Laboratory Technology made in Germany’s Saarland fighting HIV/AIDS in South Africa

Since 2009 a technology initiative lead by the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT is investigating in laboratory technology „Made in Germany’s Saarland”. Integrating small and medium-sized enterprises and supported by the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Science of Saarland State the mission of the “Labor der Zukunft” (Laboratory for the Future) is to design, develop and promote future’s laboratory technology.

Unlike other technological areas, building and operating modern laboratories is requiring the vertical integration from craftsmanship over engineering to basic sciences. The initiative is facing the challenge to enable low and high tech suppliers to work together in one integrated single project.

This is requiring a paradigm shift in technology research and funding integrating the whole value added chain from applied research over technological key industries and traditional craftsmanship to the potential customer and user.

A special focus of the initiative is on mobile applications being the technological driving force for new and innovative solutions. Fraunhofer IBMT has designed and produced together with Bischoff+Scheck GmbH world’s first mobile, self-sufficient S3/L3 unit fully licensed by German authorities with the permission to operate under Biosafety Level (BSL-3), to transport infectious material and to operate as a cryolaboratory in traffic.

The unit is right now operating in a campaign for testing and on-site analysis for HIV and tuberculosis infection in the Western Cape Region, South Africa. Technical support is in the hands of the team “Labor der Zukunft”.

Contact:
Daniel Schmitt
Telephone: +49(0)6894/980-120
info@labor-der-zukunft.com
Labor der Zukunft
c/o Fraunhofer IBMT
Ensheimer Strasse 48
66386 St. Ingbert, Germany