Xemperia, a start-up founded in 2023, develops innovative early cancer detection blood tests.

The University of Fribourg (Unifr) has many claims to fame. In addition to being the only officially bilingual university in Switzerland (some of its study programs are even trilingual), it is also behind a host of pioneering initiatives that push the boundaries of research and technology. They include the Adolphe Merkle Institute (AMI) and early-stage ventures like Xemperia and Neuria which are at the forefront of efforts to develop innovative life science-based solutions.

Xemperia, which was founded in 2023, is a Unifr start-up specializing in advanced medical diagnostics. It draws on decades of breast oncology research, as well as its expertise in biostatistics, medical biology and DNA technology to develop innovative blood tests that screen for early-stage cancer. The hope is that this precise, affordable, easy-to-use diagnostic tool will help improve survival rates thanks to its ability to detect the disease when it is most responsive to treatment.

Did you know that video games can be used to improve public health? That is precisely what Neuria, another Unifr spin-off, does. The digital therapeutics start-up, which has been operating since 2021, is deploying gamification methods to create tools that help users change their eating habits and make healthier lifestyle choices. Its core software, ‘The Diner, which incorporates Neuria’s patented neurocognitive mechanism, has been shown to reduce junk food consumption by 20% among trial participants. Its unique and ingenious approach has earned the start-up several accolades, from Venture Kick funding to a Fribourg Innovation Award. This official recognition of Neuria’s work also reflects its huge game-changing potential for nutritional health interventions

Artificial muscles

The Adolphe Merkle Institute (AMI), an independent competence center at the Unifr, is globally renowned for its research on smart materials and nanotechnologies and has a growing roster of collaborative projects with national and international partners, such as ‘Integrate’, a project that covers multiple disciplines, including life sciences. As Dr. Ana Claudia Marques, Knowledge and Technology Transfer Manager at AMI, explains, “This European network, which is led by AMI, is working on the development of fully artificial muscles.” Another AMI project creates cellular lung models to find out what effect the inhalation of toxic particles has on the human lung. Using models reduces the need for animal testing and generates more reliable results. Closer to market is New Eden Labs, a start-up selling an eco-friendly, silica-based fertilizer that makes plants more resistant to disease, water stress and drought.