Institute of Medical Immunology of the Charité Berlin - Research for an improved diagnosis and therapy of immunological diseases
The Institute of Medical Immunology (IMI) bridges the gap between basic research and clinical research.
The process of taking knowledge from basic scientific findings and applying it to clinical research, with the long-term aim of improving health, is commonly referred to as translational research and contributes to the faster translation into clinical practice. Patients at the institute´s Immunodeficiency Outpatient Clinic benefit directly from this translational research. Every year, more than 1,000 adult patients with suspected immune dysfunctions (immunodeficiencies), susceptibility to infection or chronic fatigue syndrome are cared for in this special out-patient department.
The main objective of the institute is to develop new insights into pathogenesis of immune diseases and to improve diagnostics and therapies.
Research, diagnostics and cooperation
Within the institute basic and clinically oriented research groups collaborate with the BIH Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), which is also led by Prof. Hans-Dieter Volk. The exetensive research network, built up from the various collaborations, is supported by the accredited immunodiagnostic Core Unit "Immunocheck". The Core Unit develops and validates biomarker tests within the framework of clinical studies, either within in-house investigator initiated clinical research or on behalf of third parties.
Immunodiagnostics takes place in the department of Immunology at Labor Berlin. Every year several thousand immune statuses from inpatients and outpatients from the Charité, Vivantes and other large German hospitals are collected here.
The close networking of the institute with the clinic is reflected in the range of interdisciplinary groups involved (Psoriasis Research and Treatment Center, Transplantation Medicine and Experimental Neuroimmunology).
