An innovative Objective: Human-Immunology

Even though immunology is not a new scientific discipline, it has developed most significantly in recent years. It examines the mechanisms at work when a higher organism defends itself against viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites, and the patterns by which foreign elements such as transplants or tumor cells are recognized. For this reason, immunology is very important for all larger fields of medicine such as infectious diseases, oncology, chronic inflammations, autoimmunity, and transplantation. The influence of this research has long been underrated, a situation that changed only when the Swiss immunologist Rolf Zinkernagel was awarded the Nobel Prize.

The Institute for Research in Biomedicine will set itself off from other, already established institutions because of its exclusive focus on human immunology. Its research activities will include aspects of immune defense and regulation, the mechanisms through which pathogens and tumor cells escape from immunity-monitoring. Moreover, research will also focus on the relationship between immune defense mechanisms and other biological functions in the human organism.

On the basis of this approach, research is expected to reach high standards and gain international significance. Internationally recognized scientists with the highest qualifications will be involved in this process and instrumentalized in order to create an incentive for many committed people to invest into the tasks and progress of the Institute.