- Prof. Dr. Ralf Baumann
Professor for Molecular Medicine
Main focus: Immunology of respiratory diseases and Inflammation in vitro and ex vivo
Research at the interface between the laboratory and the healthcare system
The ITM stands for research at the interface between basic and clinical research. We use basic knowledge and new technologies to develop innovative and safe medicines to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
Our goal is biomedical research and the promotion of young scientists.
Our tasks:
- Establishment and further development of cellular and systemic experimental models for research into acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases (brain and spinal cord damage, Parkinson's disease, autism, schizophrenia) as well as autoimmune and allergic diseases (multiple sclerosis, allergic respiratory diseases), the immunotoxicology of workplace-relevant ultrafine metal dusts (including nanoparticle size range), and the identification of stress markers.
- Translational approach and inclusion of patient samples in order to link the results of basic research with clinical research.
- Development of replacement methods for animal experiments according to the 3R principle (replacement, reduction and refinement) on the basis of organotypic brain slices and three-dimensional cell culture models (“mini-brains”, lung organoids).
- Establishment of an internal university consulting service and core facilities for fluorescence-based confocal microscopy, live-cell imaging and spectral flow cytometry.
- Integration of the institute's research programs in national and international research foci and professional societies.
- Recruitment and promotion of young scientists (scientific and medical doctoral students, postdocs and research group leaders).
- Integrating the specialist knowledge acquired by students into the processing of method-based research topics and research projects.