Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM

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Medizinische Therapieplanung

Our department »Optimization in Life Sciences« has a special focus on projects in medicine, healthcare, nursing and social sectors as well as medical technology. Our mathematics supports decisions and helps to optimize processes.

Optimization in the Life Sciences

Our department »Optimization in Life Sciences« in the division »Optimization« develops and provides innovative and individually designed methodological as well as software solutions and services in various areas of the life sciences.

In the healthcare sector, we use Operational Research methods to improve organizational structures and processes.
With our optimization methods, physicians can create the best possible patient-specific Therapy Plans.
We develop methods for Decision Support for the effective solution of complex planning tasks.
Extensive databases can be analyzed and evaluated in a targeted manner using Artificial Intelligence.
Mathematical simulation can be used to efficiently run through Medical Technology Design Processes.

Operational Research in Healthcare

Appropriately designed organizational structures and processes are essential in many places for a functioning healthcare system. With methods of »Operational Research« such as location or process planning, care facilities and processes can be created that enable the best possible health services with efficient use of the often-scarce available resources.

Optimization of Rescue Station Locations

The aim of the project is to optimize the locations of rescue stations using suitable mathematical methods.

Using Mathematics to Fight the Coronavirus

At the Fraunhofer ITWM in the division »Optimization«, we contributed to better managing the pandemic in numerous projects.

Optimizing Medical Care in Rural Areas

In the HealthFaCT project, an optimization system of medical care in rural areas is created.

Optimization of Duty Rosters

In the GameOfRoster (GamOR) project, we are developing a software tool to help nurses plan their rosters.

Project Opti-Trans

Disposition in Transportation

The aim of the project is to develop an optimization engine for Opti-Trans®, a software tool for dispatching transports requests for patients and supplies in real time.

Scheduling Medical Appointments

In the project, we analyze and improve the various treatments and examinations in hospitals.

Optimization of Therapy Plans

Modern forms of therapy offer enormous healing opportunities for patients, which can only be fully exploited through the best possible individual design of treatment plans. Methods of mathematical optimization and multi-objective decision making enable the efficient calculation and patient-specific adaptation of the best possible therapy plans.

Project »IRIS«

Progress-Controlled Radiation Therapy

We are developing an approach for the individualised control of IMRT treatments in order to flexibly adapt ongoing therapies to the course of the disease.

Proton Therapy

In this project, a solution approach for more effective and safer cancer treatment through proton therapy is emerging.

Radiation Therapy

In our projects interactive methods for planning and adapting plans for radiation therapy are developed.

Optimization in Radiofrequency Ablation

With suitable plan calculation, tumors can be completely destroyed and healthy tissue largely spared.

Extra-Corporal Focussed Ultrasound Therapy

The potential of this non-invasive tumor therapy can be unlocked with optimization methods.

Decision Support Systems

In medicine, health care and the social sector, experts as well as involved laypersons are often confronted with challenging planning tasks that can hardly be solved manually in a target-oriented way and with the best possible results. Such complex planning processes are completed in our projects with methods of mathematical decision support in a resource-efficient way and with the highest possible quality of results.

Project resiLIR

Knowledge Transfer on the Topic of Resilience

Technological advancement and functional expansion of our first web-based resilience tool.

Project APPWAG, ResiBeWa, DREAM

Strengthening Resilience Digitally

Using Digital Tools to Increase Mental Resilience.

Projects DECIDE I and DECIDE II

Digital Clinical Decision Making and Patient Participation

Project AI4Lungs

Optimal Treatment Paths for Lung Diseases

AI-based personalized treatment of respiratory diseases based on multimodal data.

Project VIKI pro

Digitally Assisted Care Planning

This project aims at the software-supported planning and documentation of nursing services with the help of artificial intelligence methods.

Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence

In healthcare, extensive data is collected in many places that must be evaluated for important decisions and also contains valuable empirical knowledge. With mathematical data analysis and artificial intelligence (AI) methods, it is possible to automatically evaluate such data very efficiently and gain profound empirical values that will help in future decision-making situations.

Project »KISMO«

AI in Thyroid Surgery

AI assistance system for intraoperative neuromonitoring by monitoring nerve function and deriving strategies.

Projects EPIK I and EPIK II

Data Integration for the Cancer Registry

Artificial Intelligence for automated allocation and optimization of medical data processes.

Project COMFORTAGE

Health Strategies Against Age-Related Diseases

Prediction and Monitoring for Prevention and Alleviation of Dementia and Fragilty.

Project RELEVIUM

Lifestyle Optimization for Pancreatic Cancer

Cancer patients receive individual digital support.

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Project KoGGe

Data Analysis in the Healthcare Sector

By analyzing billing data, potential improvements in health care can be found.

Virtual Design in Medical Technology

The construction and operational design of medical devices and products is a resource-intensive process with high demands on the results. We design these design processes efficiently by mathematical simulation of the underlying scientific and technical processes and by targeted optimization of the respective design parameters. In this way, the best possible results can be achieved.

Project KoniuS

Artificial Intelligence in Care Robotics

We support CONET Solutions in the design of a robotic system for food and beverage distribution

Project FAST-MoPPs

Mobile PCR Tests

In this project, an optimal design for mobile PCR tests that can be used and evaluated flexibly in terms of location is being developed.

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Project HPVex

Treatment of HPV Infections

With a suitably designed thermal ablation therapy device, cancers of the cervical canal are prevented.

Project TheraVision

Viruses in Tumor Therapy

The aim of the project is to establish a broadly applicable platform technology for combined oncolytic virus immunotherapy.

Project DIUP

Reversible Contraception

In this project, design studies for the best possible design of an intrauterine device are performed.

Project LaparOpt

Optimization of the Closure of the Abdominal Wall

After surgical interventions in the abdomen, the abdominal wall must be closed again as best as possible to avoid scar hernias.

Contact Press / Media

Prof. Dr. Karl-Heinz Küfer

Head of the Division »Optimization« and Head of Department »Optimization in Life Sciences«

Fraunhofer-Institut für Techno- und Wirtschaftsmathematik ITWM
Fraunhofer-Platz 1
67663 Kaiserslautern

Phone +49 631 31600-4491

Fax +49 631 31600-5491

Send email
karl-heinz.kuefer@itwm.fraunhofer.de
more info

Contact Press / Media

Dr. Alexander Scherrer

Deputy Head of Department »Optimization in Life Sciences« in the division »Optimization«

Fraunhofer-Institut für Techno- und Wirtschaftsmathematik ITWM
Fraunhofer-Platz 1
67663 Kaiserslautern

Phone +49 631 31600-4609

Fax +49 631 31600-5609

Send email
alexander.scherrer@itwm.fraunhofer.de
more info

Optimization in the Life Sciences

Operational Research in Healthcare

Optimization of Rescue Station Locations

Using Mathematics to Fight the Coronavirus

Optimizing Medical Care in Rural Areas

Optimization of Duty Rosters

Disposition in Transportation

Scheduling Medical Appointments

Optimization of Therapy Plans

Progress-Controlled Radiation Therapy

Proton Therapy

Radiation Therapy

Optimization in Radiofrequency Ablation

Extra-Corporal Focussed Ultrasound Therapy

Decision Support Systems

Knowledge Transfer on the Topic of Resilience

Strengthening Resilience Digitally

Digital Clinical Decision Making and Patient Participation

Optimal Treatment Paths for Lung Diseases

Digitally Assisted Care Planning

More Projects

Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence

AI in Thyroid Surgery

Data Integration for the Cancer Registry

Health Strategies Against Age-Related Diseases

Lifestyle Optimization for Pancreatic Cancer

Data Analysis in the Healthcare Sector

More Projects

Virtual Design in Medical Technology

Artificial Intelligence in Care Robotics

Mobile PCR Tests

Treatment of HPV Infections

Viruses in Tumor Therapy

Reversible Contraception

Optimization of the Closure of the Abdominal Wall

Contact Press / Media

Prof. Dr. Karl-Heinz Küfer

Contact Press / Media

Dr. Alexander Scherrer