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Our Research.

We discover personalized medical solutions for environmentally triggered diseases.

Our Research.

We discover personalized medical solutions for environmentally triggered diseases.

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Research Highlights

Big Data at Your Bedside

Analysis of genes can help in detecting diseases at an early stage as well as in determining new drug targets for therapy. Thanks to extremely powerful data processing, the field holds great promise for advancement. Helmholtz Munich is particularly…

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Public Engagement,

In the Front Row

Numerous renowned female researchers work at Helmholtz Munich. Ensuring that female scientists receive the best support for their careers is an important element in promoting excellence.

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Public Engagement,

Knowledge Fosters Health!

How do I stay healthy? What impact do my environment and lifestyle have on my health? And how can I prevent, treat, or even cure chronic diseases like diabetes, allergies, or lung diseases?

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Transfer,

"A startup can be just as big a success as a Leibniz Prize!"

Matthias Tschöp, CEO of Helmholtz Munich, talks about translating scientific discoveries into clinical practice, about ambitious targets, and about ideas he acquired during his time in the USA.

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Stem Cells, IES,

Understanding Embryonic Development

The ability to reprogram cells holds great promises for regenerative medicine. Cells from the embryo at the beginning of life divide and produce all cell types in the body. What can embryos teach us so that we can generate cells ‘à la carte’ to cure…

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Pioneer Campus,

Organ-on-Chip: Micro-Organs for Personalised Cell Therapy

They fit in the palm of your hand – tiny mini-labs that researchers at Helmholtz Munich want to use to shape the medicine of tomorrow. “Organ-on-chip” is the key word. This approach combines engineering and biology, not only making it easier to…

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Transfer, Diabetes, IDR, IDF,

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:…

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Environmental Health, IEM,

One Health: Climate Change Triggers Common Diseases

Rising temperatures accelerate processes: The simple rule of thumb taught in chemistry classes and known as reaction velocity-temperature-regulation, also applies in a broader sense to the effects of global warming on risk groups and sensitive…

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Diabetes, IDF,

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.

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Computational Health,

How AI is Revolutionizing Medicine

Computer systems can already independently analyze health data, learn from it and even derive therapy recommendations. Which opportunities this means for patients and what research needs to apply artificial intelligence in practice.

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Molecular Targets and Therapeutics, STB,

Hope in the Fight Against Parasites

Every year, millions of people fall ill with Chagas or sleeping sickness. Both diseases are caused by parasites that are spreading from tropical countries to Europe. Researchers have discovered a weak spot in those parasites, which may be a key to a…

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Environmental Health, IAP,

The Farm Effect

Many children suffer from asthma or allergies. Early and effective prevention of these diseases is the declared goal of science. Which research strategies do scientists pursue and what part does cow barn play in this story?

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Research News

Awards & Grants, Computational Health, ICB,

Fabian Theis wins Leibniz Prize 2023

The German Research Foundation (DFG, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) awarded Fabian Theis the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize – the most prestigious research award in Germany. Fabian Theis is Head of the Computational Health Center at Helmholtz…

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Awards & Grants, Diabetes, IDO,

Transformative Drugs Discovered: Matthias Tschöp Wins Major US Award

For major breakthroughs, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) awards its highest honor, the Banting Medal for Scientific Achievement named after the nobel laureate and discoverer of insulin, Frederick Banting. Helmholtz Munich CEO and Humboldt…

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Public Engagement, Diabetes, IDF,

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

With this new campaign, scientists want to raise awareness for early detection and prevention of type 1 diabetes in children.

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Molecular Targets and Therapeutics,

New Research Unit Signaling & Translation (SAT) established

On January 1, 2023, the new independent research unit “Signaling & Translation” (SAT) was established at Helmholtz Munich under the leadership of Daniel Krappmann. As part of the “Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center” (MTTC), SAT investigates…

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Awards & Grants, Pioneer Campus,

Lara Urban is Young Scientist of the Year 2022

Helmholtz Munich scientist Lara Urban has been selected by academics as the Young Scientist of the Year 2022. The academics Young Scientist Award, which is endowed with 5,000 €, honors young scientists who have made lasting advances in their…

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Awards & Grants, ICB, ITG, AIH, Pioneer Campus,

Successful evaluation of Helmholtz AI

Helmholtz AI is a research-driven hub for applied artificial intelligence (AI) and one of five platforms initiated by the Helmholtz Information and Data Science Incubator. Three years after the foundation, Helmholtz AI underwent a review in October…

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New Research Findings, Computational Health,

Node-centric expression models (NCEMs): Graph-neural networks reveal communication between cells

How do single cells communicate in a tissue? How can these interactions be modeled, while retaining information of spatial context? Researchers around Fabian Theis from Helmholtz Munich Computational Health Center and Technical University of Munich…

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Awards & Grants, Diabetes, IDO,

Timo Müller receives the Galenus-von-Pergamon Award 2022

Timo Müller and his team have been working for many years on the development of new therapeutic options for diabetes and obesity. Among other things, they decoded a brain receptor that plays a crucial role in the regulation of body weight and food…

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Awards & Grants, Computational Health,

New EU Research Project NEUROCOV Investigates Neurological and Neuropsychiatric Complications Following COVID-19 Infections

Over the next five years, the interdisciplinary NEUROCOV consortium will investigate the role of the host-virus interplay in the occurrence of neurological and psychiatric symptoms resulting from COVID-19 as a foundation for new treatment options.

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Awards & Grants, Computational Health, ITG,

Sarah Kim-Hellmuth Receives Friedmund Neumann Prize 2022

Dr. Sarah Kim-Hellmuth, Research Group Leader at the Helmholtz Munich Institute of Translational Genomics will be awarded the Friedmund Neumann Prize 2022 for her groundbreaking work in studying the genetic influence on human gene activity.

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Transfer, New Research Findings, Diabetes, IDO,

New Drug Candidate Developed to Treat Type 2 Diabetes

A team of researchers from Helmholtz Munich, the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) and Novo Nordisk have developed a new hormone combination for the future treatment of type 2 diabetes. The scientists have combined the blood sugar-reducing…

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Awards & Grants, Diabetes, IDF,

Anette-Gabriele Ziegler Receives EASD–Novo Nordisk Foundation Diabetes Prize for Excellence 2022

Prof. Dr. Anette-Gabriele Ziegler, Director of the Helmholtz Munich Institute of Diabetes Research (IDF) receives this year’s EASD–Novo Nordisk Foundation Diabetes Prize for Excellence. The prize is awarded to honor outstanding contributions to the…

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New Research Findings, Computational Health, ICB,

How Pathogenic Gene Variants Lead to Heart Failure

Cardiomyopathy is not a uniform disease. Rather, individual genetic defects lead to heart failure in different ways, an international consortium with participation of Dr. Matthias Heinig, researcher at Helmholtz Munich, reports in Science.

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New Research Findings, Environmental Health, EPI,

Heart Attack on Hot Days - Which Role Do Cardiovascular Drugs Play?

On days with high temperatures, people taking certain medications have an increased risk of heart attack: this was found by a team of researchers led by Alexandra Schneider, PhD, research group leader 'Environmental Risks' at the Helmholtz Munich…

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Awards & Grants, Environmental Health, LHI,

BMBF Grant for Mini-Lung-Model to Predict the Inhalation of Substances

How can we predict the distribution of inhaled medical substances on the human body? And how can we do so with alternative methods without animal testing?

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New Research Findings, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics, AMIR,

How Tiny Changes Help T Cells to Survive

Researchers gain a fundamental insight for epitranscriptomics and immune response. The research group around Vigo Heissmeyer and Taku Ito-Kureha of Helmholtz Munich and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München has revealed the essential function of m6A…

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Awards & Grants, Environmental Health, LHI, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics, MCD,

FERROPath Consortium: Helmholtz Munich Researchers Receive BMBF Research Funding

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding research of new treatment strategies for preventing tissue ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) as part of the FERROPath consortium. Starting in July 2022, the consortium receives…

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Environmental Health, IAP,

Erika von Mutius Awarded With Advanced Erc Grant on Research in Asthma and Allergy Prevention

Erika von Mutius, Director of the Environmental Health Center, and her team receive an Advanced ERC Grant for their research on prevention strategies to curb asthma and allergies in children. ERC Advanced Grants are endowed with up to 2.5 million…

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Awards & Grants, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics, VIRO,

Preventing the Next Pandemic: EU Funds Research Infrastructure in the Munich Area

The EU grant “PerForM-REACT” supports an infrastructure in the greater Munich area for pandemic management and prevention. Helmholtz Munich will receive new equipment for a biosafety level 3 laboratory where researchers can conduct important studies…

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Awards & Grants, Computational Health, Health AI, ICB,

Fabian Theis is a New EMBO Member

Fabian Theis, Director of the Computational Health Center at Helmholtz Munich, has been accepted for membership in the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). Scientists can only be invited to join EMBO on the recommendation of existing…

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Our Research Centers

Helmholtz Diabetes Center

Computational Health Center

Stem Cell Center

Environmental Health Center

Bioengineering Center

Molecular Targets and Therapies Center

Helmholtz Pioneer Campus

Core Facilities

Core Facilities

Core facilities support and enable our center’s research by providing centralized access to cutting-edge technologies, instruments and highly skilled staff, fostering innovation and connecting scientists across disciplines.

Helmholtz Munich / Matthias Balk

Transfer

©Helmholtz Munich / Ertürk lab

Our cutting-edge research forms the basis for medical innovations. Together with our partners, we are accelerating the transfer of our research to bring new ideas from the laboratories to application even faster.
n addition to implementing innovative diagnostics, medical technologies, sustainable prevention measures and personalized therapeutics, we are shaping a dialogical and interactive transfer of knowledge. In this way, we make a valuable contribution to a healthier society.

More information

Our Researchers

Stephan Herzig

"It is my vision to successfully drive a mechanistic finding into clinical application in the area of obesity-related metabolic dysfunction as well as cancer cachexia."

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Prof. Dr. Stephan Herzig

Director of the Diabetes Center

Fabian Theis

"With KI we can imagine a future where diagnosing and treating diseases is more affordable, widely available, and thus more democratic."

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Prof. Dr. Fabian Theis

Director of the Computational Health Center

Vasilis Ntziachristos

"Our research at Helmholtz Munich is driven by our interest to provide solutions that address critical unmet medical need and positively impact healthcare and the well-being of society."

Prof. Dr. Vasilis Ntziachristos

Director of the Bioengineering Center

Erika von Mutius

"I am a passionate pediatrician scientist. My research focusses on the roots of asthma and allergy development with the aim of ultimately preventing these diseases in children at risk."

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Prof. Dr. Erika von Mutius

Director of the Environmental Health Center

Magdalena Götz

"My vision is to explore the mechanisms of neurogenesis to use it for instructing neurogenesis for replacement of lost neurons."

Prof. Dr. Magdalena Götz

Director of the Stem Cell Center

Michael Sattler

"We combine integrative structural biology to elucidate molecular mechanisms of biological pathways, highlighting the essential roles of dynamics and transient regulatory interations to enable innovative structure-based drug discovery."

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Prof. Dr. Michael Sattler

Director of the Molecular Targets & Therapeutics Center

Publications

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Networks

Helmholtz

German Center for Diabetes Research

German Center for Lung Research