Biotechnology and Medical Engineering
Biotechnology and medical engineering are two core areas of life sciences. They are concerned with how theoretical knowledge from biology, chemistry, physics, engineering sciences or human medicine can be translated into practice. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the land of health, offers not only the ideal conditions with short paths between researchers and users but also close interlocking relations between the health industry, health tourism and life sciences and outstanding opportunities for the development of innovative companies in the field of biotechnology and medical engineering. The state supports commitment: Between 1991 and 2004 one fifth of financial support from the fund Technologie- und Innovationsförderung (TIF) went to these branches.
In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern more than 85 companies are working in the life sciences sector today. Since the beginning of the German wide BioRegio-Initiative in 1996 the number of people employed in this future oriented branch has more than tripled. Along with them come numerous employees from universities and research institutes, who with their research and development work create the basis for an innovative location with high growth potential. At the universities here about 10,000 students are presently studying Life Sciences subjects.
BioCon Valley Mecklenburg-Vorpommern functions as an inter-branch network in the field of life sciences and health industry. This initiative was founded in 2001. Universities, research institutes and companies belong to its partners. BioCon Valley promotes research and the economic utilisation of research results in the field of life sciences. Furthermore, BioCon Valley is a co-initiator of the international network ScanBalt, which bundles the biotechnological initiatives in the whole Baltic region.
For some time already biotechnology and medical engineering in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have attracted supra-regional and international interest. The artificial liver or biocompatible surfaces for implants are, for example, among the top-quality products of our state.