The Young Investigator Network is the platform and democratic representation of interests for independent junior research group leaders and junior professors at the Karlsruhe Institut of Technology.
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Assuring the safety and quality of processed and primary food ingredients is an ongoing global challenge. Nanoparticle-based sensors or nanosensors provide a rapid and cost-effective solution for detecting food contaminants such as toxins and pathogens. In their review for the nanoscience & nanotechnology journal Small, Pierre Picchetti and colleagues show the potential of nanosensors to detect of multiple targets in food samples with the required selectivity, sensitivity and speed for high throughput analysis. Moreover, this technology is robust, easy to use for non-specialized personnel, and can identify chemical substances in all states of aggregation, such as liquid or solid – with ultra-low detection limits.

Sustainable polysaccharides from plants and algae can replace synthetic polymers in industrial applications and lay the foundation for new applications particularly in the food and pharmaceutical contexts. Hydrogels produced from natural substances, however, show a large natural variability leading to varying gel properties. Hence, SusGel focusses on the structure-process-property relationships of sustainable polysaccharides over their whole life cycle from gelation to the aging of gels. Ulrike van der Schaaf heads the group looking into applications for the food industry like vegan yoghurt or meat substitutes.
Interview with Ulrike van der Schaaf
Process engineering reactors are an important basis for the chemical industry. Developing and producing complex reactor geometries usually takes several months and requires in-depth expertise. The software ReacTUNE - Intelligent Reactor Design Optimization, which was developed by Mertcan Kaya and YIN member Christoph Klahn, now reduces the design effort to 45 minutes. "Even with little design knowledge, complex devices can be developed quickly and efficiently," says Klahn. The CeraMMAM project, short for Ceramic Multi-Material Additive Manufacturing, by YIN alumnus Frederik Zanger and team, also received an award.
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The design and control of atomic-scale spin structures constitute major challenges for spin-based quantum technology. In the journal Nature communications, Philip Willke and colleagues showcase a strategy for designing the quantum properties of molecular spin qubits by combining tip-assisted on-surface assembly with electron spin resonance scanning tunneling microscopy. They improve spin lifetime and coherent control by fabricating quantum ferrimagnets which are partly protected against inelastic electron scattering. Moreover, quantum ferrimagnets provide a versatile platform to study complex magnetic interactions.
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