The Fraunhofer Project Centre (FPC) for Embedded BioAnalytical Systems
In the Fraunhofer Project Centre for Embedded BioAnalytical Systems (FPC@DCU), Dublin City University (DCU) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT) have partnered to provide time- and cost-efficient development of microfluidic platforms for bioanalytical testing. FPC@DCU is able to rapidly advance systems to high technology readiness levels (TRLs), thereby substantially de-risking the product development process for commercial customers. Combined with the seamless capability of scale-up from prototyping to production, FPC@DCU develops “fit-for-industry” solutions addressing a broad range of market opportunities.
FPC@DCU will focus on supporting commercially-relevant research and development through strategic research programmes, generation of intellectual property, and close-to-market process and product development. To tackle the highly multidisciplinary challenges, FPC@DCU very actively seeks collaboration with partners from industry, research institutes, academia and end-user networks.
The FPC@DCU leverages the internationally-recognised and highly complementary expertise of the partners in Dublin and Aachen to design, develop and manufacture novel integrated microfluidic devices for automated biosample analysis. In a project-focussed organisation, FPC@DCU provides industry partners, both Irish and international, with time- and cost-efficient applications development. Benefitting from its platform-based approach, the FPC@DCU will be able to take inputs from basic research and rapidly develop them to elevated technology readiness levels (TRLs). Combined with the capability of scale-up from prototyping to production, the FPC@DCU will constitutes a key resource for industrial users who need technologies for decentralised bioanalytical testing, enabling them to address their product development needs across a range of markets.
The FPC@DCU is also in a position to leverage its access to the significant research network of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and DCU to provide companies with additional research and development expertise as required, supporting the process and product innovation, that underpins clients’ economic success.