The research profile “Biomedicine for Life and Quality of Life” encompasses six key focus areas: Molecular Biomedicine, Fighting Cancer, Inflammation and Infection, Vascular and Transplantation Medicine, Neuroscience, and Medicine for Society. These are complemented by two cross-cutting areas: Personalized Medicine and Digital Medicine.
Research into the molecular processes of the human organism is at the heart of the "Molecular Biomedicine" focus area. Scientists investigate molecular functions in both healthy and diseased states with the goal of deepening the understanding of the causes and development of diseases. This knowledge forms the basis for developing innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
Research and treatment of tumor diseases represent an established priority of the Faculty of Medicine. Epidemiological data indicate that, along with cardiovascular diseases, tumor diseases are the leading cause of death in Germany. Despite significant advances in treatment in recent years, many tumor diseases continue to present major challenges for medicine.
The immune system plays a crucial role not only in defending against infections but also in the development of autoimmune diseases, allergies, and inflammatory responses. The research area "Inflammation and Infection" addresses a broad spectrum of immunological issues, including immunomodulation, autoimmune reactions, resistance to existing anti-infective agents, and the study of inflammation in both infectious and non-infectious diseases.
Transplantation research, a key field within regenerative medicine, is characterized by continuous innovation. At the Faculty of Medicine, research focuses on strategies to mitigate ischemia-reperfusion injury, which occurs when an organ has been deprived of blood supply for a period of time, the prevention of transplant failure, and — given the shortage of donor organs — the development of organ replacement procedures.
The research area "Vascular Medicine" constitutes another subfield within the broader focus on "Vascular and Transplantation Medicine". Vascular diseases are a frequent cause of cardiovascular conditions and strokes. To enable early prevention of these diseases, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving vascular changes is essential.
At the core of this research focus is the decoding of central and peripheral neurodegenerative diseases. The goal is to examine the structure and function of the nervous system in both healthy and diseased states, with the aim of developing new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for neurological and mental disorders.
In light of demographic change, a rapidly evolving world of work and the continuous advancement of new technologies, health science issues are gaining increasing importance. Future-oriented research in this field addresses a wide range of topics, including prevention and care, particularly for individuals with chronic illnesses, the management of disease risks in an ageing society, health-related genome research, and the integration of medical and economic evaluation in the context of clinical studies.
New technologies are rapidly expanding our knowledge of molecular and cellular processes and contributing to our understanding of health and disease. Personalized medicine aims to use this knowledge for individualized prevention, diagnosis and therapy, taking into account individual biological risk markers, genetic predisposition, gender-specific factors or lifestyle factors.
The future of medicine is digital. Artificial intelligence and machine learning open up unprecedented opportunities for patient-oriented, personalized diagnostics and therapy. In everyday medical practice, vast amounts of digital data are generated through clinical systems and procedures, offering immense potential. At the Faculty of Medicine, several institutions and research groups are already successfully advancing work in digital health, machine learning, and related fields.