Jena, May 10, 2026. The Universitätsklinikum Jena (UKJ) is starting a large-scale research project on chronic inflammation with million-euro funding. The scientists are specifically focusing on natural active ingredients such as frankincense resin, vitamin E, and selenium.
- Project Name: nature4HEALTH
- Institution: Universitätsklinikum Jena (UKJ)
- Research Objective: Effect of natural substances against chronic inflammation (including type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, cardiovascular diseases)
- Funding Volume: Nearly 1 million euros from the European Regional Development Fund (EFRE)
- Project Duration: Until December 2026
- Project Management: Prof. Lorkowski and Dr. Wallert
Nanoparticles Intended to Improve Active Ingredient Absorption
Under the project name “nature4HEALTH,” the Jena scientists are investigating how plant-based and natural substances can be optimally integrated into modern inflammatory medicine. Chronic inflammation is often the driving force behind widespread diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, or fatty liver.
To maximize the effectiveness of the natural substances, the researchers are relying on a technical trick: the active ingredients are packaged into tiny nanoparticles. This method is intended to massively increase bioavailability, allowing the human body to better absorb the substances and utilize them at the sites of inflammation. The Jena team also hopes for synergistic effects – meaning that different natural substances reinforce each other in their anti-inflammatory effects.
High Demand for New Therapies
The urgency for new approaches in inflammatory medicine is highlighted by complex clinical pictures where traditional medicine reaches its limits. On today’s World Lupus Day (May 10), physicians and those affected are drawing attention to systemic inflammatory diseases, which often result in severe organ damage. Chronic inflammatory processes also play a central role in the still insufficiently understood disease progression of the severe neuroimmunological disorder ME/CFS, which affects up to 650,000 people in Deutschland.
Background: Top-Level Research in Lobeda
The Universitätsklinikum Jena (UKJ) in the district of Lobeda is the only university hospital in Thüringen and a central engine for medical research in Central Germany. For years, research into infections, inflammatory processes, and sepsis (blood poisoning) has been an internationally recognized focus of the Jena scientific landscape. The “nature4HEALTH” approach of combining established knowledge about natural remedies with state-of-the-art nanotechnology reflects the close integration of basic biological research and applied medicine at the Jena site.
Source:
Natural substances against inflammation: Jena researchers rely on frankincense and co.
Transparency Note: This article was automatically created, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.