Center for Molecular Biology Heidelberg

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ZMBH building on the Neuenheimer Feld campus

The Center for Molecular Biology of the University of Heidelberg (ZMBH) is a central scientific institution of the University of Heidelberg . It is dedicated to basic research in molecular biology and to academic teaching and training.

history

The ZMBH was founded in 1983. This happened as a result of an initiative by Heidelberg professors who, through their training in the USA, recognized the potential of the rapidly developing molecular biology and were also dissatisfied with the traditional chair structures. They developed a concept for a new research center to establish university molecular biology research based on international standards.

The decision of BASF AG in 1982 to support this concept with DM 5 million was the impetus for further activities, which resulted in the establishment of the ZMBH. Important steps on this way were the fundamental decision of the Council of Ministers of the State of Baden-Württemberg to build the "new ZMBH building" and the inclusion in the gene center program of the then Federal Ministry for Research and Technology (BMFT, today's Federal Ministry for Education and Research , BMBF) . Work began in 1983 in temporary rooms; the new research building could be occupied in 1985.

After its establishment, the ZMBH was able to establish itself as a research and training center. ZMBH scientists could u. a. contribute to the advancement of science in the following areas:

Since December 2007, the ZMBH has been working closely with the research focus cell and tumor biology of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in the form of the DKFZ-ZMBH alliance with the aim of linking basic research and medical issues and serving as a model for cooperation between federal and to serve state research institutions.

research

The scientists at the ZMBH research central molecular and cell biological processes that often affect medical aspects and make contributions in various areas of cellular and molecular biology, developmental biology , biochemistry , and infection biology .

Research focuses on the control of cell division and growth , the mechanisms of the formation, modification and breakdown of proteins and the molecular principles of signal control in cells.

Here are model systems such. B. bacteria, yeast cells, mammalian cells, fruit flies and clawed frogs are used. In addition, the scientists have access to central scientific facilities for mass spectrometry and proteomics , flow cytometry and high-performance light microscopy.

Research groups

The following research groups work at the ZMBH:

  • Simon Anders - Bioinformatic tools for high throughput data
  • Ilka Bischofs - Bacterial Signal Networks
  • Bernd Bukau - Chaperones and Proteases
  • Christine Clayton - mRNA regulation in trypanosomes
  • Sylvia Erhardt - Epigenetics and Biology of Centromeres
  • Claudio Joazeiro - Ubiquitin and Neurodegeneration
  • Henrik Kaessmann - Evolution of Mammalian Genomes
  • Michael Knop - Systems Biology , Meiosis and Signal Transduction
  • Marius Lemberg - Intramembrane Proteolysis
  • Matthias Mayer - Regulation of Protein Conformation
  • Frauke Melchior - SUMOylation
  • Stefan Pfeffer - Cryo-EM analysis of ribosomal complexes
  • Elmar Schiebel - Chromosome Segregation in Mitosis
  • Sebastian Schuck - Organelle homeostasis
  • Georg Stöcklin - mRNA turnover
  • Rebecca Wade - Molecular and Cellular Modeling

Infrastructure

200–250 people work in the ZMBH. The research groups are headed by professors or by junior and project group leaders whose positions are limited in time. 40% of the employees are foreign scientists from 25 nations. The scientists are supported in their work by central scientific and administrative institutions.

The ZMBH is headed by a director who is elected for two years. A scientific advisory board supports the university management and the ZMBH in the strategic alignment and evaluation of scientific achievements.

Teaching

Courses offered by the ZMBH are part of the bachelor's and master's degree programs as well as the teaching degree course in biology at the Faculty of Biosciences at Heidelberg University.

The English-language master’s program in Molecular Biosciences is aimed equally at German and foreign Bachelor graduates. Another focus is the training and supervision of doctoral students.

The institute accepts networks of the university resulting from the Excellence Initiative , such as B. the Graduate School HBIGS (Hartmut Hoffmann-Berling International Graduate School of Molecular and Cellular Biology) and the Cluster of Excellence CellNetworks .

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