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The HeartGate project at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg wins the Science4Life Venture Cup with a novel procedure for implanting heart pumps without a heart-lung machine

If the heart fails, medication alone no longer helps and no donor organ is available for transplantation, the only option is often to use a heart pump. These devices can support the heart mechanically and ensure the blood supply to vital organs. However, implantation with a heart-lung machine has so far been a complex procedure. Researchers at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery (Medical Director: Prof. Dr. Martin Czerny) at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg have developed a new procedure that could make this operation much safer and gentler. The HeartGate system uses a special punch and a blood-tight sheath to insert the pump minimally invasively and without a heart-lung machine. With this idea, Dr. Florian Meißner and Manuela Schön won first place in the Science4Life Venture Cup 2025 in Wiesbaden, beating 93 competitors. The award ceremony took place in July. The prize money amounts to 25,000 euros.

"Especially in the case of serious diseases such as advanced heart failure, it is important to break new ground in order to offer patients the best possible care," says Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Bothe, Head of the working group and Managing Senior Physician at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery. "I am proud of this team achievement. The award confirms that HeartGate is not only medically relevant, but also socially and economically relevant," says Bothe.

Better care for people with heart failure

More than six million people worldwide are affected by severe heart failure. A heart pump or LVAD, short for Left Ventricular Assist Device, can then be life-saving. This is a small pump that transports blood from the left ventricle into the aorta and thus into the body's circulation. Until now, implantation has been associated with major risks, as it requires the opening of the chest and the use of a heart-lung machine.

This is where the HeartGate system comes in: The implantation set, consisting of a punch and a so-called sheath, enables the heart pump to be used without a heart-lung machine. While the punch can be used to create a hole in the heart wall through which the pump can be inserted, the sheath prevents blood from escaping. The procedure was developed by an interdisciplinary team of doctorsand engineersat the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery. The new system should not only reduce complications and thus increase safety, but also make the procedure possible for patients who were previously ineligible for surgery due to their state of health. At the same time, patients will benefit from shorter surgery times.

Competition for start-up ideas in the life sciences sector

The Science4Life Venture Cup is the most successful and renowned start-up competition in the life sciences sector in Germany. It is organized annually by the non-profit initiative Science4Life e.V. and supported by the Hessian state government and Sanofi. The competition is aimed at start-up teams and young companies from the fields of life sciences and chemistry.

Picture: Dr. Florian Meißner (2nd from left) and Manuela Schön (3rd from left) accept the prize for first place in the Science4Life Venture Cup 2025 in Wiesbaden from the Hessian Minister of Economics Kaweh Mansoori (1st from left) and Dr. Marion Zerlin (4th from left), Managing Director for Research and Development at Sanofi.

Image source: Science4Life/martinjoppen.de