Electrical Measurements on Cell Growth Contribute to New Therapies in Medicine

RWTH Institute of Materials in Electrical Engineering 1 hosted conference.

 

The 5th Conference on Impedance-Based Cellular Assays (IBCA) was held at RWTH from September 4 through 6, 2023. It was organized by Professor Sven Ingebrandt, head of the RWTH Institute of Materials in Electrical Engineering 1, and Professor Joachim Wegener from the Institute of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Regensburg.

Participants from Europe, the U.S., South America, and Asia discussed the latest developments and technologies of impedance-based cellular methods. These methods allow us to record the growth of human cells through electrical measurements and are becoming increasingly important in regenerative medicine. Particular focus is on techniques to help restore physical functions that have been lost due to disease or injury. Researchers can also analyze the effects of drugs on the biological barrier properties of skin cells or the blood-brain barrier – or, in other words, investigate toxic effects on nerve cells. Their findings aid in developing innovative therapies and new medical devices for many diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's or Alzheimer's, diabetes mellitus, heart conditions, or cancer.

During the conference, various companies took the opportunity to present their products to the experts in the field.