Berlin Gets €30M AI Medical Innovation Center

Berlin's biomedical sector receives a significant boost with the Helmholtz Association's approval of €30.8 million in funding for the Center for AI-Accelerated Molecular Innovations in Medicine (AI2M). Located at the Max Delbrück Center, this cutting-edge facility will pioneer AI-driven precision medicine and disease prevention.

The ambitious project addresses a critical challenge in our aging society: shifting from treating illness to preventing it before symptoms appear. According to information from the MDC press release, AI2M researchers will analyze vast molecular and clinical datasets from both healthy individuals and patients, using advanced AI models to uncover patterns that signal disease onset.

Construction begins in 2026, with the center operating from two strategic Berlin locations. The Spatial and Single-cell Biomedicine and AI hub in Mitte will be completed by 2029, while the Human Cell Model and Bioengineering hub in Buch follows in 2033.

"As medicine shifts from reactive to predictive, innovation hubs like AI2M will play a pivotal role in transforming medical care," explains Professor Maike Sander, Scientific Director of the Max Delbrück Center.

The facility will leverage breakthrough technologies already developed by Berlin scientists, including single-cell mapping techniques and organoid screening platforms that use patients' own cells as disease models. Key local partners include Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Berlin Institute of Health, ensuring rapid translation from laboratory innovations to clinical practice.

Dr. Stan Gorski, Head of Strategic Initiatives at the Max Delbrück Center, emphasizes the interdisciplinary approach: "AI2M will create powerful new links between AI, engineering, biology, and medicine – enabling breakthroughs at the intersections."

This investment reinforces Berlin's position as a leading hub for medical innovation and AI research.