What is the best way to achieve this?

Biology and communication engineering.

A good match? We will answer this in two minutes of science.

What is the best way to achieve this?

Each day in our modern life we rely on the global communication network.

This network is based on a technology that uses electromagnetic waves,

which enable information exchange over long distances.

In contrast, achieving reliable communication in a human body is very challenging.

For example, in a blood vessel, conventional wave-based communication fails due to the high propagation losses.

However, biological systems employ natural communication processes.

Here, information is conveyed by molecules, by molecule concentrations or molecule types.

Molecular communication is omnipresent, but it is hidden from us most of the time.

A communication system consists always of three parts, the transmitter, the channel and the receiver.

The transmitter emits the information, which propagates in the channel and finally is detected and read by the receiver.

This is why we can interpret taking a drug as communication with the human body.

To reduce the risk of side effects, the dosage has to be well designed.

And here our research begins.

We analyze the drug concentration inside a human body by communication engineering techniques.

This means we use mathematical models, simulations and experiments to forecast when, where and how much of a drug is released.

In the long run, drugs can be developed which take effect only at the target location, for example inside a tumor.

If this topic sounds interesting to you, then join the FAU and find out more.