Black Forest Nanopore Meeting 2023
Freiburg, Germany - November 23, 2023 - The Black Forest Nanopore Meeting (BFNM) 2023,
organized by the Clusters4Future nanodiag BW from November 6-9 in Freiburg, Germany, has
concluded as a success. The conference brought together almost 200 scientists and engineers
from all over the world and from various disciplines who engaged in lively discussions. It
became clear once again that single molecule sensing with nanopores will become a key
diagnostic technology in the near future. For instance, nanopore technology offers a faster,
cheaper and potentially more reliable way than current methods to detect post-translational
modifications in proteins that are particularly important for epigenetic regulation, e.g. in
cancer.
Fruitful exchange between research and industry
A focus of BFNM 2023 was the quest to use nanopores as sensors in proteomics: from the
analysis of post-translational modifications to protein sequencing, another the seamless
integration of nanopore technology into diagnostic workflows for personalized and precision
medicine. The conference enabled an early exchange between the various disciplines required
for the successful transfer of these approaches into clinical practice. Remarkable advances in
research and technology transfer were presented. Around 40 lectures and more than 70
scientific posters brought together the latest results from around the world under the roof of
the Friedrichsbau in Freiburg's city center and were complemented by an impressive Industrial
Forum reflecting the state of commercial activities in this field.
"The contributions at the meeting showed steady and sometimes staggering progress in all the
disciplines and sub-specialities that come together in the field of nanopore research and make
it such a variegated - and, frankly, entertaining - experience to be part of it," recapitulates
Professor Jan C. Behrends, one of the spokespersons of nanodiag BW. "It was particularly
impressive to see what is now possible with machine learning/AI, not only for signal processing
and data mining, but also for signal prediction and the design and optimization of pores.
Combining these new capabilities with new hardware and the ingenious assays we saw using
both biological and solid-state pores will go a long way towards our common goal of nanopore
proteomics."
Apl. Prof. Dr. Felix von Stetten, also spokesperson of nanodiag BW, emphasized the collegial
and stimulating atmosphere of the conference. The discussions among the researchers
showed "the significant recent progress in the field of nanopore-based protein sequencing
from both a scientific and commercial perspective. These tremendous advances make me
very optimistic about the development of future applications in epigenetics and personalized
medicine. I am pleased with the open exchange between participants from different
disciplines, hierarchies and fields, including academia and industry. This conference has
provided an exceptional opportunity to expand our knowledge across disciplines. I believe
this is crucial for the successful translation of nanopore-based protein sequencing into
commercial applications." As participants’ enthusiastic feed-back suggests that BFNM 2023 was a resounding success, nanodiag BW looks forward to host another edition in the not-too-distant future.
What is nanodiag BW?
Nanopore technology offers a promising way to detect post-translational modifications in
proteins faster and more reliably, especially in epigenetic research. The innovation cluster
nanodiag BW, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research and Education (BMBF) in the
Clusters4Future program, aims to turn these breakthroughs into ground-breaking diagnostic
products, innovative services and high-growth start-ups, in order to ultimately improve
routine diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care for various diseases.
Kontakt:
Christian Klaus +49 761 203-73284 | Anne-Marie Bergfeld +49 761 203-98728
Öffentlichkeitsarbeit nanodiag BW | nanodiagbw@hahn-schickard.de