EU PROJECT
Schwerpunkt Medizintechnik

The Research Campus STIMULATE is funded by the European Structural and Investment Fund (ERDF) as part of the Saxony-Anhalt Science Priorities initiative until the end of 2027. These funds will be used to strengthen and in particular expand the Research Campus STIMULATE both thematically and structurally and to promote the utilisation and transfer of the results.

 

Our goals 

STIMULATE promotes and strengthens medical technology, particularly in the field of image-guided minimally invasive procedures at the research and teaching location of Magdeburg with the aim of establishing a nationally and internationally recognised reference centre, which can be summarised in the vision of a ‘German Centre for Image-guided Medicine’.

Targeted strengthening and expansion of structures for the Research Campus STIMULATE, with the aim of creating a modern and competitive research infrastructure.

Induction of relocations and spin-outs, resulting in the creation of new jobs and the retention of outstanding specialists within the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The active promotion of gender equality is pursued in all relevant fields of activity.

Maintaining and expanding the knowledge base/expertise in all relevant medical technology research fields in Magdeburg by promoting young scientists.

Promotion of vocational education and training to secure skilled labour.

Consolidation and promotion of interdisciplinary cooperation between physicians and engineers as a prerequisite for the development of innovative medical technology products and processes with high practical relevance.

Strengthening the lead market for health and medicine in Saxony-Anhalt.

Strengthening innovative strength in the field of medical technology.

Transfer of scientific findings to the economy and the clinic and creation of framework conditions for the realisation of further spin-offs and settlements.

New fields of application are being developed to complement the areas of research being carried out in STIMULATE. In terms of content, the focus is on the two main topics of interventional magnetic resonance therapy and interventional computed tomography as well as the cross-cutting topics of immunoprofiling and computational medicine for the treatment of oncological, neurological and cardiovascular diseases. To this end, the OVGU regularly issues internal calls for projects whose thematic focus lies in the STIMULATE research agenda, i.e. image-guided minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Research projects are selected on the basis of short proposals, which are reviewed by the STIMULATE Research Campus Board of Directors according to a transparent catalogue of criteria. Specifically, projects on the following topics are processed:
  • Increased MRI imaging quality and reduced preparation time for MRI-guided interventionsIncreased MRI imaging quality and reduced preparation time for MRI-guided interventions
  • Establishment of improved procedures for intervascular forms of therapy
  • Personalisation of cardio- and neurovascular therapy procedures and introduction to clinical translation
  • Exploration of a new positron emission tomography signal model and AI approach for undersampled positron emission tomography data
  • Research of a micropositioning demonstrator
  • Supporting procedures for precise surgical interventions using MRI or CT
  • Expansion of prospective, translational patient performance studies (liquid biopsy) in the field of minimally invasive image-guided therapies
  • Prediction of treatment success in minimally invasive therapies using artificial intelligence

In addition to direct research funding, measures are financed that serve the further development and expansion of transfer activities in STIMULATE. In addition to accelerating the transfer of research results into clinical use, the focus is on multilateral knowledge transfer between science, industry, clinics and society. The application of new clinical procedures, which are associated with improved treatment outcomes, will enhance professional reputation and improve local healthcare provision. The funds provided will be used to expand and flexibilise the Research Campus' scope of action in this area. The aim is to prepare for economic effects in the state of Saxony-Anhalt and to develop sources of income in order to bear part of the transfer expenditure independently in the future. In the long term, this should not only serve to support the financing of research activities, but also to stabilise STIMULATE.

To support the research work, overarching measures are also funded as part of a central project. Additional funds are also being used for national and international networking as well as the establishment and consolidation of collaborations in the scientific and economic areas of the Research Campus STIMULATE.


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