From Alzheimer’s to space research

New hope for people with glaucoma 

Glaucoma is one of the most common - and insidious - eye diseases. At first, sufferers hardly notice any symptoms at all. Yet the condition, which in some cases can lead to blindness, can only be treated if diagnosed early. And the only way to detect it is to have a doctor check the intraocular pressure. In future, prevention could become much easier thanks to German-American research collaboration at the Fraunhofer USA Center Midwest. Professor Wen Li, who won Michigan State University’s Innovator of the Year Award, worked with her team to develop very thin sensors that can be worn like contact lenses. They measure the intraocular pressure and help with early diagnosis of glaucoma. 

Global reach is crucial

Run by Wen Li, the Fraunhofer Center Midwest was established in 1994. According to Fraunhofer in Germany, the USA is a vital partner when it comes to research questions and innovative developments. It says this is partly because the USA spends five times as much on research and development - and has a “can do” mentality. Will the US remain just as optimistic, willing to invest and active in the field of research? Many universities had their budgets slashed following Donald Trump’s election as US president. According to Fraunhofer, the consequences are as yet impossible to predict. As a hub for research and innovation, however, Germany’s global reach is “crucial to its competitiveness and future viability”.

Intensive exchange

For decades, this realisation has led in particular to international cooperation with the USA. In February 2025, the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) recorded 2,295 official collaborations between Germany and the USA. 238 German universities are cooperating with 657 US universities and other institutions. In recent times, the Leibniz institutes have sent more than 700 researchers overseas as visiting scientists. And in November 2025 the Helmholtz Association will be getting a new president - Martin Keller - who has spent nearly 30 years working as a researcher in the US. Currently Keller heads the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) there, the leading research institute for renewable energies in the USA. When his appointment was announced, Keller said: “Throughout my life I have always wanted to be wherever I can make a difference and make the world a better place.” He described the NREL as “a fantastic place” for doing this – with its 46,000 world-class researchers, however, Helmholtz was now offering him a unique opportunity.

Research focused on climate protection

The Helmholtz Association cooperates with various partners in the US. The institute is currently working with the University of Wisconsin-Madison on a climate- and environmentally friendly power station that can be operated on hydrogen gas. The climate is also the central focus of a project being pursued by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). In cooperation with the NASA, the US space agency, the DLR is responsible for the GRACE Follow-On satellite mission. This involves satellites tracking the gravitational field of the Earth and its bodies of water and ice to detect any changes. The aim is to paint a long-term picture of how the Earth’s climate is changing.

New ways of tackling Alzheimer’s

The Max Planck Society also has an institute in the USA. At the Max Planck Florida Institute (MPFI), researchers from around the world come together to answer fundamental questions about how the human brain develops and functions. In November, a study into the way that human experiences become memories in the brain caused a stir. The scientists involved are attempting to understand the learning process in the brain – which could also lead to new ways of preventing memory disorders or Alzheimer’s disease.