Research and Development Unit at DIGIZ

The diagnostic and therapeutic research and development unit of the Digital Innovation Center (DIGIZ) at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg creates the conditions necessary to further develop new technologies specifically for medical care. The focus is on combining clinical expertise, scientific research, and industrial development, as well as translating technological innovations into practical applications.

Through close collaboration between the Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Siemens Healthineers, startups, and other partners, a research environment is created in which new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures can be developed, tested, and scientifically evaluated in an interdisciplinary manner. The direct link to clinical care makes it possible to incorporate medical questions into research and development processes at an early stage and to further develop new approaches under real-world clinical conditions.

From Technological Innovation to Clinical Application

A key mission of the research and development unit is to bridge the gap between technological development and medical application. To this end, scientific findings, modern medical technology, and clinical experience are systematically integrated. New technologies should not be developed in isolation but should be considered from the outset in terms of their concrete benefits for diagnostics, therapy, and patient care.

In doing so, DIGIZ pursues an approach that brings together various disciplines and stakeholders in the healthcare sector. The physical proximity of clinical care, research, and industry fosters direct exchange and lays the foundation for joint development projects. This allows innovative procedures to be further developed in a targeted manner and their requirements for use in medical practice to be investigated.

Research Focus Areas

Research and development activities focus on digital technologies and innovative medical technologies that open up new possibilities for more precise diagnostics and personalized therapy. The planned areas of focus include:

• Artificial Intelligence and Precision Medicine: Development and application of data-driven analytical methods to better evaluate medical information and support diagnostic and therapeutic decisions.
• Advanced Imaging: Further development of innovative imaging techniques, including low-field magnetic resonance imaging, hyperpolarization imaging, and photon-counting computed tomography.
• Precision radiation therapy: Research into approaches that enable more precise planning and adjustment of radiation therapies while sparing healthy tissue as much as possible.
• Digital health data and the digital twin: Integrating and modeling various types of medical data to better understand complex relationships and develop new approaches for early detection, prevention, and treatment optimization.

These research areas are closely interlinked. Their potential is realized most effectively when modern imaging, clinical data, and intelligent analytical methods are considered together.

The Digital Twin as a Cross-Disciplinary Research Approach

A key focus of DIGIZ’s development efforts is the integration and linking of various types of health data to create a digital twin. To this end, radiological image data, laboratory test results, biomarkers, and other clinical information will be consolidated into multimodal data models.

Through the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, this data will be leveraged to provide a more nuanced representation of individual health statuses and to gain new insights for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. In the long term, such models can help identify disease risks earlier and tailor treatment decisions more closely to patients’ individual circumstances.

Develop Together, Bring Products to Market Faster

The research and development unit is designed to serve as an interface between university medicine, science, and industry. In addition to joint research projects, it provides an infrastructure where new technologies and procedures can be further developed and their applicability in clinical practice can be investigated.

At the same time, DIGIZ creates opportunities for collaboration with startups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and other medical technology and technology partners. In this way, the research and development unit combines scientific progress with the prospect of commercial application and helps to sustainably strengthen Freiburg as a hub for innovation and healthcare.

The goal: Technological innovations should not stop at the research stage but should find their way into medical care—for the benefit of patients and as a catalyst for the further development of digital medicine.