Konrad Aden is awared 250,000 € for biomarker research by the Joachim Herz Stiftung

Chronic inflammatory diseases are among the most rapidly increasing forms of illness worldwide in western industrialized nations. They can affect different organ systems, such as the intestines, skin, lungs or joints, and can lead to loss of organ function if left untreated. There are currently no biomarkers that researchers can use to precisely determine systemic inflammation across all diseases using a blood sample. For example are existing biomarkers limited to special organs or the results are not precise enough for diagnosis.

Professor Konrad Aden is researching the importance of amino acid metabolism in chronic inflammatory diseases. Previous research has already identified changes in amino acid metabolism in numerous chronic inflammatory diseases. Based on these findings, Aden has developed an innovative measurement method to visualize amino acid metabolism even more precisely in patients. He now wants to further develop this measurement method for broader use in clinical practice in order to make the changes in amino acid metabolism usable as a biomarker for chronic inflammation.

The Joachim Herz Foundation’s Innovation Academy for Application-Oriented Infection Research is now supporting him with around 250,000 euros. With this program, the foundation supports application-oriented, interdisciplinary and high-risk research projects at the interface between engineering, natural sciences and medicine that are highly relevant to infection research and have added value for society. With his concept of the metabolic biomarker, Aden was able to convince the jury that this biomarker has the potential for possible application in clinical diagnostics. The funding is intended to further support the development of the metabolic biomarker and test its diagnostic potential in patients for the first time.