The Bavarian Science Forum (BayWISS) is a joint institution of all 38 Bavarian universities and universities of applied sciences. It promotes cooperation in research and doctoral studies and offers doctoral students an excellent scientific platform in its cooperative doctoral programme. A total of 280 doctoral theses are currently being written in a wide variety of subject areas. Each year, the BayWISS Prize is awarded to young researchers from this group whose work makes a special contribution to scientific innovation with social relevance.
The ApneaTreat project in 1st place
The ApneaTreat project aims to develop a minimally invasive implant for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea. This widespread condition causes oxygen deprivation, daytime fatigue and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to repeated breathing interruptions during sleep. As part of his cooperative doctorate to become a Dr. sc. hum, Alexander Bartsch developed an implant that mechanically stabilises the airways in the medical devices laboratory of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at OTH Regensburg in collaboration with the medical faculty of the University of Regensburg. This is done on the basis of a minimally invasive operation, which is much gentler than alternative solutions. The aim is to create a comfortable, effective and cost-effective treatment option that sustainably improves the quality of life of those affected. Furthermore, the implant offers the advantage of being activated independently by patients themselves at night and deactivated during the day, so that it only comes into play when it is actually needed.
Prof. Dr. Ralph Schneider, President of OTH Regensburg, together with Prof. Dr. Thomas Schratzenstaller, Head of the Laboratory for Medical Devices and doctoral supervisor, personally congratulated the award winner Alexander Bartsch.
Research environment at OTH Regensburg
The project is being carried out at the OTH Regensburg Medical Devices Laboratory, which specialises in the development, testing and approval of innovative medical technologies. The research is funded by the Regensburg Centre of Biomedical Engineering (RCBE) – an interdisciplinary research platform of OTH Regensburg and the University of Regensburg – and the Regensburg Centre of Health Sciences and Technology (RCHST), which promotes the bridge between technology and health sciences. These structures make it possible to translate innovative ideas from research into concrete applications and strengthen the transfer of technology into practice.
