The newly founded Helmholtz Institute for Metabolic, Obesity and Vascular Research (Helmholtz-Institut für Metabolismus-, Adipositas- und Gefäßforschung, HI-MAG), aims at uncovering the molecular underpinnings of adipose tissue dysfunction to enable precision therapies for obesity and its co-morbidities, like metabolic and vascular disturbances, using a clinical translational approach.

HI-MAG is an institute of the Helmholtz Zentrum München located at the University of Leipzig. It is one of eleven unique Helmholtz Institutes within the Helmholtz Association, forming a strategic, long term institionalised partnership between the Helmholtz Zentrum München, the Medical Faculty of the University of Leipzig and the University Hospital (Universitätsklinikum) Leipzig.

Key topics of the new institute include regulation of appetite and satiety, molecular mechanisms of adipose tissue dysfunction in obesity, target identification and validation for obesity pharmacotherapy, and develop novel vascular drug delivery systems and targets, novel biomarkers for personalized peripheral arterial restenosis prevention. Deeply integrated in the Leipzig University Medicine campus with its highly active inpatient, outpatient and clinical trials activities it is perfectly set up to accomplish true bed-to-bedside-to-bed scientific progress.

Until 2021 HI-MAG will set up its research activities along three profile research areas: obesity, metabolic and vascular research. This includes the appointment of three HI-MAG professors directing the three areas and – in parallel - three young investigator goups. Technology platforms and core units of HMGU and Medical Faculty of the University of Leipzig will support HI-MAG research. It is planned to establish three own technology platforms.

We will continuously hire research staff as HI-MAG develops and specific positions for researchers and research assistants will be advertised here.