Our History

The Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine Platform was founded in November 2012 at a kick-off meeting at the Haus der Universität in Bern. The platform was created to facilitate close and innovative collaboration among stem cell researchers at the University of Bern and Inselspital, University Hospital Bern. The interdisciplinary platform included research groups from the Faculty of Medicine, Science, and the Vetsuisse Faculty, as well as researchers in the fields of Optogenetics and Applied Physics. The primary objective of the platform was to establish a center of excellence that promotes basic and applied stem cell research in regenerative medicine through a multidisciplinary approach.

The idea for this collaboration was born during the inauguration of the Photonics Laboratory (sponsored by the Haag-Streit Group) at the University of Bern. During this event, Honorary Senator Walter Inäbnit of Haag-Streit in Köniz, applied physicist Prof. Martin Frenz from the Phil. Nat. Faculty, and Prof. Eliane Jasmine Müller, the former lead of the platform, discussed leveraging synergies in the areas of laser technology and optoacoustics, as well as physiology, for the imaging, activation, and analysis of stem cells in tissue.

The inter-faculty consortium implemented this initiative on November 1, with the participation of the three individuals mentioned above, as well as three representatives from the Faculty of Medicine (Prof. H.R. Widmer, Prof. V. Enzmann, Dr. S. di Santo), one representative from the Vetsuisse Faculty (Dr. S. Kleinlogel), and emeritus professors A. Haeberli, P. Gehr, and T. Seebeck.

Over the years, the SCRM platform has grown and evolved. It now comprises 28 member groups from the Faculty of Medicine, Science, and the Vetsuisse Faculty. The platform consistently supports its members with educational and research activities and serves as an interface between the University of Bern and Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, and between pre-clinical research and clinical studies and applications.