Highlights

(Institute of Epidemiology) The Helmholtz Zentrum München – German Research Center for Environmental Health is ranked as No. 1 among European research institutions in air pollution research. This is the result of a ranking order of the most widely quoted publications on the subject of "Air Pollution" in the last ten years, which was published by the information resource "Essential Science Indicators" in early 2006.

The initial focus was on the treatment of leukaemia: as pioneers of bone marrow transplants scientists of the Helmholtz Zentrum München first successfully transplanted healthy bone marrow into a human patient as early as in 1975. This milestone of medicine was preceded by many years of immunological studies aimed at the development of suitable therapeutical methods.

There is a genetic component to most widespread diseases. 95 % of the genetic makeup of mice and men is identical – many genes can trigger the same diseases in both species. Therefore, mutant mice are ideal model animals for numerous human diseases. The search for specific mouse mutants with hereditary disorders is, therefore, a central task of the Helmholtz Zentrum München Institutes of Experimental Genetics and Development Genetics. The aim is a better understanding of the molecular...

Various key components of the innate immunity of mammals are also important to the defence system of plants. Thus, elements of the animal defence system, such as defensin or nitric oxide (NO), also help plants in their defence against pests. At the Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology at the Helmholtz Zentrum München it could be shown that, similar to mammals, the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana reacts to contact with bacteria by activating its innate immunity.

At the Helmholtz Zentrum München – German Research Center for Environmental Health scientists have had some first success in the development of a vaccine stimulating the immune system to fight HIV. On the basis of a genetically modified vaccinia virus an effective combination is to be developed together with another vaccine. Using such combination vaccines the scientists hope to be able to protect the healthy population from infection one day.

For a safe introduction of the utilisation of Green Genetic Engineering the Helmholtz Zentrum München is developing methods and concepts for accompanying ecological research. Tests on lysimeters should help clarify safety-relevant questions in connection with the release of transgenic plants.