HDC | Helmholtz Munich

Our research at the Helmholtz Diabetes Center aims at understanding the molecular bases underlying all forms of diabetes, its heterogeneity and risk factors, including obesity as well as its complications and comorbidities. We combine world-leading basic research with clinical intervention and cohort studies to develop tomorrow’s diabetes precision medicine.

Our research at the Helmholtz Diabetes Center aims at understanding the molecular bases underlying all forms of diabetes, its heterogeneity and risk factors, including obesity as well as its complications and comorbidities. We combine world-leading basic research with clinical intervention- and cohort studies to develop tomorrow’s diabetes precision medicine.

Molecular model of insulin molecule, 3D illustration

We identify risk factors for diabetes in children and adults and its complications. Our world-class basic research enables us to define new biomarker for its development and progression and therapeutic targets.

blutaufnahme-02-institut-fotoshooting-nozy-andreas pfohl-220727_0090

We are leading in early detection and prevention of type 1 and type 2 diabetes as well as development of innovative personalized therapies to combat diabetes and obesity.

We develop new venues for cell-based therapies, to reestablish a health metabolic function. We jointly work to identify the molecular basis of diabetes complications and means for their remission.

Diabetes in Children

Early detection tests for a world without type 1 diabetes

At Helmholtz Munich, scientists are working to ensure that no child will have to suffer from the autoimmune disease type 1 diabetes in the future.

Our partnerships for a world without diabetes

Researchers at Helmholtz Munich are working toward a world without diabetes. They are not doing so alone, but with a network of organizations, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies. Their goal is to use experts’ knowledge to create something new: innovative prevention and treatment of diabetes.

Longevity Treatments Do Not Slow Aging

Three approaches with a reputation for slowing aging processes have proven largely ineffective. For their study, researchers developed a new method to measure aging, which accounts for the complexity of aging in organisms.

Prof. Dr. Stephan Herzig

Director & Head of Division Diabetic Complications View profile

Prof. Dr. Heiko Lickert

Institute Director and Group Leader Insulin/IGF signalling in metabolism and growth & Islet Biology View profile

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Anette-Gabriele Ziegler

Institute Director, Chair of Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes, Klinikum rechts der Isar and Technical University of Munich, Director of the Global Platform for the Prevention of Autoimmune Diabetes (GPPAD) View profile

Prof. Dr. Matthias Blüher

HI-MAG Director and Head of Clinical Obesity Research Group View profile

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Martin Hrabě De Angelis

Research Director Helmholtz Munich, Full Professor and Chair of Experimental Genetics Technical University Munich, Director of the Institute of Experimental Genetics Helmholtz Munich View profile

Prof. Dr. Nina Henriette Uhlenhaut

Institute Director View profile

Prof. Dr. Paul Pfluger

Head of Research Unit View profile

Prof. Dr. Andreas Birkenfeld

Director of Insitute, Medical doctor View profile

Prof. Dr. Matthias Hebrok

Director View profile

Our News

Diabetes Conference - Diabetes: The Next Generation 2.0

The 10th Helmholtz Diabetes Conference will take place on September 27-29., 2023 in Munich and highlight the new generation of successful scientists in the field of diabetes research.

More information

See all

Loft A, Schmidt SF, Caratti G, Stifel U, Havelund J, Sekar R, Kwon Y, Sulaj A, Chow KK, Alfaro AJ, Schwarzmayr T, Rittig N, Svart M, Tsokanos FF, Maida A, Blutke A, Feuchtinger A, Møller N, Blüher M, Nawroth P, Szendrödi J, Færgeman NJ, Zeigerer A, Tuckermann J, Herzig S.

A macrophage-hepatocyte glucocorticoid receptor axis coordinates fasting ketogenesis.

Karlina R, Flexeder C, Stephanie M, Bhattacharyya M, Schneider E, Altun I, Gschwendtner S, Neumann AU, Nano J, Schloter M, Peters A, Schulz H, Schmidt-Weber CB, Standl M, Traidl-Hoffmann C, Alessandrini F, Ussar S.

Differential effects of lung inflammation on insulin resistance in humans and mice.

Karl FM, Winkler C, Ziegler A-G, Laxy M, Achenbach P

Costs of Public Health Screening of Children for Presymptomatic Type 1 Diabetes in Bavaria, Germany.

Xu CS, Pang S, Shtengel G, Müller A, Ritter AT, Hoffman HK, Takemura SY, Lu Z, Pasolli HA, Iyer N, Chung J, Bennett D, Weigel AV, Freeman M, van Engelenburg SB, Walther TC, Farese RV Jr, Lippincott-Schwartz J, Mellman I, Solimena M, Hess HF.

An open-access volume electron microscopy atlas of whole cells and tissues.

Helmholtz Diabetes Center

Our Research Areas

Diabetes and its Risk Factors

Prevention and Personalized Therapies

Regenerative Therapies for Diabetes and its Complications

Our Research Highlights

Early detection tests for a world without type 1 diabetes

Our partnerships for a world without diabetes

Longevity Treatments Do Not Slow Aging

Our Scientists at the Helmholtz Diabetes Center

Prof. Dr. Stephan Herzig

Prof. Dr. Heiko Lickert

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Anette-Gabriele Ziegler

Dr. Timo Müller

Prof. Dr. Michele Solimena

Prof. Dr. Tor Henrik Semb

Prof. Dr. Matthias Blüher

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Martin Hrabě De Angelis

Prof. Dr. Nina Henriette Uhlenhaut

Prof. Dr. Paul Pfluger

Prof. Dr. Andreas Birkenfeld

Prof. Dr. Matthias Hebrok

Our Institutes

Institute for Diabetes and Cancer

Institute of Diabetes Research

Institute of Experimental Genetics

Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research

Institute for Diabetes and Obesity

Institute of Pancreatic Islet Research

Institute of Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases

Institute of Translational Stem Cell Research

Helmholtz-Institute for Metabolic, Obesity and Vascular Research

Institute for Diabetes and Endocrinology

Institute for Diabetes and Organoid Technology

Research Unit Type 1 Diabetes Immunology

Our News

Transformative Drugs Discovered: Matthias Tschöp Wins Major US Award

K1DS ARE HEROES - Helmholtz Munich and GPPAD present the Type 1 Diabetes Awareness Campaign

Timo Müller receives the Galenus-von-Pergamon Award 2022

Upcoming Events

Diabetes Conference - Diabetes: The Next Generation 2.0

Selected Publications

Research School for Diabetes

Networks and Affiliations

DZD

diabinfo

IHRS for Diabetes

Contact Director of Operations

Dr. Tobias Schafmeier

Contact Coordinator

Dr. Anne Caniard

Looking for a new challenge?

Join our team.