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The BIH at Berlin Science Week and the Falling Walls Summit 2025
Whether it was stem cells, single-cell technologies, Wikipedia entries about female researchers, or the future of the academic publishing system, visitors had a lot to see at the Berlin Science Week this year. In two roundtable discussions, experts also addressed how biomedical innovation systems in Europe can be supported and how AI and data structures can contribute to better healthcare.
Berlin Science Week: „Beyond Now”
This year, the Berlin Science Week celebrated its 10th anniversary. The BIH and its partners also took part with exciting events. Visitors were able to gain an insight into stem cell research and single-cell technologies through lectures and laboratory tours, e.g., at the Speakers Corner with Dr. Daniel Besser and the workshop held by our team at MDC-BIMSB. The BIH also promoted the visibility of female scientists, e.g., at an Wikipedia edit-a-thon together with the WomenEdit group Berlin and a science slam, where Maria Luise da Costa Zemsch, BIH doctoral studen in the group for brain simulation, also spoke about her research on personalized brain models. At the same time, participants were able to discuss the future of scientific publishing with Dr. Bernd Pulverer and Dr. Alexandra Freeman. The event concluded with the presentation of the Einstein Foundation Early Career Award, which honors promising young researchers for innovative approaches to transparent and reproducible research.
Boosting Biomedical Innovations Systems in Europe
At the roundtable, experts from the field of biomedicine discussed how innovative research can be translated into joint ventures and new medical solutions. The participants emphasized the importance of multi-perspective thinking and a visionary mindset. They also noted that a patient-centered approach and social acceptance of future technologies are critical. However, the most important thing is to overcome the fragmentation of actors within Europe and promote a spirit of cooperation. To achieve this, it is crucial to establish peer-to-peer networks, provide access to funding for innovative projects, and define common, achievable goals. The roundtable was a joint initiative of the BIH, the University of Oxford, and the Berlin University Alliance. It was moderated by Prof. Dr. Alexander Betts from the University of Oxford. Speakers included Prof. Dr. Christopher Baum from BIH, Trine Bartholdy from the Bioinnovation Institute, Prof. Dr. Alex Mihailidis from the University of Toronto, and Dora Handrea from the University of Oxford.
Watch the roundtable
Supercharging Healthcare: AI, Data & Infrastructure
At this roundtable, the speakers discussed the challenges of using health data for computer-driven healthcare. They emphasized that AI offers great potential in the healthcare system, e.g., in achieving global gender-equitable healthcare or reducing the administrative burden on doctors, thereby increasing the time they can spend with their patients. Trust must be built through strong regulation and data security. In addition, obstacles must be addressed, such as the fragmentation of regulations or data accessibility. The latter is a greater obstacle for start-ups than access to the necessary computer hardware. The roundtable was a joint event organized by the BIH, Helmholtz Munich, and the WomenX Collective. The panel was moderated by Prof. Dr. Petra Ritter. Other participants included Prof. Dr. Peter N. Robinson, Deepali Sood, Prof. Dr. Carsten Marr, and Philipp Gerbert.