Today, the foundation stone was laid in Hamburg for a globally unique research centre – the CNYH Center for Hybrid Nanostructures. Having started construction in December 2014, basement and roof of the technology unit are have now been finished.
The idea of CHYN is unique in the world: in an interdisciplinary approach, physicists, chemists, biologists and physicians will be exploring nanostructures in a central research centre. This research has immense potential. For example, the smallest bioelectronic implants could in future replace destroyed sensory cells and help people to see, hear, or move arms or legs once again.
The CHYN is the first new building on the southern plot of the Research Campus Bahrenfeld, i.e. the former Reemtsma site. Objectives of the work in CHYN is the study and application of structures in particles on the nanometer scale, the so-called nano-structures. These nanoparticles have a size from a few atoms up to 100 nanometers. A nanometer is one-billionth of a metre. The scientists in CHYN are dedicated to the connection of nano-electronic and biological materials. The resulting hybrid (mixed) nano-structures offer a huge potential for new applications in medicine and biology. In the future, for example, ultra tiny bioelectronic implants could replace damaged sensory cells and thus enable people to se again, hear again, or move arms and legs. In order to make these applications possible, fundamental questions in physics of the nanoparticles need to be further explored. The co-operation of physics with chemistry, biology and medicine is essential.
The project is being implemented through the tenant-landlord model with Hamburg’s Sprinkenhof GmbH, and thus keeps in line with the policy of the Hamburg Senate to expand Hamburg’s position as a leading location of science and research.