Münster is known as the cultural heart of North-Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous and dynamic region of Germany. However, Münster is also a considerable investment target in its own right and has in particular built up an impressive body of expertise in nanotechnology.
The position of Münster is especially strong in medical research, medical technology and pharmaceuticals. It is home to one of the three prime European centres for excellence in the nanotechnology sector. The field involves the manipulation of matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Nanotechnology is applied to semi-conductors, surfaces, materials and medicine.
In recent years, great leaps have also taken place in nanobiotechnology, as a logical step up from nanoanalysis and life science research. Münster is currently Europe's number one location for nanobioanalysis.
Nanobiotechnology
Nanobiotechnology is one of the most challenging fields of research and development today. It involves research from all scientific and engineering disciplines and depends also on input from clinical experts. A successful nanotechnology cluster, therefore, needs to be able to draw from a large pool of expertise. The Münster cluster enables partners in distinct fields, such as photonics, electronics, chemistry, physics, biology and medicine to effectively share information.
The term nanobiotechnology generally refers to research on how nanotechnology can be used to create devices to study biological systems. Researchers are in particular seeking to develop technology that might one day create particles that can be introduced into the human body, to track down metabolites associated with tumours and other health problems. To date, physicists have developed new methods that allow the analysis and even partial modification of biological molecules at atomic level. As a result, there is now a much better understanding among researchers of the structures and functions of biological molecules.
Institutions of excellence
Among the successful life science companies in Münster are Wyeth Pharma, Olympus Soft Imaging Solutions and ION-TOF GmbH. As a testimony to the success of the local university research programmes, small innovative start-ups are frequently appearing from those quarters. Both the University of Münster and at the University of Applied Sciences in Münster are firmly established in biomedical and analytical research.
In addition, several interdisciplinary centres have been established to promote innovation in nano-bioanalysis, including the Centre for Nanotechnology (CeNTech), The National Centre for Nanoanalytics (Kompetenzzentrum Nanoanalytik), the German-Chinese Centre for Nanoscience, the Laser Centre of the University of Applied Science, the Interdisciplinary Centre of Electron Microscopy (ICEM), the Max-Planck Institute for Vascular Biology (MPI), the Centre for the Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE), and the Interdisciplinary Centre of Clinical Research (IZKF).
The university institutes, together with the CeNTech and the companies in Münster host a complete spectrum of state-of-the-art nanoanalytical equipment. With the other inter-disciplinary institutions, they form a vibrant research and commercial cluster.
For further information, please see our pages on the Business Development Agency Münster
