BMBF supports development of nano-filter for blood purification methods

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) supports a joint research project of Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz (JGU) and the company Nano Science for Life GmbH and Co.KG for the development of nano-filters, which should allow for removal of harmful blood fats. The grant deed for the cooperation project in the amount of 420,000 Euros at Dr. Helge Braun, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Minister for Education and Research. The research budget will set new standards in the field of nano-filtration. The long term goal is to make such nanofiltration membranes for blood purification methods used. This will open up fundamentally new possibilities for the treatment of widespread diseases such as atherosclerosis or diabetes mellitus. Dr. Helge Braun says: "Nanotechnology is a key technology for innovation in Germany is of particular importance from currently around 950 companies with nanotechnology terms are 720 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are active as a driver of innovation, the BMBF therefore supports the... measure SME innovative nanotechnology (nano chance) these efforts. " Important but is also the responsible use of this technology: "The products must be safe," said the Parliamentary State Secretary Dr. Helge Braun.

"The Johannes Gutenberg University attaches great importance to close cooperation with companies and transfer of academic knowledge into practice. Especially in a field such as nanotechnology are very good opportunities, our research results to transfer to the application, as well as the cooperation shows, "said University Professor. Dr. Ulrich Forstermann, Vice President for Research at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz. The initiator of the project, Prof. Dr. Dietz connects to the hope of improving the disease status of a large number of patients. "If we succeed in establishing a blood purification method for disease-causing or disease-promoting blood components, which so far neither drug could still be influenced by medical and surgical procedures, we can prevent future, perhaps many diseases effective or even influence therapeutic."

The basic idea is a mixture of substances, as is present in the blood to separate the molecular level. While a separation of water-soluble blood components, for example by dialysis method already works, there is nothing like it for so-called hydrophobic, eg water-repellent components such as blood lipids. With the previously used membranes is a pure separation of hydrophobic molecules is not possible. Nanotechnology developments in the field of filtration technology allows the adjustable separation of individual molecules from mixtures. As part of the approved research project, scientists in the group of Univ.-Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Tremel working to develop alumina membranes with regular channel structures, the diameter of a few nanometers and the measures have approximately one-thousandth the thickness of a human hair. A selective separation of substances by such a filtration membrane is only through a coating of these channel structures are available and suitable molecules. The scientific work to be called by the Surface Nanoscience for Life GmbH & Co.KG using the approved project funds performed. According to Professor Tremblay is it possible to selectively functionalized nanoporous Metalloxidmembranen harmful molecules to separate also from the human blood.

The BMBF supports research and the transfer into practice in the next 2 years at 420,000 €. Specialist chemists Nano Science for Life GmbH will work in the laboratories of the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry in the development of surface functionalization.

The Nano Science for Life GmbH & Co.KG is a new research company that deals with the development of nanotechnology separation media. Research is focused on application-oriented nanofluidic separations. The company, based in Wiesbaden was up in 2010.

The chemistry at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz is one of the strong research areas and scored again in rankings top rankings. It will very good to excellent reviews of research quality and superior performance in the young talent go hand in hand. The "CHE Ranking of Excellent European Graduate Programmes in Natural Sciences has recently classified the Mainz chemists in the group of the 25 best European universities. In the various chemical programs of the University are currently studying about. 1500 students, far more than at the end of the 1990s had been expected, with 900 students. What makes the study of chemistry in Mainz is next to the unusually wide range of specialist construction chemicals with good working conditions.

The working group Tremel deals with the manufacture and testing of new solid materials. The interdisciplinary approach to research combines elements of chemistry, physics, biology and engineering to get an understanding of self-organization processes on different length scales. The underlying ideas are in the micro-and nano-technology to practical use.

Source: Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz