschung des Helmholtz-Zentrums Geesthacht, HZG
Focus on: Active Polymers, Micro-/Nanotechnology, Pharmaceutical Technology, Polymers in Regeneration, Biointerface Engineering

Institut für Dünnschichttechnologie und Mikrosensorik e.V., IDM
Focus on: Synthesis, Microsensorics, Lithography, Photoscience

Institut für Lebensmittel- und Umweltforschung e. V., ILU
Focus on: Research and developmantof new methods for food and feed/pet-food production, Exploration of functional food ingredients, Food safety, Processing of plant materials and leguminosae-derived products, Development of analytical methods, Biological and chemical special analyses, Biotechnology research for the production of biological agents for food, feed, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, Development of natiural feeds, Environmental research with phototrophic microorganisms, Development of biogenic materials for non-food applications

Leibniz-Institut für Agrartechnik und Bioökonomie e.V. (ATB)
Focus on: Bioengineering, Technology Assessment and Substance Cycles, Postharvest Technology, Engineering for Crop Production, Engineering for Livestock Management, Horticultural Engineering

Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ)
Focus on: Functional Plant Biology, Plant-Microbe Systems, Genomics and bioinformatics in horticulture, Plant Quality and Food Security, Next-Generation Horticultural Systems

Leibniz-Institut für innovative Mikroelektronik, IHP
Focus on: Wireless Systems and Applications, RF Circuits, Technology Platform for Wireless and Broadband, Materials for Micro- and Nanoelectronics

Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, ZALF
Focus on: Landscape Functioning, Land Use and Governance, Landscape Research Synthesis, Research Platform „Data“, Models and Simulation, Experimental Infrastructure Platform

Max-Planck-Institute for Colloids and Interfaces, MPI-KG
Focus on: Biomaterial, Biomolecular Systems, Colloid Chemistry, Theory and Bio-Systems, Mechano(bio)chemistry

Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, MPI-MP
Focus on:Molecular Physiology, Metabolic Networks, Organelle Biology, Biotechnology and Molecular Ecophysiology, Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Adaption, Systems and Synthetic Metabolism