Even before the Corona pandemic, respiratory diseases were the third leading cause of death in the EU. However, state-of-the-art therapy methods such as ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) are characterized by limited efficiency and severe side effects.

In the newly approved EIC Pathfinder project Biomembros (Biomimetic Membranes for Organ Support), BiofluidsLab will take a biomimetic approach to mimic and integrate elements of avian respiration, which is far more efficient than human respiration, and thus form the basis for more efficient therapy methods with fewer side effects. The overall goal is to develop a platform technology as a core element for efficient support systems for membrane-based processes in the human body.

The highly competitive Pathfinder program of the EIC (European Innovation Council) supports the exploration of bold ideas for radical new technologies. It funds interdisciplinary high-risk/high-gain projects in cutting-edge research that enable technological breakthroughs.
The multidisciplinary BioMembrOS project is coordinated by TU Wien (Prof. Margit Gföhler, Prof. Michael Harasek). In addition to MedUni Vienna, partners from Portugal, Italy, Germany and South Africa are involved in the three-and-a-half-year project.