University of Freiburg & University of Freiburg Hospital

The University of Freiburg, founded in 1457, is one of the leading German research universities with a long tradition of teaching and research in humanities and the natural and social sciences. A member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), comprising the 21 strongest European research universities, the University of Freiburg consists of 11 faculties, including Germany’s third largest University Medical Center.

The Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK) in the Faculty of Engineering, founded in 1995, is firmly established as one of the internationally leading academic research institutes in the area of microsystems and MEMS. With 24 professors, over 370 research, teaching, and technical staff, and 650 microsystems engineering students, the research activities of IMTEK span virtually the entire highly interdisciplinary microsystems field. With 22,000 university students from over 120 countries in a city with five Fraunhofer and two Max Planck Institutes, Freiburg is one of the most attractive and dynamic academic environments in Germany.

The Microsystems for Biomedical Imaging Group, established in 2021, specialises in the design of innovative micro-transducers for the manipulation of light in novel ways, and the development of breakthrough biomedical imaging systems enabled by these transducer concepts. In addition to standard micromachining tools, the team is particularly focused on adapting emerging additive and subtractive manufacturing methods to microsystems technology to achieve complete design freedom and systems with unprecedented functionality. The current research programme of the group covers the following broad themes:

1. Multimodal endomicroscopy with integrated microactuators for in situ histopathology,
2. Optofluidic adaptive optics for integrated aberration correction in biomedical imaging and life science microscopy systems,
3. Rapid prototyping of free-form optics at micro and macro scales;
4. Optical data transfer in clinical MRI devices.

Within PROSCOPE, the ALU team has been mainly responsible for the development of miniaturized scanning engines; design and manufacturing of free-form micro-optics; development of novel assembly and encapsulation techniques for the probe heads, and integration, testing and calibration of the probe heads. It will also take part in the optical design of the OCT/WMRS and TPLSM probes, manufacturing and testing of micro-optical components, and the design and assembly of flexible endoscopic probes.

UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF FREIBURG

The University Hospital of Freiburg is affiliated with the Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg. It is one of largest tertiary care hospitals in Germany. Per year, about 70 000 patients are treated on an inpatient basis and another 800.000 are seen in the outpatient facilities.

Within the University Hospital, the Department of Medicine II is specialized on diseases of the gastrointestinal tract including malignant tumors such as colorectal cancer.

The diagnostic and interventional endoscopy unit is part of the Department of Medicine II. Per year, about 12.000 endoscopic procedures are performed. Procedures are delivered by highly experienced endoscopists and the unit is equipped with the newest generation of endoscopes and instruments. The whole spectrum of endoscopic examinations and procedures is performed with a focus on diagnosis and resection premalignant and malignant neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract.

The main scientific focus of the endoscopy unit is clinical evaluation of novel endoscopic techniques and devices. Clinical mono- and multicenter studies are regularly designed, coordinated and conducted in close collaboration with industry and clinical partners. One main project during the last years was development and clinical evaluation of an endoscopic full-thickness resection device for colorectal neoplasms.

Role in project: Clinical and preclinical evaluation

Contact

Dr. Çağlar Ataman is an Asst. Professor at the Department of Microsystems Engineering and the main contact person at the University of Freiburg. He is responsible for the supervision of the scientific tasks and dissemination activities at ALU, as well as the coordination of WP5: Probe heads and flexible arms WP5: Probe heads and flexible arms.