On October 1, 1999, Prof. Kerstin Thurow was appointed to the world’s first chair for laboratory automation, marking a pioneering achievement at the University of Rostock. What began 25 years ago as a "Orchid subject" has since developed into a significant and influential field.
The Center for Life Science Automation (celisca), founded under the leadership of Prof. Thurow, has evolved into an internationally recognized research hub, specializing in the automation of life science processes.
The center's mission is to develop efficient, automated solutions for research and development across biotechnology, medicine, and pharmacy. This includes automating laboratory processes and incorporating robotics, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies into these fields.
Since its founding in 1999, celisca has benefited from strong support by the European Union, the federal government, and the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. By automating manual procedures that are often time-consuming and prone to errors, celisca enhances the precision and reproducibility of research outcomes. This, in turn, drives significant gains in efficiency, fostering advancements in drug discovery, diagnostics, and therapeutic development.
In addition to its research focus, celisca serves as a vital link between academia and industry. It assists companies in integrating automated processes, thus advancing innovation and enhancing competitiveness within the biotechnology and medical device sectors.
The Center for Life Science Automation provides a platform that not only shapes the future of life sciences through innovative automation solutions but also contributes to the advancement of technologies that have the potential to improve both everyday life and medical care sustainably.
