The German Research Foundation (DFG) has approved approximately €4.3 million in funding for the University of Lübeck’s proposal to develop a novel scanner for Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) in combination with computed tomography (CT) and hyperthermia.

The concept was developed jointly by the University of Lübeck, the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Lübeck, and the Fraunhofer IMTE, and was supported by numerous research groups from across Germany. In the international review process, the project received top scores and was assessed as particularly well suited to accelerating the next generation of MPI technology toward clinical application. For research in Lübeck, this funding marks a strong opening to the 2026 Science Year “Medicine of the Future”.

Magnetic Particle Imaging is a young, highly sensitive real-time imaging modality that visualizes magnetic nanoparticles in the body and is increasingly paving the way for new diagnostic and therapeutic concepts. The approved preclinical scanner in Lübeck goes far beyond existing systems: it combines MPI with CT to provide precise anatomical information and simultaneously integrates hyperthermia, i.e. the targeted heating of nanoparticles within tissue. This multimodal approach enables early and accurate visualization of vessels, inflammations, and tumors. At the same time, it opens up new therapeutic options, such as the controlled destruction of tumor cells or the localized release of drugs. MPI continuously monitors the distribution of the particles and, prospectively, also their temperature. In this interplay, new approaches to personalized oncology emerge, in which diagnosis and therapy are closely interlinked and further refined through AI-based analyses. This can increase therapeutic efficacy while minimizing side effects.

The proposal, coordinated by Professor Thorsten Buzug, convinced the DFG both in its scientific content and in the quality of its presentation. Buzug, Director of the Institute of Medical Engineering at the University of Lübeck and Managing Director of the Fraunhofer IMTE, is one of the co-founders of the MPI field and has played a decisive role in shaping its development from the very beginning. The review highlighted that Lübeck offers a unique combination of technical MPI expertise, long-standing experience in device development, and a broadly networked clinical environment. Many of the fundamental contributions to MPI technology originate from Lübeck, and the international review panel attested the site a globally leading role in this field. The strong involvement of numerous early-career researchers from different disciplines within the consortium was also rated very positively, as were the close collaborations with other institutions, including partners in Hamburg, Erlangen, Rostock, Greifswald, Bayreuth, and Karlsruhe.

“The approval of this novel MPI system is a milestone for the research location Lübeck,” emphasizes Thorsten Buzug. “For the first time, diagnostics, anatomical imaging, and hyperthermic therapy can be integrated into a single system here in Lübeck. This opens up the possibility to develop treatment strategies in which therapy effects can be observed and precisely controlled in real time. Our goal is to use this technology to pave the way for gentler, individually tailored therapies. This project is the result of an impressive team effort involving many clinics, institutes, and partners in Lübeck and beyond.”

The university leadership also views the funding as an important strategic impulse. Professor Dr. Helge Braun, President of the University of Lübeck, states: “The DFG’s decision impressively confirms Lübeck’s leading role in Magnetic Particle Imaging research. With this new system, we are strengthening our profile at the interface of technology and medicine and creating the foundations today for developing innovative therapies that will benefit patients in the long term. I congratulate Professor Buzug and the entire consortium on this outstanding success and thank everyone involved for their exceptional commitment.”

With the approval of this large-scale research instrument, Lübeck is setting the course for the next stage in the development of MPI technology: from preclinical research toward clinical application, with the aim of combining diagnostics and therapy and making personalized medicine a tangible reality.

Contact:

Scientifically Responsible Speaker:
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Thorsten M. Buzug
Director, Institute of Medical Engineering, University of Lübeck
Executive Director, Fraunhofer IMTE
Email: thorsten.buzug@uni-luebeck.de

Medical Co-Speaker:
PD Dr. med. Franz Wegner
Institute of Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Lübeck
Senior Consultant in Interventional Radiology, Group Leader Medical Engineering
Email: franz.wegner@uksh.de

Engineering Co-Speaker:
Dr.-Ing. Mandy Ahlborg
Fraunhofer Research Institution for Individualized and Cell-Based Medical Engineering, Lübeck
Deputy Head of the Diagnostics Business Unit
Email: mandy.ahlborg@imte.fraunhofer.de