On 7 May 2025, the inaugural event of the central scientific institution ROCINI took place in the auditorium of the University of Rostock. Prof Dr Christian Haubelt, the new spokesperson for ROCINI, presented the institution's medium and long-term goals to around 50 invited guests. In addition, Prof Dr Ursula van Rienen, former spokesperson of ROCINI, outlined the origins and development of ROCINI in her presentation.

The path to the founding of ROCINI in 20219 led via the DFG Research Training Group 1505 ‘Analysis and Simulation of Electrical Interactions between Implants and Biosystems’ (welisa), which ran from 2008 to 2017, and the DFG Collaborative Research Centre 1270 ‘Electrically Active Implants’ (ELAINE), which has been in existence since 2017.

ROCINI was initially founded as a virtual centre in order to secure research excellence at the Rostock site in the long term and to strengthen the competitiveness of the University of Rostock and Rostock University Medical Centre. With the clear localisation as a central scientific institution within the structure of the University of Rostock, an important step was taken for the further development of ROCINI.

The broad spectrum of interdisciplinary implant research around ROCINI was presented by the heads of the four ROCINI sub-areas - ‘Smart Sensors & Actuators’, ‘Simulation & Modelling’, ‘Tissue Interaction’ and ‘Materials’ - in their talks.

A highlight of the event was the presentation by Prof Dr Thorsten Buzug, Managing Director of Fraunhofer IMTE and Head of the Institute for Medical Technology at the University of Lübeck, on innovative materials, in particular magnetic nanoparticles. These are used in imaging diagnostics, among other things.

During the event, Prof. van Rienen was bid farewell from the Executive Board by Prof. Rainer Bader, ROCINI's deputy spokesperson and long-time companion.