Taking diagnostics to a new dimension: BIH launches Spatial Diagnostics Platform

Oliver Klein, Daniela Kahlert, Doris Meder, Livia Leu, Dorothee Bär, Ina Czyborra, Christopher Baum, Marc Wawerla, René Hägerling© BIH/ Ulf Büschleb

The Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) today launched a groundbreaking analytical platform that combines high-resolution 3D light microscopy, molecular genomic and proteomic analysis, and AI-driven evaluation. Developed in partnership with Roche Diagnostics, RoX Health, ZEISS, Bruker Daltonics, Hamilton Germany, and LIMAA Technologies, the platform has the potential to set a new benchmark for personalized diagnostics and treatment recommendations, providing rapid, high-precision insights for patients. Its key areas of applications include cancer, complex inflammatory conditions, and genetic rare diseases.

“With the BIH Spatial Diagnostics Platform, we have achieved a patient-centered milestone on the path towards quality-oriented, rapid AI-assisted diagnostics. Through close collaboration among academia, university medicine, spin-offs, and industry leaders, we are creating a pioneering biotechnology cluster that will make bench-to-bedside translation a reality,” says Prof. Christopher Baum, Chair of the BIH Board of Directors and Chief Translational Research Officer of Charité.

“The launch of the BIH Spatial Diagnostics Platform marks a milestone towards a new standard of care in oncology and offers a ray of hope for all patients,” says Dorothee Bär, Federal Minister of Research, Technology and Space. „This initiative builds a direct bridge from research to patient care that benefits everyone: patients through sensationally fast diagnoses within 24 hours; strong industry partners through the integration of the latest machine-learning technologies; and Germany as a hub for science and business through ‘innovation made in Germany’. Congratulations to everyone involved in this flagship project.”,” says Dorothee Bär, German Federal Minister for Research, Technology and Space.

“I am very pleased that such an innovative technology is being launched here in Berlin. It demonstrates what is possible when excellent science, university medicine, and strong industry partners join forces. At the BIH and Charité, state-of-the-art imaging, molecular diagnostics, and artificial intelligence are opening up new possibilities for more precise and personalized therapies. This can significantly improve patient care, especially for cancer and other complex diseases. In Berlin, we can be proud that cutting-edge research translates into medical progress that benefits people. As a state, we want to continue advancing such innovations,” says Ina Czyborra, Senator for Higher Education and Research, Health and Long-Term Care of the State of Berlin.

Turning research into patient care – faster personalized therapies

The new BIH Spatial Diagnostics Platform will generate complex tissue data at unprecedented speed, paving the way for more precise diagnoses. This gives clinical teams the ability to make better-informed, timely treatment decisions and significantly improve the quality of patient care. Cancer diagnosis offers a clear example of the potential impact. The platform takes a holistic view of the tumor, so it doesn’t analyze individual features – such as genes, tissues, or proteins – in isolation, but rather integrates these multiple data streams into a single, comprehensive picture.

Artificial intelligence drives this process by identifying diagnostically relevant patterns within complex data sets, enhancing and extending clinical expertise. Within hours, the platform can provide a wealth of diagnostic data alongside a personalized treatment recommendation. This will enable clinicians to predict the progression of diseases such as ovarian or prostate cancer more accurately and tailor treatments accordingly. Conventional methods typically take one to three weeks to produce similar results, giving the platform a crucial time advantage, particularly in oncology. At the same time, insights from each analyzed patient are incorporated into a learning infrastructure that continuously refines the AI models. This creates a feedback loop that accelerates the journey from research bench to patient bedside.

The BIH Spatial Diagnostics Platform will be rolled out in five phases between 2026 and 2029. Initial efforts will focus on establishing the organizational, staffing, and technical foundations of the project. A pilot phase featuring the first research projects is scheduled to begin in 2028, followed by joint studies with pharmaceutical companies to ensure a seamless transition into translational and clinical practice.

Combining cutting-edge technologies for the first time

The concept for the BIH Spatial Diagnostics Platform emerged from early discussions between the BIH and RoX Health and brings together leading industry partners across medical diagnostics and the life sciences. The technologies contributed by Roche (genomics and sequencing by expansion, or SBX, technology), ZEISS (microscopy), Bruker (proteomics) and Hamilton (automation) support different stages of the diagnostic value chain. Together, they demonstrate that the future of precision medicine depends on an ecosystem of integrated technologies rather than a single solution.

The platform combines high-resolution 3D tissue analysis from ZEISS and LIMAA Technologies with state-of-the-art sequencing technologies from Roche and spatial proteomics from Bruker, all supported by Hamilton’s automated systems. This integration enables rapid, comprehensive, and tissue-sparing analysis of disease-related structural changes, paving the way for targeted, highly personalized therapies.

What our partners say about the new BIH Spatial Diagnostics Platform
Daniela Kahlert, Managing Director of Roche Diagnostics Germany:
“We are working on innovations that improve patients’ lives. Ultimately, though, every breakthrough must be judged by whether it makes a real difference for patients. We are contributing our new sequencing by expansion (SBX) technology to the Spatial Diagnostics Platform, which can decode a genome in hours rather than days. This speed enables us to understand complex diseases earlier and with greater precision, which is the key to ensuring that patients receive the right therapy faster and live longer, healthier lives.”
Dr. Stefan Groß, Managing Director of Carl Zeiss Microscopy Germany:
“Innovation happens at the intersection of science, industry and society. It tolerates no delay and requires dedicated space. This project brings together crucial perspectives and expertise at precisely the right time. We are proud to be part of this initiative as a technology partner. Through our high-resolution 3D light microscopy, we provide the visual precision needed to advance personalized medicine in tangible ways.”
Jürgen Srega, President of Bruker Biosystems Group and Bruker Daltonics Division:
“The BIH Spatial Diagnostics Platform demonstrates the potential that can be unlocked when leading technologies and scientific expertise are systematically integrated. By sharing our know-how in high-resolution molecular tissue analysis, we are helping to deepen the understanding of complex biological interactions within their tissue context while opening new avenues for more precise, personalized medicine.”
Dr. Thorsten Ebel, Managing Director of Hamilton Germany:
“‘Innovation for a better world’ is the guiding principle behind everything we do at Hamilton. The BIH Spatial Diagnostics Platform exemplifies what can be achieved when research and industry bring together complementary capabilities and technologies. With our expertise in laboratory automation, we are helping to integrate complex analytical processes into a seamless workflow. Close partnerships like this play a vital role in translating technological innovations into new scientific opportunities and in advancing precision medicine.”
Dr. René Hägerling, Head of Research und Co-Founder at LIMAA Technologies:
“Start-ups like LIMAA can accelerate innovations emerging from translational research. Crucially, however, this agility must be paired with the experience and infrastructure of established partners. The BIH Spatial Diagnostics Platform creates precisely this environment, speeding up the journey of new technologies from research to clinical practice.”
Dr. Olivier Flückiger, Managing Director of RoX Health:
“Innovation thrives when the right partners, with diverse perspectives and expertise, come together. As Roche’s venture builder, we at RoX Health see our role as fostering these connections early on and co-developing new approaches with real-world applications in mind. The Spatial Diagnostics Platform is an outstanding example of how bringing together academia, medicine, industry and start-ups can lead to innovative solutions with genuine potential to improve clinical care.”