Technology Transfer News

Promising method for diagnosing breast cancer: a research team from PSI, ETH Zurich, the Cantonal Hospital Baden and the University Hospital Zurich has further developed and improved the method for the early detection of breast cancer and promises hope for diagnostics.

Breast cancer is still the most common type of cancer in women today. In the course of her life, one in nine women is affected. In Switzerland alone, about 6000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. This means that this type of cancer accounts for about one third of all cancer diagnoses in women.

The mammography used up to now only provides two-dimensional images, which often leads to unclear or incorrect diagnoses. The improved procedure based on X-ray phase contrast should not only provide considerably more reliable results, but will also be less painful for patients. Tumours should now be detected earlier than before due to the three-dimensional representation of the images, which in turn means that appropriate therapy can be started earlier and valuable time can be gained.

The research team plans to start clinical trials by the end of 2024, as soon as the prototype of the necessary device is ready for use. A project duration of one to two years is planned for the test series that will then follow, until the development of a commercial device could begin.

More information can be found here:

ANAXAM, cross-ING and inspire AG cordially invite interested industry representatives to their information event on 29 June 2023 on the topic of "AM in the field of tension - what can added value cost?”

Successful AM solutions are characterized by the fact that they are understood and supported by the entire company. The additional benefits made possible by additive manufacturing - the "added value" - must be transported and communicated from the development department through marketing and sales to the customer.

From 15 to 16 June 2023, the Swiss NanoConvention will take place in Neuchâtel. The platform offers the opportunity to exchange, discuss and network with key players from science and industry.

PSI will be there - visit us at our joint stand with Park Innovaare, the innovation park next to PSI, and find out more about how we can support industry and SMEs with their technical challenges and innovation processes. In combination with the possibilities of state-of-the-art material analytics, we can help you to improve both your products and your manufacturing processes.

XRnanotech, one of our spin-off companies, will also be present at our booth.

The main topics of the conference include Nano for Medtec, Life Sciences, Optics, Quantum Computing and Imaging. The two-day programme will feature plenary lectures, thematic sessions, discussion platforms and ample opportunity for in-depth and informal networking. A poster session and an exhibition are also planned.

We are looking forward to meeting you at booth no 26 soon!

Detailed information on the event can be found at:

https://swissnanoconvention.ch/2023/

Change at the top of innovAARE AG, the operating company of Park Innovaare in Villigen: The Board of Directors has elected Mr. Robert Rudolph as the new CEO, who will take office at the beginning of April 2023. The retiring CEO Dr. Benno Rechsteiner is leaving Park Innovaare at his own request to take on a new challenge. Dr. Rechsteiner has been employed at innovAARE AG since June 2018 and has contributed significantly to important milestones for innovAARE AG: In summer 2019, an investor for the new construction of Park Innovaare was found in the form of CPV/CAP Pensionskasse Coop. In autumn of the same year, the groundbreaking ceremony for the building complex was celebrated. Under Dr. Rechsteiner's leadership, the development and expansion of the innovation campus followed, where numerous promising companies have already settled.

With Robert Rudolph, the management of the Innovaare park is getting a new and well-known face. Mr. Rudolph was previously employed as head of technology transfer at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and as a member of the executive board of the Swissmem industry association he was most recently responsible for the topics of digitalisation, innovation, research and start-ups. In this role, he became a expert on the Swiss innovation landscape and the needs of industry with regard to research and development.

Chairman of the Board of Directors Dr Christian Brönnimann expressed his thanks to Dr. Rechsteiner for his successful work in setting up the Park Innovaare generation project: "Thanks to Benno Rechsteiner's commitment in finding investors, the groundbreaking ceremony for the park was held and the first buildings were erected on a total area of 38,000 square metres. With Robert Rudolph at the helm, we now have a CEO with far reaching industrial contacts. We are convinced that Mr. Rudolph, with his background and network, brings the best prerequisites to lead the Park Innovaare into a successful future!"

The Dutch high-tech company VDL Enabling Technologies Group (VDL ETG) and its subsidiaries such as VDL ETG Switzerland AG are banking on closer cooperation with research institutions. On 9 February 2023 VDL signed a rental agreement with Park Innovaare, a business innovation hub next to the PSI campus in Villigen Switzerland. VDL ETG has already been working with PSI for many years, and this step now makes it an official member of Park Innovaare’s innovation ecosystem.

The technology transfer centre Swiss PIC was founded at the beginning of January 2023. Swiss PIC will be located in the Park Innovaare, in the immediate vicinity of PSI, one of its founding partners alongside other industry and research stakeholders. The new centre aims to facilitate innovation in packaging and integration of optical systems and to make these accessible to industry.

This year's KMU Swiss Symposium will take place in Baden, Kt. Aargau, on 23 March - we are pleased to be physically present again this year!

The KMU Swiss Symposium offers a platform for exchange and inspiration - this is made possible by exciting presentations, various booths with innovative projects and networking.

Listen to exciting presentations on the topic of "The power of trust - manipulation versus trust" by, among others, Swiss Army Chief Thomas Süssli; or Ivano Somaini, Security Analyst at Compass Security Schweiz AG.

PSI will be there - visit us at our joint booth with the Hightech Zentrum Aargau and find out more about how we can support industry and SMEs with their technical challenges and innovation processes.