Reason to celebrate: Chair in Analytical X-ray Physics turns ten years old

(© TU Berlin / Felix Noak)

(© TU Berlin / Felix Noak)

(© TU Berlin / Felix Noak)

With a ceremonial event, initiators, sponsors, and staff of the Analytical X-ray Physics Foundation celebrated on January 17, 2019, the ten-year anniversary of the foundation as well as the appointment of Prof. Dr. Birgit Kanngießer in 2009 to the Institute of Optics and Atomic Physics (IOAP) at the Technical University of Berlin. Among the congratulators were Nicolas Zimmer, Chairman of the Berlin Technology Foundation, and Prof. Dr. Christian Thomsen, President of the Technical University of Berlin.

Nicolas Zimmer, Chairman of the Berlin Technology Foundation: “Even small and medium-sized enterprises should engage in research and development. The Analytical X-ray Physics Foundation exemplifies how this can be done. Originally designed for seven years, the foundation’s existence has now been secured until the end of 2021. The Berlin Technology Foundation, which developed the legal framework and now manages the foundation, is pleased with this success and wishes for many imitators.”

Prof. Dr. Christian Thomsen, President of the Technical University of Berlin: “More than ten years ago, a total of 13 small and medium-sized companies from Germany and abroad approached the Berlin Technology Foundation to support important research in X-ray analysis at TU Berlin. With the consumption foundation conceived by the Technology Foundation, which was planned for seven years, the university was able to establish a professorship for this field. The appointment to this position was ultimately given to Prof. Dr. Birgit Kanngießer. Due to the excellent performance of the research group, another 13 small and medium-sized companies came together after the first seven years in 2016 to finance the foundation’s work until 2021.”

Achievements of the research projects of the Kanngießer group enable new investigative methods in biomedicine among others

At the ceremonial event, the staff of Prof. Dr. Kanngießer’s research group presented several projects from recent years. These included the establishment of the Berlin Laboratory for Innovative X-ray Technologies (BLiX) as a cooperative project between TU Berlin and the Max Born Institute (Leibniz Institute) for application-oriented research in the field of X-ray technologies.

Among the many scientific topics, the investigation of biomedical samples with soft X-ray radiation or at micro-/nano-scale was highlighted. X-ray microscopy allows the examination of samples in the “water window,” a range of particularly short-wavelength radiation where the natural contrast between cells and surrounding water is especially high. This type of microscopy can now be performed without synchrotron radiation sources, which can also be used for this purpose. At BLiX, the development of so-called “confocal X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy,” a method for determining the elemental composition of metals, glasses, ceramics, and other materials in three dimensions, was also advanced. This enables, for example, the study of mineral distribution in seed material enriched with nutrients.

Prof. Dr. Birgit Kanngießer, who now holds a regular professorship at the Institute of Optics and Atomic Physics, thanked all sponsors for their support of the work and emphasized: “What has always impressed me most is how much companies continuously engage in supporting young scientists. They regularly provide space and equipment. Above all, they enable students to gain good insights into practical work without expecting exclusive results. These practical experiences are very valuable for training the next generation of scientists.”