© Martin Braun
In an online seminar, Dr Madhuri Salker will discuss her current research, which centres on the study of human implantation and pregnancy loss. To this end, she employs reconstructed assemblages, multimodal single-cell sequencing, and nanosensor development.
Dr Madhuri Salker is investigating the molecular and immunological processes of early pregnancy. The Tübingen University Hospital researcher and University of British Columbia assistant professor was recently awarded a highly endowed project grant in the form of a European Research Council Consolidator Grant. In her project babyRADAR, she intends to use cutting-edge technologies to improve our understanding of the endometrium’s decision-making processes during implantation. The interaction of steroid hormones, immune cells and tissue dynamics will be a particular focus, as these processes can now be quantified in real time using nanoscale sensor systems for the first time.
In her presentation, she will focus on reconstructed endometrial tissue models, multimodal single-cell sequencing, and the development of highly sensitive nanosensors. These approaches enable the precise analysis of communication between maternal tissue and the embryo, and the identification of molecular dysregulations that can lead to implantation failure or miscarriage.
‘Understanding why implantation fails could allow us to develop new diagnostic procedures, improve fertility treatments, and offer hope to affected families,’ explains Madhuri Salker.
Integrated micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) devices play a special role in this context. These miniature, sensor-integrated microsystems enable precise control of microfluidic environments and real-time monitoring of biochemical and mechanical processes at the cellular level. This enables cellular forces, dynamic signals and metabolic processes to be recorded continuously and in high resolution.
There are clear links here to research at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, specifically the Institute of Materials in Electrical Engineering 1 (IWE1). Headed by Professor Sven Ingebrandt, the institute places a special focus on developing micro- and nanosystems for biotechnology and biomedical diagnostics. The institute’s core competencies include coupling biological systems, such as living cells, membranes, and proteins, with technical systems to create novel sensors, microfluidic systems, and intelligent implants.
This technological expertise is directly relevant to Madhuri Salker’s research. She uses integrated MEMS components in her studies of implant biology. Combining basic research in reproductive medicine with the development of micro- and nanosystem technologies thus opens up new opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration between medicine and engineering. Against this backdrop, the lecture will explore potential technological collaborations between Professor Sven Ingebrandt and Dr Madhuri Salker. It will focus on how micro- and nanosystem technology developments can support biomedical research.
Participation: On Tuesday, 24 February 2026, the event will take place online via Zoom, starting at 5 p.m. and lasting until 6:30 p.m.
Meeting ID: 644 5259 3117
Access code: 985261
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