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Dear Reader,
The summer break has come to an end – and we’re back with our August/September double issue, bringing you a wealth of news and insights. Highlights include the patient app “ida”, supported by the BIH Digital Health Accelerator Program, which has now undergone a scientific assessment. The results show that the digital support provided by ida can improve both care and quality of life for metastatic breast cancer patients. As a result, the Innovation Committee of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) recommends integrating this care model into standard healthcare coverage.
There is plenty more to discover in this issue. We look at recent research into why bone fractures often heal more slowly in older people. New insights into CAR-T cells reveal which specific cell types determine the success of low-dose blood cancer therapies. A single-cell atlas provides fresh perspectives on the adaptability of the pancreas, while proteomics and AI are helping to identify better biomarkers for vasculitis. Researchers have also uncovered a previously unknown way to selectively activate B cells, the antibody-forming cells of the immune system. Plus, we explore how genome sequencing and blood protein analysis can complement one another, and introduce seven new research projects on ME/CFS – including a BIH initiative dedicated to precise diagnostics and personalized therapy. Finally, in our interview series, several BIH researchers share in-depth insights into their ongoing work.
We look forward to an exciting autumn and hope you enjoy the read!
Your BIH Newsletter Team
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© Adobe Stock | Pixel Studio 8
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Genome sequencing has revolutionized the diagnosis of rare diseases. For many patients, however, it is not sufficient on its own to reach a definitive diagnosis. In these cases, combining genomic data with protein values in the patients’ blood can provide more insight into rare diseases. This was discovered by researchers at the BIH, Queen Mary University of London, and Genomics England. They have now published their research findings in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Read the press release
Read the publication
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CAR T-cell therapies are used successfully to treat certain blood cancers. However, while some patients respond even to low-dose treatment, others derive no benefit. Researchers from the Faculty of Medicine at Heidelberg University and the BIH investigated the reasons behind these differences in a collaborative research project. They identified a specific subgroup of CAR T cells that plays a key role in determining the success of low-dose therapies and could potentially serve as a biomarker in the future. The findings have now been published in Nature Communications. Professor Simon Haas of the BIH is the corresponding author of the study, along with Professor Michael Schmitt of Heidelberg University. Read the joint press releaseRead the publication
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An EU-funded research project coordinated by the BIH is unraveling the development, adaptability, and disease-related changes in the pancreas. Using a new single-cell atlas, the research team led by Roland Eils and Christian Conrad demonstrates the diversity of cells in the human pancreas and how flexibly they respond to different conditions. The study results have now been published in Cell Metabolism and open up new perspectives for research into diabetes and other pancreatic diseases. Read the press releaseRead the publication
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© Institute of Pathology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
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A seven protein “signature” in blood can indicate successful treatment for vasculitis. In Nature Communications, researchers in Berlin report how they used proteomics and AI to identify biomarkers, which could enable more personalized treatment with fewer side effects. Dr. Philipp Mertins, group leader of the “Proteomics” technology platform, which is jointly operated by the Max Delbrück Center and the BIH, is one of three corresponding authors of the publication. Read the press release of the Max Delbrück CenterRead the publication
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Source: Willi Weber, Santiago Kuhl
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B cells produce antibodies against pathogens. Such an immune response can also be triggered by contact with materials that have a specific surface structure. This was discovered by researchers from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Humboldt University of Berlin, the BIH (led by BIH Professor Enrico Klotzsch), and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE). The findings expand the understanding of how immune cells perceive their environment and open up new possibilities for immunotherapies and biomaterials. The study was recently published in the journal Advanced Science. Read the press release of the Helmholtz-Zentrum HereonRead the publication
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How well a bone heals after a fracture depends not only on individual cell types. The immediate environment in which these cells communicate with one another also plays a crucial role. A new study by researchers at the BIH shows how immune cells and bone cells interact during this process, providing insights that may ultimately help explain why bone fractures often heal more slowly in older people. Read moreRead the publication
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This summer, seven new research projects started at eight institutions in Germany, funded as part of the ME/CFS Research Foundation’s 'Research Funding Programme 2026'. The projects were selected from 33 submissions by a jury of more than 20 international ME/CFS research experts from 10 countries. We are pleased that the BIH, with Professor Birgit Sawitzki and her research project “MARK-ME – Minimal Biomarker Panels for More Precise Diagnosis and Personalized Treatment of ME/CFS,” is among the candidates selected by the jury. Congratulations also to the other selected research projects! Learn more about the selected projects
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Strong European collaborations are more important than ever in light of new challenges and technological opportunities. The BIH, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen have therefore signed a joint Memorandum of Understanding. The goal is to strengthen collaboration in research, innovation, and the development of advanced therapies. Exchanges with the Novo Nordisk Foundation Cellerator and the BioInnovation Institute are also expected to provide new impetus for cell therapies and European innovation hubs. We look forward to a productive collaboration and a lively exchange of knowledge. Read more
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More modern, clearer, and more accessible: we’ve redesigned our most important business card. We focused on the needs of our diverse target audiences: from researchers, patients, and journalists to future colleagues, representatives from business and politics, and everyone interested in the work of the BIH. The new design supports our goal of raising the profile of research, biomedical translation, and innovation, and is intended to make it easier for our target audiences to access information. At the same time, our website is meant to be a space with which the entire BIH community can identify, and one that we will continue to develop together. Take a look: https://www.bihealth.org/en/
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In September 2026, Dr. Naveed Ishaque started his new professorship in Cancer Bioinformatics at the BIH. He has been leading the “Computational Oncology” research group under BIH Professor Roland Eils since 2018. Naveed Ishaque investigates causal mechanisms in tumors, utilizing AI-supported spatial transcriptomics software tools that he developed himself. We interviewed Professor Ishaque about his research and his goals. Read the interview
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News From the Charité BIH ARC Innovation Center
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The Oncovirtuous team, led by Dr. Anja Geisler, Leslie Kamstra, and Esther Horn, has set out to increase the therapeutic efficacy of oncolytic viruses (OVs) following intravenous administration and thereby develop the next generation of cancer immunotherapy for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). Oncovirtuous is now receiving a grant of nearly 2 million euros to further develop its invention as part of the BMWE’s exist Forschungstransfer funding program. Congratulations! As project mentor, BIH Professor Sophie Van Linthout provides the co-founders of Oncovirtuous with scientific and strategic guidance throughout the entire project. Read more
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News From the BIH Digital Health Accelerator Program
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In early September, five new project teams started in the BIH Digital Health Accelerator program at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin to develop scalable healthcare solutions for clinical care and the healthcare market based on their innovative ideas and concepts. In the coming months, the teams will focus on needs and concept validation, technical feasibility, regulatory strategy, business model, reimbursement and market access. Read more
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News From the National Strategy for Gene- and Cell-based Therapies
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The National Strategy for Gene and Cell-Based Therapies (GCT) is getting international attention: a recent article in the scientific journal Human Gene Therapy outlines the strategy, its objectives and initial progress in its implementation. This raises the profile of Germany’s multi-stakeholder approach on the international stage and contributes to the exchange of ideas on the further development and clinical application of GCT. Read the publication (open access)
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News From the BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy (BIA)
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BIA Participation in Gain 2026
In 2026, the BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy (BIA) was once again represented at the GAIN (German Academic International Network) annual conference. The conference took place from August 21 to 23 in San Francisco and set a new record with more than 600 participants from Germany and the U.S. Dr. Nathalie Huber and Dr. Iwan Meij represented the BIH at the “Talent Fair,” held talks with promising potential applicants for the BIA funding programs and provided information about the BIA’s funding programs as well as the BIH and Charité. More about GAIN 2026
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Human organ models offer new opportunities to better understand diseases and develop more targeted therapies. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique scientific test case: Within a remarkably short period of time, researchers used a wide range of cell, organoid and tissue models to study the same disease. Scientists from the BIH and other research institutions systematically reviewed 558 studies. In an interview, authors Maren Hülsemann, Silke Kniffert, Ulf Tölch and Andreas Hocke discuss the potential of human organ models and why differences in methodology and incomplete reporting still limit how reliably these models can inform our understanding of human disease. Read the interviewRead the publication
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Spatial transcriptomics enables researchers to simultaneously capture gene activity and the spatial organisation of individual cells. This makes it possible to study complex tissue structures and so-called spatial niches, an important approach in biomedical and translational research. But how reliable are the bioinformatics tools used to analyse these structures? A research team led by Dr. Naveed Ishaque, group leader for Computational Oncology in Roland Eils’ Digital Health department at the BIH compared different methods in a comprehensive benchmarking study and encountered fundamental challenges in evaluating such tools. These experiences led to the development of SACCELERATOR, a new approach that combines different analytical methods and incorporates the expertise of tissue specialists into the analysis. In this interview, Dr. Naveed Ishaque explains the limitations of conventional benchmarking approaches, why human expertise remains essential for interpreting spatial transcriptomics data, and what the findings mean for translational research. Read the interviewRead the publication
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Genetically Modified Immune Cells as a Targeted Therapy for Myasthenia Gravis
CAAR T cells (Chimeric AutoAntibody Receptor T Cells) represent a promising new treatment approach for neurological autoimmune diseases such as myasthenia gravis. The T cells, a key component of the immune system, are genetically modified to specifically recognize and destroy autoreactive B cells that are responsible for the development of an autoimmune disease. The project is supported by the SPARK-BIH GCT project grant. The study on this research approach was recently published in the journal Nature Communications. We spoke with lead author Dr. Niels von Wardenburg, a physician at the Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology at Charité and a fellow in the BIH Charité Clinician Scientist Program, about the research findings. Read the interview (in German only)Read the publication
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© Charité | Birgit Formann
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Proteins are the fundamental building blocks and functional molecules of the human body. They regulate a wide range of biological processes and play a crucial role in both health and disease. However, it is still not fully understood how genetic variation influences protein abundance and how these changes affect disease risk. An international team of researchers, led by Professor Maik Pietzner and Professor Claudia Langenberg from the BIH, and Professor David van Heel from the Queen Mary University of London, has now identified previously unknown genetic associations using advanced mass spectrometry-based proteomics, revealing hidden mechanisms underlying disease development. Published in Nature Genetics, the study provides an important foundation for a better understanding of complex diseases and opens new avenues for precision medicine. In this interview, Maik Pietzner discusses the study's key findings and explains their significance for biomedical research and the future development of personalized therapies. Read the interviewRead the publication
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The Max Rubner Award, endowed with a total of 100,000 EUR, supports the implementation of innovative ideas at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The prize money is intended as seed funding for intrapreneurs (i.e. individuals or teams) addressing challenges within the Charité with an entrepreneurial approach by developing new services, products or initiatives. All professional groups as well as students at Charité are eligible to apply by September 30, 2026. Applications can be submitted via Charité Foundation’s online grant portal. Read more
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