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Our Motivation - Strengthening the Translational Ecosystem
Our team laid the foundation for safer and precise cell therapies. To understand the translational path to the patients, we built a network of over 60 experts from various disciplines, exploring the opportunities within our innovation ecosystem. As our network grew, we realised that we could leverage our outreach not just for our own project, but to take up a guiding role in our regional translation ecosystem, educating young scientists and creative minds around us.
Let our experts and team guide you through our educational program, showing how our work can make a meaningful impact on the regional translational ecosystem:
Click here to let our experts guide the way
We are witnessing a time of "spectacular developments in the biomedical field," where, as Helmholtz President Prof. Dr. Otmar Wiestler notes, "cell and gene therapy is certainly one of the particularly promising areas." Yet, despite a thriving research in Heidelberg, a critical gap remains, "compared to [...] the United States [...] We have problems of translating exciting new findings from research into medical applications." - Prof. Dr. Otmar Wiestler, Helmholtz President
Addressing this challenge requires a radical shift in mindset, starting from the very first experiment. Researcher Dr. Mirco Friedrich issues a powerful call to action for every scientist: "If you want to do something that goes into the patient [...] every project idea that you think about has to be thought translational from the get-go." - Dr. Mirco Friedrich, Group Leader DKFZ
This is both the challenge and the opportunity. Bridging this gap falls to the new generation of innovators, because, as Prof. Dr. Wiestler perfectly concludes: "Research and development, at the end of the day, is about creative young people, talented young scientists." - Prof. Dr. Otmar Wiestler, Helmholtz President
But as Prof. Dr. Eva C. Winkler reminds us, we even have to start earlier: “Today’s children are tomorrow’s biotech innovators.” - Prof. Dr. Eva Winkler, Director NCT Heidelberg and Deputy Chair of the German Ethics Council
Please keep scrolling
Overview of our Projects
Subgoal 1:
Empowering Today's Researchers to Think Translational
Panel Discussion
Regional Translational Guide
Social Dialog
Industry × Academia
Subgoal 2:
Where Tomorrow's Scientists Begin
Summer School
Learning Platform
Friday Lectures
School Workshops
Subgoal 1: Empowering Today’s Researchers to Think Translational
“In the end, innovation is a community responsibility. No single scientist, no single lab can achieve this alone. It is up to all of us to create the right environment for the next generation, to give them the networks and the perspective they need.”- Dr. Carmen Sanges, EU Initiatives Scientific Project Lead, T2EVOLVE
The following network map shows the various stakeholders connected to the educational programs we developed to empower young scientists to think translational.
Panel Discussion - Ethics and Regulation
- We hosted a discussion on cell and gene therapy ethics and regulation, reaching 140 attendees as well as the public on YouTube
- We created a platform for dialog between students and an interdisciplinary panel of experts
- We inspired young scientists to expand their skills beyond the lab towards clinical translation
Click on the stakeholders that contributed to this event!
Events leading up to the Panel
At the start of our project, we wanted to understand which crucial steps were needed to bring our idea to the patient. As students, we quickly realized that a lot of what goes into translating an idea to the clinic happens “behind the scenes”. It is easy to miss, especially when you are focused on the research itself. But through our journey, we found ourselves in conversations with regulators, clinicians, Industry leaders, and patient representatives. We discovered an entire dimension of translational science that cannot be learned in the lab alone. Step by step, these discussions shaped our understanding and guided us toward the idea of creating a panel that would bring these voices together for students like us.
Our first insights came from Prof. Dr. Rienk Offringa, Head of the DKFZ Drug Discovery Lab, who pointed out the regulatory hurdles that accompany drug development.
In our effort to learn more about regulatory affairs, we met with Dr. Paula van Hennik, Vice President of Clinical at ProPharma, during the German Biotech Days. She emphasized the need to consider regulation from the very beginning of any project, an often-overlooked step that, if ignored, leads to costly delays.
We then spoke with Prof. Dr. Dirk Jäger, Director of the NCT, who reminded us that translation can only succeed if diverse stakeholders come together.
Following his advice, we reached out to Julien Frick, a young patient advocate, a physician and cancer survivor, who brought an essential patient perspective.
To deepen the understanding of the ethics dimension, we turned to Prof. Dr. Eva C. Winkler, Director of NCT Heidelberg and Deputy Chair of the German Ethics Council. She shared valuable insights on building social acceptance for novel cell therapies and on balancing patient needs, affordability, and ethical data governance.
As our network grew, we realized we also needed system-level perspectives. Prof. Dr. Otmar Wiestler, President of the Helmholtz Association, shared his view on coordinating translation efforts across Germany’s largest research institution.
Dr. Carmen Sanges, who leads the European consortium T2Evolve, showed us how European collaboration can accelerate translation across borders.
Finally, we wanted to highlight the role of young scientists already bridging research and medicine. Dr. Mirco Friedrich, a Forbes 30 Under 30 listed scientist and PI working on CAR T-cell therapies with ongoing clinical trials, embodied this spirit of translational research in action.
The Event: Introduction to our Panel
We were thrilled by the enthusiastic response, with over 140 people signing up for our panel. The evening featured a two-hour panel discussion, followed by a lively Q&A session and a networking reception. The conversations continued over food and drinks as participants and panelists enjoyed the beautiful view from the 4th-floor rooftop terrace at the Health + Life Science Alliance venue. To make these valuable discussions accessible to a wider audience, we recorded the entire event and uploaded it to our YouTube channel.
Watch our Panel Discussion on Youtube!
The Event: Content & Impact
The panel opened up conversations that are often reserved for the highest levels of science and policy, and made them accessible to the young scientists in the room. For the students, it was a chance to see that inventing a therapy is not only about research, but also about ethics, regulation, policy, and societal concerns. Most importantly, it underlined the crucial role that young, courageous scientists have in translating a drug into the clinic.
Together, we fleshed out the pillars of successful translation and gave context to various other issues such as pricing and reimbursement strategies, true patient involvement, decentralised manufacturing processes and the importance of preemptive societal dialog.
Please click on the pillars to see what our panelists had to say:
The Importance of Patient Advocacy
Patient Ethics: Prof Dr. Eva Winkler
- Advocates can lead to more inclusive research. She gave a specific example from a brain tumor study where physician-scientists were initially restrictive with who could join the trial. Patient advocates successfully argued for opening up the inclusion criteria, emphasizing better communication and informed consent so that more patients could have access.
- Patient input is crucial for developing the right tools and language. In her field of medical ethics, especially in creating decision aids for situations like end-of-life care, she stressed that patient involvement is essential. Patients help researchers find the right language and framing to ensure new tools are acceptable and genuinely helpful.
- Patient preferences are diverse and must be understood. She shared an example from a project on psoriasis where patients had very different priorities. Some were willing to accept a future risk of cancer for perfectly clear skin, while others preferred to live with minor skin issues to avoid that risk. This highlights that "what patients want" is not monolithic and requires nuanced discussion to develop different products or approaches.
Patient Ethics: Julien Frick
- Ensures research is patient-driven. Advocates push for research to focus on diseases with the greatest unmet needs and poorest prognoses, ensuring that limited resources are directed where they can have the most impact, rather than just toward scientifically elegant models.
- Acts as a crucial communication bridge. Patient advocates help build public trust by being involved in research from the beginning. They can communicate the process and its goals to the wider community more effectively than scientists alone, especially on sensitive topics like data sharing.
- Provides the "bigger picture" and a reality check. They serve as a constant reminder of the "why" behind the research, ensuring that quality of life and long-term side effects are considered, not just survival. They challenge the purely technical perspective by asking tough questions about what makes a therapy truly "efficient" for a patient.
Feedback from the Audiences
Rather than describing how great it was, we would like to share how our audience described its impact:
Student Voices
“As a Molecular Biotechnology student, the discussion had a big impact on me. I hadn’t focused much on regulation, ethics, and translation before, but I realized how interesting and crucial these areas are for my future as a researcher. The speakers were thoughtfully chosen and reflected a strong diversity of perspectives.” - Clara, student participant
“The panel brought together excellent guests with different - and for me, sometimes new angles on regulation and ethics. We rarely get access to insights like these. I especially valued the perspectives of Mirco Friedrich, whose work at DKFZ is inspiring, and Julien Frick, who highlighted the patient viewpoint that should play a much larger role in research.” - Tilmann, student participant
"Honestly, before the panel discussion I didn’t really know what to expect, and I hadn’t thought
much about the regulatory side of patenting in science. I actually went out of pure curiosity,
since I study in the natural sciences myself. But I was really surprised by how much work goes
into developing and marketing therapeutics and how many processes have to happen in the background
before a product can reach the market. It’s much more complex than I thought no wonder so many
compounds never make it to patients!
The guests on the panel were super interesting and very diverse! It was great to see such
different perspectives, from a patient-welfare representative to the head of a stem cell research
group and the chair of the Helmholtz Association. You could really see all the stages of drug
development coming together.
Normally, as a (young) student, you don’t get the chance to look behind the scenes
and have
experts explain these processes and topics. I’m really grateful to the iGEM team for this
fantastic scientific insight! I would attend an event like this again anytime"
Lotta, student participant
Regional Guide to Scientific Translation
- We inspired young scientists to participate in the local innovation ecosystem
- We created a practical guide to local support resources and educational programs
- Our guide features inspiring role models and case studies
Click on the stakeholders that contributed to this event!
Our Journey within the Innovation Ecosystem
The panelists encouraged us to take initiative and help shape the innovation landscape. Easier said than done. Even for those of us who were well-connected, the idea of shaping our translational ecosystem felt overwhelming. If we felt this way, it is likely that other young scientists and students felt the same. Our goal developed into better understanding the innovation ecosystem in Heidelberg, identifying the key players, and mapping the support networks that help young scientists bridge the translational gap.
Most scientific study programs in Heidelberg do not include entrepreneurship courses in the curriculum. As a result, young scientists and researchers interested in this field often have no choice but to turn to regional Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) and other institutes for extracurricular support.
Through extensive research, we discovered that Heidelberg is home to a network of these support systems aimed at improving the translational landscape. However, during an interview with Dr. Raoul Haschke, Head of the Heidelberg Tech Transfer Office, it became clear that the innovation landscape remains fragmented and complicated to navigate. While most stakeholders are covered, it's often difficult for young scientists to understand who to approach for specific needs, whether it's for IP and patent support, regulatory advice, access to startup funds and mentors, or finding lab and office space.
Another key issue remains the visibility of key support programs. Despite many of our team members being in Heidelberg for a long time with a keen interest in entrepreneurship, we had never heard of most of these institutions. Dr. Haschke shared a similar perspective from the viewpoint of workshop hosts, noting a significant challenge in reaching young scientists and students, which has resulted in poor attendance at many events.
Our Contribution to the Local Innovation Ecosystem: A Student-Led Regional Roadmap to Scientific Translation
To solve these challenges, we created the Roadmap to Scientific Translation & Communication. This guide provides a clear and direct path through Heidelberg's fragmented innovation landscape. Our roadmap tackles the visibility issue head-on by consolidating a curated list of accelerator programs, workshops, grants, and networking events into a single, accessible resource. By providing detailed profiles of support organizations and featuring interviews with successful regional entrepreneurs, it equips students and young scientists with the concrete tools and role models needed to build a supportive network, learn about entrepreneurship early in their academic journey, and turn their innovative ideas into real-world applications.
Why our Regional Guide Matters: The Power of your Network
As Dr. Ann-Kristin Müller, Site Director Biolabs Heidelberg, said: “The most important thing is your network.”
Dr. Andreas Schmidt, Leading Springboard Health Ventures Fund, aptly stated: “There has never been a successful founder who had no contact with another successful founder.”
This principle underscores the importance of connection and community in driving translation. By providing students with the right tools, resources, and connections, we hope to contribute to a more visible, accessible, and interconnected innovation ecosystem in Heidelberg.
Content of Regional Guide
Our roadmap is structured to provide a comprehensive guide to scientific translation. It begins with:
- An Overview of the Five Pillars: The guide begins by establishing the context for translation, educating readers on the five main barriers identified during our panel discussion: a risk-averse Cultural Barrier, the “valley of death” Funding Gap, a Lack of Collaboration between Industry and Academia, a systemic Training Deficit, and the need for proactive Social Dialog. This section grounds the guide in the real-world challenges innovators face, supported by expert commentary from our panelists.
- Stakeholder Overview Table The core of our roadmap is a navigational chart designed to help innovators find the right resources at the right time. This table is organized as a matrix, mapping the user’s Stage of Development (from “Interested in Entrepreneurship” to “Mid-Phase Startup”) against the Type of Support needed (such as Funding, Mentoring, Education, or Lab Space). This allows for quick identification of the most relevant programs and contacts.
- Detailed Stakeholder Information: Following the overview, the guide provides in-depth profiles for each key stakeholder and their programs. Each profile includes crucial details such as the program’s offerings, its target audience (“Who is it for”), the ideal stage of application (“At what stage”), and direct contact information. This section also features insightful interviews with successful entrepreneurs and case studies of local startups, presenting inspiring role models and tangible examples of the translational journey. These profiles were created in direct exchange with the stakeholders
- Inspiring Role Models and Expert Interviews: To provide firsthand experience and inspiration, the roadmap features in-depth interviews with key figures from the innovation ecosystem. We showcase a diverse range of perspectives, including those from a serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist (Dr. Andreas Schmidt), a European project coordinator (Dr. Carmen Sanges), and the heads of local accelerators, incubators and companies (Dr. Bodo Brückner, Dr. Ann-Kristin Müller). These experts offer concrete advice on critical topics such as the power of networking, the importance of early engagement with the ecosystem, and the opportunities awaiting in European Collaborative Projects. Their personal stories and actionable insights serve as both a practical blueprint and a source of motivation for the next generation of innovators.
Through this structured approach, we aim to clarify the translational ecosystem for young scientists, raise awareness of available programs, and present inspiring role models.
Dr. Carmen Sanges: "What [Team Heidelberg] are building today can be the seed of something much larger tomorrow and Europe needs exactly this kind of energy, creativity, and vision to move forward."
Find our whole Regional Guide to Translation by clicking here:
Future Outlook
To strengthen connections between young scientists and the key partners from our roadmap, we are planning
to organizing a dedicated networking event after the Jamboree and we are happy that many
stakeholders have already confirmed their interest and have offered their venues as a backdrop to the
event.
At the start of the new semester, we will launch our Regional Translational Guide,
distributing it through all departmental student councils and across our social
media channels to reach an
even wider audience.
Excitingly, new partners such as H3 Health Hub (Helmholtz) and BioMed
X
have expressed strong interest in joining the roadmap, a clear sign that our network and
impact are
continuing to grow.
Encouraged by this growing interest, we are already planning a second edition of our Regional
Guide to feature even more stakeholders and showcase the full strength of our regional
innovation ecosystem.
Social Dialog
- We educated through entertainment with a science pub quiz
- We engaged with the public with a hands-on workshop in Heidelberg's Old Town
- We showcased our project to the local community at the Heidelberg Idea Competition
Click on the stakeholders that contributed to this event!
During our various interviews on translation, one aspect repeatedly came up as being overlooked by scientists in research and development.
Dr. Jens Foell, a scientist and bestselling author, perfectly sums this up: “Even the best treatment is entirely useless if the public is reluctant to accept it, or outright refuses it. Possible reasons for this include a lack of understanding of the benefits of the new treatment, or a lack of trust in the treatment itself or the institutions that develop or recommend it.”
This is why we took it upon ourselves to initiate a social dialog, aiming to explain key innovations in biotech and synthetic biology to an audience as broad as possible. We made sure to present these complex topics in simple terms while addressing potential concerns along the way.
Science Pub Quiz
Our first approach to create a both entertaining and educational event, suited for a more general audience, was hosting a Science Pub Quiz with educational questions covering diverse science-related topics. The event quickly gained traction, with spots filling up instantly and the venue reaching capacity. The questions spanned from random scientific facts from different fields to non-subject-specific categories like “Women in STEM who were overlooked”, highlighting unsung pioneers and synthetic biology, directly tying into our iGEM project. This allowed us to touch on a wide range of themes in a short amount of time, sparking discussions among teams and making the quiz both informative and engaging. To ensure accessibility for people from outside the natural science bubble, we provided clear, easy-to-understand explanations for complex questions. After each round, we took the time to explain the answers in detail and define key terms, ensuring everyone could follow along and grasp the core concepts. Overall the event received excellent feedback, particularly from international students who appreciated the event being conducted in English, as such opportunities are limited in Heidelberg. While the event aimed to reach the general public, we noticed the audience primarily consisted of natural science students. This made us realize the importance for additional efforts to engage an even broader range of people outside the science bubble.
Click on the images to enlarge them!
Workshop Booth in Heidelberg's Old Town
We decided, the best way to reach a wide variety of people was to take synthetic biology to the streets. We set up a booth in Heidelberg's old town offering pedestrians to participate in a short workshop on synthetic biology and genetic engineering. We built the workshop around a familiar game, Two Truths and a Lie. Visitors chose from themed categories covering innovations in synthetic biology in fields of nutrition, environment, medicine and more. They were given three statements, two of which were true, but the third was made up. The participants guessed which statement was the wrong one, sparking discussions about methods of genetic engineering, vaccinations, ethics and biosafety. We also prepared posters, explaining basics in biology and biotechnology and explained our project to those who were interested.
Click on the images to enlarge them!
An example of a particularly hotly debated topic was whether mRNA vaccines can integrate into the genome. People of all ages were convinced that this was possible, with many even claiming to have read something about it, a dangerous misconception, often fueled by misinformation. When we showed images illustrating the separation of the mRNA vaccine and the host’s DNA, the participants were visibly convinced and relieved. Surprised, we noticed that even a topic as prominent as COVID vaccines was seemingly not communicated clearly enough to the public. This motivated us to talk to as many people as possible.
To measure our impact, we asked participants to mark their interest and self-assessed knowledge on a graph before and after the game. After analyzing the results, we found that interest increased by 20% and self-assessed knowledge grew by 56.3%. This shows that, with the right approach, the general public is interested in and willing to engage with science.
Figure 1: Analysis of the self-evaluation for the old town booth. (A) Scatter plot of knowledge and interest with points depicting the self-evaluation of a visitor before (orange) and after (purple) the visit. (B) Violin plot depicting the distribution of knowledge and interest in synthetic biology of people before and after visiting our booth. The point coordinates were extracted from the original graph using image analysis. Significance (p < 0.01) was calculated using the Welch’s unpaired t-test.
Our Learning Materials: 2 Truths & a Lie
hei_INNOVATION Ideas Competition 2025
To showcase our project from an industrial perspective, we participated in the hei_INNOVATION Ideas Competition, organized by Heidelberg University’s transfer agency. The competition attracted local Industry experts, startup founders, politicians, stakeholders, and students, with over 100 teams competing across three categories: health, sustainability, and society. Preparing for the pitch, the main challenge was to simplify our highly scientific project for an audience with little to no advanced scientific knowledge. This pushed us to think creatively about breaking down complex science as well as future applications. We received professional feedback on our pitch writing and presentation, which helped us refine our message. The experience culminated in us pitching our project to a large audience and discussing it further at a poster session with fellow competitors and guests. Moreover, we produced a one-minute project video to give a first impression and spark curiosity. We are incredibly proud to have shared first place in the Health and Future Technologies category and to have won the Audience Prize with a compelling pitch. This success not only validated our work but also demonstrated the importance of translating scientific projects into formats that resonate with a broader audience.
Some impressions of the event
Watch our Ideas Competition Promotion Video here!
Industry x Academia
- We ignited a collaboration between Academia and Industry
- We collaborated with Propharma on a clinical development workshop
Click on the stakeholders that contributed to this event!
Getting a scientific discovery from the lab to a patient is a huge challenge, a reason being the structural disconnect that often exists between academic research and the commercial Industry. No single group can do it all; it truly takes strategic teamwork to succeed. That’s why experts like Dr. Paula van Hennik advocate for creating “innovation hubs”. She points to successful examples where simply “getting big companies also being close to the universities […] just putting people together in a small area makes things work.” When that synergy happens, researchers can factor in market needs and regulatory hurdles from the very beginning, giving their innovative ideas a much better chance of actually reaching the people who need them.
Workshop on taking ATMPs to the Bedside
We wanted to build that kind of bridge ourselves, which is why we connected the University of Heidelberg with ProPharma to explore collaboration. This quickly led to a workshop, “Taking ATMPs to the bedside”, developed with invaluable guidance from Dr. van Hennik and crucial support from Gina Quati, ProPharma’s Director of Business Development. The workshop laid out a complete roadmap for developing Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), from initial concept to clinical trials and final approval. Having this direct Industry expertise was instrumental in aligning our project with the practical, regulatory, and commercial steps needed for success. Specifically, while keeping the modularity of our PHOENICS project as a major strength, it pushed us to focus on a very specific application and produce a detailed project application page.
Case Study for Successful Industry-Academia Collaboration
This collaborative model isn’t just a theory, you can see it working in practice at leading European innovation hubs. Much like similar initiatives in the UK and Amsterdam, the Leiden Bioscience Park is a prime example: Industry partners like ProPharma are directly involved in entrepreneurship programs, teaching researchers the principles of drug and device development within the complex regulatory landscape. According to Dr. Paula van Hennik from ProPharma, the success of these collaborations hinges on several key factors, especially for early-stage researchers. She stressed the importance of defining the end-goal early by creating a target product profile (TPP) and exploring patent opportunities from the very beginning. She explained that the best partnerships leverage the unique strengths of both worlds using Industry’s robust quality systems for data collection, for instance, while keeping Academia’s deep technical knowledge at the center of the project. Above all, she advised that researchers must be open to external advice and work to align their innovation with real market needs. This approach not only increases the chances of success but also ensures that the valuable knowledge gained is retained within the team to build long-term value.
Here in Heidelberg, programs like the Health + Life Science Alliance Industry Program and BioRN’s Pharma Expert Office Hour put these principles into action by directly linking research teams with Industry experts to accelerate translation. For a clear overview of these and many more support options, see the Regional Guide to Translation, an overview of Heidelberg’s innovation ecosystem.
Subgoal 2: Where Tomorrow’s Scientists Begin
"Today’s children are tomorrow’s biotech innovators." - Prof. Dr. Eva Winkler, Director NCT Heidelberg
This is why we have made it our mission to spark students’ interest in synthetic biology and introduce them to its possibilities. We offer a variety of formats, ranging from intensive weekend laboratory courses to interactive, self-paced online platforms, to reach as many learners as possible, regardless of time, financial resources or lab-space constraints.
Summer School
Learning Platform
Friday Lectures
School Workshop
Summer School
- We provided an accessible first hands-on laboratory experience for High-School students.
- We contributed to the upbringing of the next generation of scientists
- We continued to expand a long-term collaboration with the German Cancer Research Association
Our Summer School offers ambitious students a unique opportunity to develop their talents and gain knowledge and experience beyond the standard STEM curriculum. This initiative was part of a collaboration with the Heidelberg Life Science Lab, an institution of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ, Heidelberg).
We organized and supervised two three-day courses, where students conducted experiments applying methods used in our iGEM project. They gained hands-on experience with the full experimental workflow, from transfecting mammalian cells to immunocytochemistry and fluorescence microscopy. Accompanying seminars provided foundational knowledge in molecular biology and the theoretical background of the experiments.
The course was exceptionally well received, with all spots filling up instantly. Several students even traveled over an hour by train to attend, underscoring their enthusiasm to gain authentic lab experience. The students actively engaged in the seminars, asking insightful and thought-provoking questions about the experiments and their underlying biology, demonstrating their confidence and curiosity.
Through this initiative, we were able to inspire motivated students with practical laboratory experiences, contributing to the upbringing of the next generation of leading scientists. The Summer School also allowed us to continue the long-term collaboration with the Life Science Lab, initiated by last year’s iGEM team. This partnership, already planned for continuation next year, is designed to be a sustainable initiative, with future teams building upon it year after year to provide accessible, hands-on scientific education.
Day 1
Transfection
The students transfected HEK293 cells with two plasmids via the calcium phosphate precipitation method, one carrying a H2B.GFP-gene and the other a FLAG-tagged membrane protein. In the theoretical part important features of plasmids, the invaluable benefit of introducing foreign DNA into cells and different types of transfection methods were addressed.
Day 2
GFP imaging
The students learned about the theory behind microscopy and the basics of fluorescence with a special focus on GFP. With the theory in mind, the students returned to the lab to obtain their first experimental results by fluorescence microscopy imaging. Due to nuclear counterstaining it was possible to accurately calculate the transfection efficiency of the H2B.GFP-carrying plasmid using Fiji (ImageJ) software.
Day 3
Immunocytochemistry (ICC)
Using ICC, the students identified cells that expressed the FLAG-tagged membrane protein encoded on the second plasmid. Following a theoretical explanation of the principles underlying ICC, they conducted a full ICC experiment themselves. As on Day 2, we investigated the protein expression and localization via fluorescence microscopy to assess whether the ICC worked. A clear increase of the red fluorescence signal was visible around the cell membrane. Through image analysis with Fiji (ImageJ), the students could now also compare the transfection efficiency of the two plasmids and discuss possible causes for differences.
Interactive Learning Platform
- We made practical scientific education more accessible
- Our platform is freely available for students and educators worldwide
- Our platform features lab protocols, interactive calculators, module quizzes and videos
- We created a sustainable initiative laying the groundwork for future teams
We firmly believe that when it comes to education, everyone should be granted the same chances. One way of making scientific education more accessible, is to offer digital learning options which can be used from home. For that reason, we went on to digitalize our summer school learning materials, expanded with modules explaining the experimental workflow of molecular cloning, laboratory techniques and background information. Our goal was to enable all students to independently learn more about molecular biology and laboratory work outside of the standard education curriculum and free of charge. It is also designed to work as a companion tool during the practical lab courses we based it upon.
Through a variety of formats such as lab protocols, interactive calculators and module quizzes, the platform is tailored to knowledge levels ranging from advanced high school students to bachelor's degree students.
Click on the images to enlarge them!
We acquired feedback from students from the Summer School and School workshops to test and refine the platform. As a result, we decided to implement our "Wetlab Series", instructional videos that demonstrate key molecular lab techniques and contribute to the variety of available content, making our platform more interactive and appealing.
A short impression of our Wetlab Series Video "Miniprep":
Watch the full "Miniprep" Video of our Wetlab Series here.
Or Check Out further Wetlab Series videos about Transformation or Sequencing.
The platform is not only a self-learning tool for students, but also finds its use for educators worldwide. We envision it to be a tool that complements practical lab-courses, and can be used by the students to check their thinking and calculations, as well as to read up on the theory behind each experiment. Further, we have received positive feedback from educators from local Highschools and the University of Heidelberg which also plan to incorporate parts of the learning platform in their lessons and practicals. We are confident that future iGEM Heidelberg Teams will integrate their projects into the platform as well. This will extend the variety of courses available to students and educators around the world. The platform is now openly available and ready to be used by iGEM teams, educators, and anyone looking to teach a lab course in a fun, engaging way.
Find our Interactive Learning Platform on its own Wiki page.
Feedback from Educators:
PhD Anna M. H. Hertle
Senior Staff Scientist, Institute of Neurobiology, Heidelberg University
“Your platform is really impressive! It explains the basic concepts of molecular cloning, cell culture, transfection, and fluorescence microscopy in a way that is easy to understand, visually appealing, and straightforward to follow. I could easily envision it being included in an E1 practical as an alternative or addendum to the script.”
Felix Schonert
Biology Teacher at Lichtenbergschule Gymnasium Darmstadt
Mr. Schonert was very enthusiastic about the content and clear structure of our Interactive Learning Platform. He sees great potential in using digital learning platforms as an additional teaching format in the classroom, as digitization will have a significant impact on the future of schools. In order to further discuss the possibilities of our platform, he would like to present it to his colleagues at the next biology department meeting and discuss how the content can be integrated into lessons. In addition, he plans to integrate the platform directly in his own lessons to test its effectiveness in everyday school life.
Friday Lecture Series
- We explained complex scientific topics and cutting-edge research in a High-School-student-friendly way
- We set the stage for meaningful dialog between current and future generations of scientists
- We inspired High School students for the life sciences
We connect extraordinary students with local scientists to provide them with insights into cutting-edge research and create opportunities for meaningful dialog between current and future generations of scientific leaders. As a further project within the framework of our collaboration with the Life Science lab of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), we organized a lecture series featuring researchers from diverse scientific fields who presented their work in a student-friendly way. The series gives curious high school students a chance to deepen their understanding of complex scientific questions, along with the solutions and limitations behind them. Following the lecture, the pupils had the exceptional opportunity to engage directly with leading scientists by discussing and asking questions.
The series was a continuation of last year's iGEM Heidelberg Teams initiative, and the response was remarkable. Several students traveled long distances by train to attend, highlighting the exceptional opportunity for students to directly engage with and learn from researchers. Building on this, we have already organized the series for next year to continue providing access to inspirational talks about STEM.
Systems biology and systems medicine — When mathematics meets life sciences
Dr. Dr. Stefan Kallenberger
Group Leader, Systems Medicine
- ODE modeling in systems biology predict cellular behavior
- Data-built, validated models optimize cancer therapy
- Math and experiments facilitate personalized medicine
Why did I confirm to give a lecture in the Friday Lecture Series?
"The Heidelberg Friday Lectures spark curiosity, ignite passion for discovery, and inspire high school students to explore the endless possibilities of natural sciences and research."
Childhood Brain Tumors: Tailored Therapies in Focus
Dr. Julia Sundheimer
Postdoctoral Researcher, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
- High burden, high recurrence in pediatric brain tumors (e.g., ependymoma).
- Biomarker-guided preclinical work aims at personalized therapies.
- Reverse translation (clinic → lab) improves early detection and targeting.
Why did I confirm to give a lecture in the Friday Lecture Series?
“I accepted the invitation because I want to raise more awareness about pediatric brain tumors. Sharing our research in this setting is an opportunity to make this important topic more accessible and to spark interest among a broader audience.”
Why is it important to reach high school students?
“I believe it is valuable to give high school students deeper insights into research at an early stage. When I was in school, I wished I had more exposure to science and research opportunities. Inspiring students early can help them to see what is possible and may encourage them to pursue careers in science and medicine.”
Lipid Nanoparticles in the Fast Lane: Far More Than Just COVID-19 Vaccines!
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Philipp Uhl
Group Leader, Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Heidelberg
- Lipid-Nanoparticles deliver therapeutics from mRNA vaccines to chemotherapy
- Specialized lipids enable oral peptides
- Liposomal antibiotics can counter resistance (e.g., modified vancomycin)
Why did I confirm to give a lecture in the Friday Lecture Series?
“As a scientist, it is a pleasure for me to talk about my research and explain it to a greater audience.”
Why is it important to reach high school students?
“We need intrinsically motivated young people in science. The earlier they get excited the better.”
Even Malaria Parasites Have Sex
Dr. Franziska Hentzschel
Centre for Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Heidelberg University Hospital
- Male plasmodium gametocytes rapidly generate eight genomes without normal division
- ARPC1 knockout preserves blood-stage growth but blocks mosquito-stage development due to faulty DNA segregation (Arp2/3-like role)
- Targeting ARPC1 or related Arp2/3-like machinery could stop transmission at its source
Why did I confirm to give a lecture in the Friday Lecture Series?
"I believe science should be shared with the general public, and I thoroughly enjoy talking about work with others. Thus, I was delighted to be invited to the iGEM Friday Lecture Series."
Why is it important to reach high school students?
“Giving high-school students a real impression of what we actually do as scientists is a great opportunity to not only teach them how science works, but more importantly to share with them the fascination and passion for science, hopefully opening up a new perspective for their own future.”
How Research on Rare Cancers Can Open New Therapeutic Pathways
Prof. Dr. Claudia Scholl
Applied Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
- Rare/ultra-rare cancers (~22% in Europe) need better diagnosis; MASTER multi-omics plus functional models guide target discovery
- Newly characterized rhabdomyosarcoma subtype with FUS::TFCP2 or EWSR1::TFCP2 fusions, aggressive in head/neck bones
- CDKN2A deletions and ALK alterations (truncated ALK) drive growth, pointing to druggable targets
Why did I confirm to give a lecture in the Friday Lecture Series?
"I accepted the invitation to speak in the Friday Lecture Series because I think it’s so important to share the excitement of science with the next generation. Talking about how cancer develops and what we’re researching in the lab is a great way to show how basic biology connects to real-world challenges, and hopefully inspire a few future cancer researchers or physician-scientists along the way. I also want young women to see that they can succeed in research and turn whatever they’re passionate about into a career."
How to iGEM - Insights from Team Heidelberg 2025
Lara & Lóa
iGEM Team Heidelberg 2025
- iGEM: overview of one-year, interdisciplinary teamwork
- Ideas from literature/experts, developed via experiments, modeling, and outreach
- PHOENICS goal is to balance activation and inhibition for safer, versatile cell therapies
Why did we confirm to give a lecture in the Friday Lecture Series?
"We saw this as a chance to inspire the next generation of scientists, and to normalize that it’s completely okay to feel overwhelmed. By sharing our own experiences of starting our studies and designing our first projects, we wanted to show that students, too, can lead exciting, novel research and that role models don’t have to be far away."
Why is it important to reach high school students?
“We think it’s essential to give high-school students a clear view of their options when choosing a field of study. Our goal is to spark curiosity and show just how compelling synthetic biology and biotechnology can be.”
High School Workshops
- We guided High School students in applying synthetic biology concepts to design solutions for real-world problems
- Our workshop revolved around designing your own synthetic cell
- We gave students an inside look at what it’s like to study life sciences at university
Emerging methods in synthetic biology and genetic engineering are unlocking new possibilities, enabling the creation of functions that do not exist in nature. By designing synthetic signaling pathways, we are pushing the boundaries of what cells and organisms can do, granting them properties from other species or even entirely new abilities. This concept formed the foundation of our School Workshops, where we brought interactive sessions on synthetic biology to high school classrooms.
We introduced students to protein signaling pathways by breaking them down into three core layers which our project is based on: receptors, intracellular signaling, and effector functions. Further, we explained that living systems can be redesigned to tackle some of the world's most pressing challenges. We covered various types of circuits and feedback loops, demonstrating how these elements can be combined to address real-world problems.
Our educational approach included a mix of presentations, a Kahoot quiz, and creative tasks to ensure active engagement. To apply what they had learned, the students worked in groups and designed their own synthetic cells capable of solving specific problems using positive and negative inputs, biosensors, logic gates and other synthetically exploited mechanisms.
Each group presented their designed cell, sparking lively discussions that expanded into broader synthetic biology topics. We concluded the workshop by presenting our own synthetic cell and its components.
Overall, the unconventional teaching format of university students teaching high-school students was very well received by the classes, raising interest about possible future fields of studies. Through our workshops, the students gained an insight of how to come up with innovative solutions to tackle scientific questions. Moreover, the success of the workshop led teachers to propose a long-term collaboration between iGEM Heidelberg and Bunsen-Gymnasium Heidelberg, further strengthening the connection between students and young scientists. After the Workshop we engaged in an extensive Q&A session where we answered all sorts of questions about what it is like to study science at a university, and what our future careers could look like.
Feedback from Educator:
Felix Schonert
Biology Teacher at Lichtenbergschule Gymnasium Darmstadt
The students were well prepared in terms of subject knowledge to then design their own synthetic cells in a solution-oriented manner. The iGEM members were very knowledgeable and skillfully answered the class's technical questions. The groups also received advisory support, which enabled them to achieve good results despite the complexity of the topic.
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Our motto throughout this journey has been simple: Educate others and Inspire to Act. And that's what we'll keep doing, because the future of translation starts with young scientists daring to learn, to question, and to build. It starts with you.
— iGEM Heidelberg 2025