Kick Start for Improved Meniscus Treatment

“Since my knee injury at the age of 15, I have frequently suffered meniscus tears. Usually, the repair involved and still involves removing the damaged part. Unfortunately, meniscus tears tend to recur, and over time, little remains of the meniscus, which plays a crucial role in cushioning the knee," reports Apsite-Vinzio. Although there are implants on the market, they are only short-lived and not accessible to everyone. Using the technology developed by biovature GmbH – invented by Prof. Dr. Leonid Ionov and PD Dr. habil. Alla Synytska, also at the University of Bayreuth - fiber-reinforced meniscus implants are now being developed that are both more durable and accessible to larger patient groups. Moreover, these implants are to be customized to the individual needs of each patient.

The "innovate! Academy" assists in this: Workshops as well as mentoring by industry experts aim to transform researchers into entrepreneurs. This includes tackling the challenges researchers face, particularly the bureaucratic obstacles that hinder the commercialization of scientific innovations, especially in high-risk and high-gain projects such as in the medical field, which often receive less funding than other areas of engineering.

Although biofabrication is a rapidly growing field with significant advantages over existing medical solutions, many innovations struggle to reach the market. The "innovate! Academy" promotes cooperation by bringing researchers from all over Germany together, thus creating a dynamic environment for future projects and partnerships. "I see this opportunity as a crucial moment for my career - not only as a chance to test and prove myself as a leader but also to learn how to market my inventions and make them accessible to a broader public. And it is an incredible opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills that are typically valued in the scientific field," says Apsite-Vinzio.