MCNN reports strong first-half results in 2026

With 20 publications and more than €3 million in third-party funding, the MCNN underscores its successful development during the first half of the year.

At mid-year, the Mannheim Center of Neuromodulation and Neuroprosthetics (MCNN) at the University Medical Center Mannheim is reporting a positive interim result. In the past week alone, three scientific papers involving the MCNN have been published. These studies address, among other topics, new explanatory models for phantom perceptions, language processing in artificial neural networks, and modern approaches to reservoir computing. Overall, the MCNN has already contributed to 20 scientific publications in 2026.

The topics reflect the center’s broad range of research activities. In the clinical field, the main focus is on neuropathic pain, spinal cord stimulation, neuromodulation, and functional neurosurgery. These areas are complemented by research into artificial intelligence (AI), brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), language processing, consciousness, tinnitus, and advanced imaging techniques.

The MCNN has also achieved important successes in research funding. Since October of last year, the center has secured more than €3 million in third-party funding. This includes funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG), as well as funding currently applied for from the Dr. Rolf M. Schwiete Foundation for a state-of-the-art High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) system. The device is intended to open up new possibilities for the non-invasive treatment of neurological and pain-related disorders.

The MCNN was founded by Prof. Dr. Thomas Kinfe, who continues to lead the center. Its goal is to closely integrate clinical expertise, neuroscience, medical engineering, physics, and artificial intelligence. This interdisciplinary approach is key to better understanding new therapies, planning them with greater precision, and ultimately tailoring them more closely to individual patients.

The current mid-year review highlights the MCNN’s dynamic development over a relatively short period of time. At the heart of its work is the close connection between research and clinical application. New scientific insights are intended to contribute to a better understanding of disorders of the nervous system and to the continued development of innovative treatment approaches.