Networking with universities Basic research is a must for the applications of tomorrow. Thus the Fraunhofer IGB maintains close contacts with neigh- boring universities, both through scientific cooperation and through the professorial and other teaching commitments of Fraunhofer employees. Our project groups have enabled us to extend our scientific network to locations outside of Stuttgart, including the USA. The Fraunhofer IGB is particularly closely allied to the Institute of Interfacial Process Engineering and Plasma Technology IGVP at the University of Stuttgart, which is chaired by Fraunhofer IGB director Prof. Hirth. Priv.-Doz. Dr. Susanne Bailer Private lecturer in the Faculty of Energy Technology, Pro- cess Engineering and Biological Engineering at the Univer- sity of Stuttgart Dr. Kirsten Borchers Associate lecturer in the Faculty of Energy Technology, Process Engineering and Biological Engineering at the Uni- versity of Stuttgart Prof. Dr. Dieter Bryniok Professor of Environmental Biotechnology at Hamm-Lipp- stadt University of Applied Sciences 16 THE FRAUNHOFER IGB’S NETWORKING ACTIVITIES The Fraunhofer IGB is an active participant in numerous national and international research networks. Cooperative ventures with various universities and non-university research institutes, as well as interdis- ciplinary collaboration with other Fraunhofer Institutes, complement our own competences and enable us to exploit synergies in developing new solutions for the needs of industry. We are also actively engaged in shaping research policy through championing strategic, economic and sustainability standpoints. PROFILE Prof. Dr. Thomas Hirth Professor, Chair and Director of the Institute of Interfacial Process Engineering and Plasma Technology IGVP at the University of Stuttgart Prof. Dr. Petra Kluger Professor of Tissue Engineering at Reutlingen University, Faculty of Applied Chemistry; Associate lecturer in the Fac- ulty of Energy Technology, Process Engineering and Bio- logical Engineering at the University of Stuttgart Dr. Christian Oehr Associate lecturer in the Faculty of Energy Technology, Process Engineering and Biological Engineering at the Uni- versity of Stuttgart Priv.-Doz. Dr. Steffen Rupp Private lecturer in the Faculty of Energy Technology, Pro- cess Engineering and Biological Engineering at the Univer- sity of Stuttgart Prof. Dr. Katja Schenke-Layland Professor of Biomaterials in Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine at the University Hospital for Women of the Eberhard Karls University Tübingen; Adjunct Associate Pro- fessor at the Medical Faculty / Department of Cardiology at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Ange- les, CA, USA Dr.-Ing. Ursula Schließmann Teaching activity in the Faculty of Energy Technology, Pro- cess Engineering and Biological Engineering at the Univer- sity of Stuttgart