FORTSCHRITTSBERICHT JAHR 2006 - Helmholtz-Zentrum für ...

A 1.8 Kurzbeschreibung der Bereiche
Entwicklungen auf Zentrumsebene
Anmerkung:
Im Folgenden werden die Bereiche und die Bereichs-unabhängigen Abteilungen des HZI kurz vorgestellt (Stand
01.11.06). Die Beschreibungen sind in englischer Sprach verfasst, damit sie sowohl für das Internet als auch für
andere wissenschaftliche Berichte verwendet werden können.
A 1.8.1 Cell and Immune Biology (ZIB)
Head of Division: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Wehland
Dept. Experimental Immunology (EI)
Head: Dr. Werner Müller
The Department of Experimental Immunology employs the conditional gene targeting technology
for the generation of cytokine-, cytokine receptor-, and homing receptor-deficient
mouse strains. It aims to understand how cytokines regulate the immune system during host
defense and to determine the role of lymphocyte trafficking during antigen-specific local immune
responses. In addition, sequence-driven bioinformatics focuses on immunogenetic data
to decipher evolutionary mechanism that had shaped the repertoire of the murine immunoglobulin
heavy chain locus.
Dept. Chemical Biology (CBIO)
Head: Dr. Ronald Frank
The development and application of new methods for the deciphering and the design of biomolecular
interactions is the primary goal, and organic chemical synthesis the main approach
to achieve this goal. An important strategic guide is the evolutionary principle of selection
from combinatorial diversity. The department is, thus, applying simultaneous multiple as well
as stochastic syntheses to the preparation of combinatorial compound libraries to be utilised
as tools in structure/function analysis of biological molecules.
Dept. Cell Biology (ZB)
Head: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Wehland
The Department of Cell Biology is focussing on the crosstalk between host cells and bacterial
pathogens, which includes the signalling processes within the host cell that are induced and/or
modified by these pathogens. Understanding the dynamics of signal transduction and the transient
molecular interactions/modifications during the initial contact phases of pathogens with
their host cells is of prime interest.
RG Mucosal Immunity (MI)
Head: Prof. Dr. Jan Buer
The research undertaken in research group is divided into three areas: T-cell tolerance, mucosal
immunity and host-pathogen-crosstalk. The central focus is the molecular research of
complex biological systems using functional genome analysis. The goal is to develop new and
highly effective approaches to therapy using animal models and patients material for diseases
with disrupted immuno-functions, as apparent in auto-immune and infectious diseases.
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