InfectoGnostics at the AMR Conference 2026 in Basel
On 3–4 March 2026, the InfectoGnostics Research Campus participated in the AMR Conference 2026 in Basel. The international conference is considered one of Europe’s most important platforms for exchange on new antimicrobial agents, innovations in diagnostics and strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In its tenth anniversary year, the conference once again brought together representatives from research, industry, policy and funding organisations to discuss developments across the entire innovation chain – from basic research to clinical application.
Together with partners from the Jena innovation ecosystem, InfectoGnostics presented current approaches in infection research and diagnostics. In addition to scientific networking, discussions focused in particular on emerging technologies and regulatory frameworks for innovative diagnostic solutions.
Technologies from the Research Campus in an International Context
Several partner companies from the InfectoGnostics campus were also present in Basel and presented their technological approaches. These included Dynamic42, Applyo and SMA Development.
Dynamic42, based in Jena, presented its microphysiological organ models (“organ-on-chip” systems / in vitro models), which can serve as preclinical testing platforms for infection models, drug screening and host–pathogen interaction studies. Such systems are gaining importance in the development of new anti-infective therapies and diagnostic approaches because they reproduce physiologically relevant conditions and can complement or partially replace animal models. Within the InfectoGnostics Research Campus, these technologies are currently being used in the project AutoOoC, which focuses on further developing automated organ-on-chip platforms for biomedical research.
Campus partner Applyo Jena presented innovative lyophilised reagents and biomaterials that can be used in molecular biology assays, diagnostic test systems and microfluidic applications. Such materials are a key component for robust, reproducible and scalable diagnostic solutions – a central topic in many projects at the InfectoGnostics Research Campus.
SMA Development, a data science company from Jena, was also represented. The company specialises in data-driven analytics and software solutions. In particular, its subsidiary EPIC INSIGHTS, which focuses on “Data Science as a Service”, works on the integration and analysis of complex datasets from fields such as diagnostics, traffic monitoring and environmental monitoring.
Presentation on AI-supported Diagnostics
One programme highlight involving Thuringian partners was the session “AI at the frontline: smarter diagnostics in action”, in which Dr Kevin Lamkiewicz (SMA Development) gave a presentation. In his talk, he introduced approaches showing how AI-based methods can be used to analyse complex datasets – for example from diagnostics, wastewater monitoring or mobility data – in order to enable faster and better-informed decisions in the management of infectious disease outbreaks.
Following the presentation, Lamkiewicz joined Marco Caproni from TÜV SÜD (a notified body for AMR innovations) in discussing regulatory challenges for AI-based diagnostics. A key topic of the panel discussion was the practical implementation of the European Union’s AI Act in combination with the existing regulatory requirements of the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) and the EU In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR). For many companies, the still evolving interaction between these regulatory frameworks represents a significant challenge for the development and certification of innovative diagnostic solutions. The session was supported by the cluster management “Innovativ Thüringen”.
Networking within the European Anti-Infectives and Diagnostics Ecosystem
The participation of the Jena network was supported by Innovativ Thüringen, an initiative of LEG Thüringen. Together with partners from across the state, this helped strengthen the visibility of Thuringia within the international AMR innovation landscape.
Also present at the conference was the Leibniz Health Technologies research network, which closely cooperates with InfectoGnostics and brings together medical technology expertise from more than 20 institutes and start-ups within the Leibniz Association. In this context, the new research infrastructure currently under development in Jena – the Leibniz Centre for Photonics in Infection Research (LPI) – was also presented. The centre will open up new opportunities for the development of photonic technologies in infection diagnostics and is expected to launch in 2027 together with a First-in-Patient Unit.
In addition to the scientific sessions, the conference offered numerous opportunities for exchange with international stakeholders. The InfectoGnostics team held in-depth discussions with representatives of the BEAM Alliance – of which InfectoGnostics is an associated member – as well as with the pharmaceutical incubator INCATE, which supports start-ups in the development of anti-infective drugs. The decentralised incubator is closely associated with the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI).
Research Campus as a Bridge Between Science and Application
Participation in the AMR Conference once again highlighted the added value of the Jena Research Campus as a platform for close collaboration between academia and industry. The combination of innovative technologies – ranging from organ-on-chip systems and diagnostic reagents to data-driven analytical approaches – demonstrates how interdisciplinary cooperation can contribute to the development of new solutions for the diagnosis and control of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance.
The international exchange in Basel provided valuable impulses and at the same time underlined the role of Thuringian innovations within the European biotechnology and diagnostics landscape.