For the first time, scientists from the Institute of Physics at the University of Bonn, as well as from the Faculty of Medicine and the University Hospital Bonn, gathered for the Medicine-Physics Symposium. In the IMPULSE building, they presented ongoing projects and explored where the expertise of both disciplines could complement each other effectively.
“Many major advances in medicine are based on methods originally developed in physics. With its three funded Clusters of Excellence, the physics department in Bonn is unique in Germany in terms of its expertise,” said Prof. Dr. Bernd Weber, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, at the opening. “With this symposium, we aim to shorten this path and bring researchers from both disciplines together at an early stage so that ideas can develop into joint projects.” In his welcoming remarks, he also provided an overview of potential funding avenues for joint initiatives.
Prof. Dr. Simon Stellmer from the Institute of Physics then presented the main research areas of physics in Bonn and highlighted where he sees potential for application in medicine. “In our laboratories, we develop highly precise measurement methods, for example for tiny magnetic fields or individual molecules in exhaled air,” said Stellmer. “We often only realize which of these developments could be relevant for patients after discussing them with medical professionals.”
The short project presentations that followed later that morning demonstrated just how diverse these points of connection are. Prof. Dr. Lukas Kunz presented the projections of individual neurons in the human brain, which he uses to investigate the cellular basis of spatial orientation. Prof. Dr. Martin Weitz presented Bose-Einstein condensates created from ultraviolet light and their potential medical applications. Dr. Max Schelski explored how the shape of dendrites drives far-reaching molecular reorganizations and thus shapes differences between cell types. Prof. Dr. Simon Stellmer demonstrated how laser sources in the UV range can be used to detect nitric oxide in exhaled air. This could enable the non-invasive diagnosis of chronic inflammation and lung tumors in the future.
The second session focused on imaging and magnetic field measurement. Stellmer presented an optimized optical alternative to hyperpolarized xenon for lung imaging. Prof. Dr. Verena Hörr discussed optically pumped magnetometers and their use in conjunction with MRI. Prof. Dr. Daqing Wang reported on magnetic field measurements using organic materials. Finally, Prof. Dr. Dominik Bach demonstrated how optically pumped magnetometers enable the measurement of brain activity in humans in motion.
The coffee breaks between sessions provided an opportunity for direct discussion. “Whether in lung imaging or in measuring brain activity during movement, the projects presented show just how concrete the points of connection already are today,” Weber summarized. “Now it’s a matter of developing them further together.”
In addition to scientific discussion, the symposium aimed to identify particularly promising areas of research for collaboration. In the long term, the goal is to establish a stable network that can also lead to joint grant proposals. In a concluding summary, Weber and Stellmer took stock of the event. “The response to this first edition was very encouraging,” said Stellmer. “We would like to continue this format and institutionalize the exchange in such a way that it leads to long-term collaborations and joint grant proposals.”
For the first time, scientists from the Institute of Physics at the University of Bonn, as well as from the Faculty of Medicine and the University Hospital Bonn, gathered for the Medicine-Physics Symposium. In the IMPULSE building, they presented ongoing projects and explored where the expertise of both disciplines could complement each other effectively.