Research funding

Research & development at EUROIMMUN is supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

A project aiming at the development of diagnostic rapid tests based on sensors is currently funded in our subsidiary in Dassow (Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania). Suitable sensor configurations that yield the required sensitivity, specificity, biocompatability and reproducibility are devised. The technical requirements for the production, biomodification and measuring mode of sensors are developed. Cell cultures for different diagnostic issues are established and applied to the sensor surfaces. Cellular processes are stimulated and the reactions with the sensors are measured. Further developments include a software for pattern recognition of signals that are detected during the binding and interaction of biomolecules. This enables analysis of complex biological interactions and reactions. The sensor system and the reader will form the basis of a variety of electronic rapid-test applications.

A research project with different medical research institutions in the German federal state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern focuses on the development of new test systems for diagnostics of endocrinological autoimmune diseases. These diseases are caused by chronic inflammatory reactions of the immune system against body-own structures, which affect hormones and their activities.
In order to enable detection of the disease-associated autoantibodies, sensitive and reliable test systems shall be developed, which can be automatically processed on random-access instruments, thus representing a fast and standardisable detection method. They should be applied for early detection and disease monitoring and provide information on beginning sequelae. The performance evaluation will be made with respect to currently established test methods.
The risk of particular diseases increases with the concentration, the number and the specificity of different autoantibodies. Autoantibody screening, which only becomes practicable by automation, allows early recognition of a disease and prevention of complications. Moreover, sensitive detection of autoantibodies could also provide information on the disease course.
In addition, alternatives to autoantibody diagnostics shall be explored. The detection of particular autoantigens in patient serum shall be established. The aim is to investigate whether the autoantigens might be more suitable for diagnostics and course monitoring than autoantibodies.