Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses IZI-BB
Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses IZI-BB

Liposome Technology

Liposomes as Highly Adaptable Nanocarriers and Nano‑Signal Amplification Platforms

Liposomes are synthetic vesicles consisting of a lipid bilayer that encloses an aqueous cavity. Often, they are used as transport systems for encapsulated reagents, enabling their targeted release under controllable conditions.

We offer customized development of liposomes with full control of the liposome design, including enclosed micro- or macromolecules, lipid composition, and targeted surface modifications depending on the application. Liposomes serve as carriers for signal amplification, for sample preparation, or as control vesicles and are therefore used in on-site, high-throughput, and bioassays. If required, they can be designed to react biomimetically to the environment, for example, to hemolysis, toxins, or the complement system.

Characteristics und Benefits of the Technology

  • Signal amplification due to high concentrations of encapsulated signal molecules
  • Precise release of encapsulated reagents
  • Biocompatibility
  • Biomimetic properties and reactivityLong-term storage stability over years
  • Scalable production
  • Easily adjustable characteristics: substance to be encapsulated (hydrophobic & hydrophilic, micro- & macromolecules), lipid composition, surface functionality & modification, charge, size
  • Detection by absorbance, chemiluminescence, electrochemistry, fluorescence, or visually

Engage our expertise to drive your research forward.

Our Contribution to Your Project

  • Development of homogeneous and heterogeneous assays with liposomes as signal-enhancing particles and detection by absorbance, chemiluminescence, electrochemistry, fluorescence, or visual means
  • Development of liposomes with specific characteristics, e.g., as control vesicles or for sample preparation (surface functionality, charge, size, lipid composition, molecules to be enclosed)
  • Development of homogeneous complement pathway-specific activity/functionality assays, e.g., for mechanistic studies or patient screening

© Fraunhofer IZI-BB

  • Complement pathway-specific analysis of the effectiveness and effect of complement inhibitors on the complement system
  • Quality control of sera for their complement activity
  • Liposomes as a platform for analyzing surface modifications and their reactivity with the complement system (e.g., inhibitors, ligands, complement triggers, shielding molecules, etc.)

Liposomes –
Sample preparation, transport, and
signal amplification

Further offers and information on specific use cases and concrete applications for this technology will be available here shortly.

Expand all Close all

Liposome Complement Assays

For activity and functionality analysis of the complement system

© Fraunhofer IZI-BB
Fluorophore-containing liposome

In this project, liposomes serve as an alternative to erythrocytes from traditional techniques for analyzing the activity and functionality of the complement system. Liposomes provide a flexible and adaptable platform technology that enables complement pathway-specific analysis. This technology can be applied in either a mechanistic or therapeutic approach, as well as in the diagnostic field for patient screening.

Methods

  • Liposome production using reverse-phase evaporation, thin-film hydration, microfluidics
  • Detection of liposomes using absorbance, chemiluminescence, electrochemistry, fluorescence, or visual inspection
  • Development of homo- and heterogeneous on-site, high-throughput, and bioassays (e.g., microtiter plate assays, LFAs, microfluidic chips, etc.)
  • Characterization of liposomes using DLS, ELS, (phospho)lipid content, optical & electrochemical properties

 

Equipment

  • Osmometer
  • ICP-OES
  • Zetasizer Nano ZS
  • Multimodal MTP Reader

Publications

  • Streif S, Neckermann P, Hoecherl K, Reiner C, Einhauser S, Konrad J, Breunig M, Wagner R, Baeumner AJ. Development of a Liposome-Based Serological Assay for SARS-CoV-2 Variants with Special Emphasis on Coupling Chemistries Required to Maintain Protein Antigenicity. Anal. Chem. (2025), 97 (36), 19532–19543.
  • Rink S, Kaiser B, Steiner M-S, Duerkop A, Baeumner AJ. Highly sensitive interleukin 6 detection by employing commercially ready liposomes in an LFA format. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry (2022), 414 (10), S. 3231–3241.
  • Hofmann C, Roth G, Hirsch T, Duerkop A, Baeumner AJ. Tethering functionality to lipid interfaces by a fast, simple and controllable post synthesis method. Colloids and surfaces B: Biointerfaces (2019), 181, S. 325–332.
  • Edwards KA, Baeumner AJ. Liposomes in analyses. Talanta (2006), 68 (5), S. 1421–1431.
  • Hoecherl K, Streif S, Spitzenberg C, Rink S, Behrent A, Holzhausen F, Griesche C, Rogoll C, Foedlmeier M, Gebhard A, Kulikowski K, Schaefer N, Pauly D, Baeumner AJ. A homogeneous immunoassay technology based on liposomes and the complement system enables one-step, no-wash, rapid diagnostics directly in serum. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry (2025), 417 (15), S. 3257–3273.
  • Spitzenberg C, Bruckschlegel C, Holzhausen F, Boesl-Bichlmeier S, Pasquier C, Nuernberger P, Bauduin P, Baeumner AJ. Encapsulants Affect Liposome Surface Interactions with Biological Systems. Small (2025), 21 (33), e2505312.

Patents

  • Baeumner AJ, Pauly D, Spitzenberg C, Poppelaars F. Verfahren, Liposomensammlung und Kit zur Bestimmung der Komplementaktivität. WO2024099816, 15. Mai 2024.