This was the first scientific event in the newly constructed, state-of-the-art Pioneer Campus building. BioEng24 brought together renowned experts from the bioengineering, biomedicine, and biomedical AI communities, reflecting the three research pillars of the Pioneer Campus. Part of the Helmholtz Association's ongoing efforts to foster innovation and knowledge translation, the conference convincingly blended cutting-edge research performed and presented by internationally leading scientists and entrepreneurs with particularly Bioengineering and Biomedical AI ambitions well underway at the Pioneer Campus and Helmholtz Munich.
The Bioengineering Conference 2024 featured a packed schedule of keynotes, plenary and short talks, as well as poster presentations while still providing sufficient time for individual and informal exchange. Researchers, scientists, funding professionals, and editors from around the globe gathered to exchange ideas, present their latest findings, and explore new opportunities for collaboration.
Building Bridges to Innovation
BioEng24 was more than just a platform for presenting research; it was a vital opportunity for creating a sense of a new community, one that leverages expertise across disciplines for breakthrough discoveries that inform and accelerate clinical translation. The conference thus highlighted interdisciplinarity and showcased how progress across multiple domains empowers the ‘engineering of new therapies and the future of medicine’.
The organizers gratefully acknowledge the notable international participation, with keynote speakers from institutions such as MIT, Stanford University, and EPFL, plenary talks from Hong Kong, Yale, and EMBL, and poster presentations from institutions like the Technical University of Denmark (DTU).
The winners of the conference poster recognitions are Bernardo Arus from NCCT Dresden for his work on non-invasive label-free biomedical imaging using shortwave infrared Raman scattering, Gizem Erol from HelmholtzMunich for her research on the role of membraneless organelles in stem cell differentiation, promising significant insights into spatial cell biology and potential therapeutic applications and Constantin Berger from the TU-München for his work in Biomedical AI, specifically for developing computational Bayesian approaches to solve inverse problems in vibrational spectroscopy for fast imaging and quantitative non-invasive biosensing.
Celebrating Excellence in Research
The Young Investigator Award went to Jei Diwakar for his PhD project on epigenome remodeling and co-factors in direct neuronal reprogramming. His work combines single-cell multiomics with profiling of 3D nuclear architecture and DNA methylation. Jei identified Yy1 as a critical co-factor for activating key neuronal genes. This award highlights the bright future for young scientists pushing the boundaries of innovation.
Looking Ahead
Following the well-received Bioeng22 Conference, the success of Bioeng24 has once more confirmed the importance of regular exchange within this dynamic and impactful field. The enthusiasm and mutual inspiration of all participants underscored the potential and pace in bioengineering and biomedical AI to push for novel biomedical solutions.
As we look to the future, the Helmholtz Pioneer Campus remains committed to supporting innovative science, particularly by identifying and fostering emerging talents in their respective fields, and nurturing an environment where their ideas turn into tangible outcomes. We are grateful to all attendees for an exciting event and greatly inspired to translate scientific bonds into new discoveries and applications that benefit society at large.
We are happy to share a few selected impressions from BioEng24, together with the formal launch of our new PioneerCampus image movie.
Please enjoy and feel free to provide feedback/get in touch!