Interview with Christian Schmelzer

What were the highlights of 2023 for you in the "Biological and macromolecular materials" business unit?

Highlights include several industrial projects which we have successfully completed, aligned with our strategic focus. In this context, a robot-assisted test system that we put into operation last year is already bearing fruit. In addition, together with Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), we once again successfully hosted the Winter School of the European Society of Artificial Organs after a break of several years. The completion of various student projects was also very pleasing, particularly that of Nicole Michler, who recently completed her doctorate with distinction.

What expertise and unique selling points can you offer your customers?

In the medical, care, nutrition and environmental sectors, we offer our clients comprehensive support, particularly in the development or improvement of innovative products. Our focus is on the application of microstructural expertise for the characterization and development of future-oriented materials while ensuring the highest quality standards. We evaluate materials, research mechanisms of action, support the screening of new active ingredients and develop new, biofunctionally improved materials for the healthcare sector.

In your CV, you describe yourself as an "eternal student". What does that mean?

I mean my curiosity and continuous willingness to learn. My academic career, spanning from physics and computer science to the life sciences, reflects my wide-ranging interests. In addition, I not only strive for expertise in my field of research, but also love to think outside the box. Learning new things every day is essential for me, not only for my personal development, but also to keep up to date as a lecturer at MLU and to be able to teach my students relevant and innovative content.

What are you looking forward to in the new year and what will be a particular challenge in 2024?

The conditions in the area of publicly funded research are currently very challenging: there are significantly fewer calls for projects at federal level, for which a large number of institutions then apply. The announced cuts to the research budgets of the relevant ministries do not offer any hope of improvement for the time being. Projects funded by the European Regional Development Fund (EFRE) are also still not possible for us at present. This is particularly detrimental to our valuable collaboration with regional industrial partners. Nevertheless, we will certainly be able to achieve a lot again in 2024. I am particularly looking forward to expanding the analytical expertise in our business unit and helping to further develop the institute's strategy.