The focus will be on new ways to translate research findings more quickly into innovative approaches to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. In a plenary discussion followed by a symposium, leading international scientists, policymakers, and representatives from the healthcare industry will discuss the future of medicine.
The German Center for Diabetes Research is represented in the program by several renowned researchers. In the session “Restoring What Disease Has Destroyed,” DZD researchers Prof. Dr. Stefan Bornstein and Prof. Dr. Heiko Lickert, together with Dr. Stefan Irion (GC Therapeutics, USA), will explore how stem cell research, cell replacement therapies, and regenerative medicine could transform the treatment of type 1 diabetes in the future. The focus is on the question of whether the insulin-producing beta cells destroyed by the autoimmune disease can be replaced or regenerated.
Prof. Dr. Carolin Daniel (Helmholtz Munich and DZD) will present another talk on behalf of the DZD in the session “Teaching the Immune System What to Attack—and What to Spare.” Together with Prof. Dr. Uta Höpken (Max Delbrück Center), she will discuss current approaches to selectively modulating the immune system. The goal is to prevent harmful immune reactions in autoimmune diseases while simultaneously strengthening the body’s own defenses, for example against cancer.
With topics such as regeneration, stem cell therapy, and immunomodulation, the program addresses key future fields of diabetes research. The DZD’s presentations demonstrate how innovative research approaches can contribute in the long term not only to better treating diseases but also to restoring impaired bodily functions and preventing diseases at an early stage.
Event:
The Future of Medicine: From Discovery to Impact
8. November 2026, Falling Walls Science Summit, Berlin
Session „The Future of Medicine: From Discovery to Impact“
DZG press release: Falling Walls: Wie Forschung die Medizin von morgen verändert (in German)
