The Department of Biological Sciences organised an expert talk on “Guiding Biomaterial Design Through the Power of Omics Technologies” by Prof. Stefan Kalkhof on February 05, 2025. Prof. Kalkhof, a distinguished member of the Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences, Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany, and Head of the Proteomics Research Group at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Germany, began the session with an introduction to Coburg University, highlighting its rich academic history and research contributions, followed by a brief overview of the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), which is dedicated to developing the medicine of the future through innovative research in cell therapy and immunology.
Prof. Kalkhof’s talk focused on the potential of mass spectrometry-based proteomics and its wide-ranging applications in biomedical research. He emphasised how this advanced technology helps study the structure and function of drug targets, develop cancer-specific drugs, design functional implants, understand bacterial infections, and assess the toxic effects of chemicals.
A significant part of the discourse revolves around bone implants and tissue regeneration. He explained that although bones naturally regenerate, certain conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders, may need bioactive scaffolds to promote healing. These smart scaffolds are designed to stimulate active tissue regeneration.
Prof. Kalkhof also spoke about the importance of proteomics technologies in regenerative medicine. He highlighted how mass spectrometry at the protein level plays a crucial role in healing, diagnostics, and drug development. His discussion extended to bioactive functional implants, a field that offers vast opportunities for materials scientists, chemists, toxicologists, and medical researchers.
The session also covered clinical trials and experimental models used to evaluate bioactive scaffolds, including in vitro and in vivo characterisation, osteoblast cell culture models, and simulation experiments in animal models.
Towards the conclusion of his talk, Prof. Kalkhof provided insights into ongoing projects in regenerative medicine, emphasising the significance of comprehensive analysis for bio-resource-based bioactive scaffolds. He also acknowledged his core research team and their invaluable contributions to these projects. The lecture was followed by an engaging Q&A session, where students and faculty members posed insightful questions about proteomics, biomaterials, and regenerative medicine.