” For us, the EXIST financing is a significant turning point: it gives us the opportunity to advance our innovation into a completed product and research study tool that will open unmatched possibilities for biochemical research study,” says Natalie Schütz, co-founder of GaiaIsotopic. Together with Moritz Zimmer and Dr. Álvaro Ortiz Pérez, she is performing research study at the Professorship of Sensor Technology under Prof. Stefan Palzer on an analytical option that will offer brand-new insights into cellular metabolism. At the heart of the so-called Iso-Flux technology is a micro-integrated photonic sensing unit approach that makes it possible for dynamic monitoring and real-time investigation of cell habits for the very first time. The GaiaIsotopic team intends to produce a paradigm shift: their ingenious approach is designed to replace invasive methods and time-delayed measurements.
Potential for basic research
The brand-new technique is particularly promising for studying the functioning of cancer cells. Just by specifically comprehending how tumor cells procedure nutrients can scientists develop new therapies. “Our process makes it possible, for the very first time, to straight obtain information on nutrient metabolic process in growth cells– a huge capacity for fundamental research study as well as for the advancement of brand-new restorative approaches,” discusses Moritz Zimmer. Thanks to the EXIST financing, the group can perform a proof of concept, showing that the idea works in concept. The next step will be to establish a market-ready item. Preliminary automated test series will be conducted, cell cultures analyzed, and the outcomes prepared as functional data. By early 2026, a first variation of the method is anticipated to be finished, which will then go through testing, assessment, and additional development.
The GaiaIsotopic group is matched by Dr. Andrea Cantone, a professional in the commercialization of intellectual property. The start-up also gains from the competence of Dr. Peter Kreuzaler, a distinguished cancer researcher at the Cluster of Excellence Cellular Stress Reactions in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD) at the University of Cologne, who supports the advancement from a user’s viewpoint. In addition, GaiaIsotopic keeps close ties with the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at TU Dortmund University, providing it access to a leading center for microsystems innovation. The team earnings both from the academic support of Prof. Stefan Palzer and from the cleanroom infrastructure of his chair. It likewise uses the services provided by TU Dortmund University’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Transfer (CET) and teams up closely with the CET group.
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