RWTH Professor Horst Fischer Named Fellow of the National Academy of Science Leopoldina

Professor Horst Fischer from the Dental Materials and Biomaterials Research Group at RWTH Aachen University has been accepted into the National Academy of Science LEOPOLDINA. He is the twelfth RWTH professor to be honored in this way.

 

"This is a welcome validation that my research and development activities are in fact of relevance to science and to society. Of course, it is also a great incentive for me to keep on going with my scientific work with just as much dedication and passion," states Fischer, who completed his Mechanical Engineering studies at RWTH Aachen. After being employed in the United States for some time, he returned to RWTH, where he worked in the interdisciplinary field of medical engineering at several different institutes before being appointed university professor in 2009.

The 52-year-old conducts research on biomaterials with a special focus on new techniques in the field of "Tissue Engineering." He develops 3D bioprinting methods for the manufacture of tissue-engineered skin substitutes and investigates specific reactions of cells in 3D printed tissue models. Such in vitro models can be utilized as a screening platform for new medications. In addition, Fischer is interested in the interaction between implant surfaces and adjacent cells and he was able to show for the first time that cellular reactions can be influenced in a targeted manner through defined structures on the surface of an implant even in the sub-nanometer range.

One of the oldest Academic Associations

The Leopoldina, founded in 1652, is one of the oldest scholarly societies in the world and since 2008, when it was declared Germany's National Academy of Sciences, it has been representing German Science in international committees. Economically and politically independent, the Academy is dedicated to advising government, parliament and the public about socially relevant scientific issues.

Source: Press and Communications