Max Planck Institute for Immunobiology
Encyclopedia
The Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics (MPI) in Freiburg, Germany, is an interdisciplinary research institute that conducts basic research in modern immunobiology and developmental biology.
It was founded in 1961 as Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and is one of 80 institutions of the Max Planck Society
.
The researchers of the MPI study the development of the immune system and analyse the genes and molecules which are important for its function. They also seek to establish which factors control the maturation of immune cells and how chemical changes of the DNA influence the immune defense.
In 2007, the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology added Epigenetics
as a new research area. In 2010, the institute changed its name to Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics.
The 1984 Nobel Prize-winning biologist Georges J. F. Köhler
was a director of the institute from 1984 until his death in 1995.
In addition to the four departments, the institute includes
Currently, the Management Board (Kollegium) comprises the following members:
Managing Director:
Scientific Members:
Adjunct Scientific Member:
1964 – 1981 Prof. Dr. Herbert Fischer
1965 – 1988 Dr. Otto Lüderitz
1981 – 2004 Prof. Dr. Klaus Eichmann
1984 – 1995 Prof. Dr. Georges Köhler
1991 – 2006 Dr. Davor Solter
It was founded in 1961 as Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and is one of 80 institutions of the Max Planck Society
Max Planck Society
The Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science is a formally independent non-governmental and non-profit association of German research institutes publicly funded by the federal and the 16 state governments of Germany....
.
The researchers of the MPI study the development of the immune system and analyse the genes and molecules which are important for its function. They also seek to establish which factors control the maturation of immune cells and how chemical changes of the DNA influence the immune defense.
In 2007, the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology added Epigenetics
Epigenetics
In biology, and specifically genetics, epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence – hence the name epi- -genetics...
as a new research area. In 2010, the institute changed its name to Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics.
The 1984 Nobel Prize-winning biologist Georges J. F. Köhler
Georges J. F. Köhler
-External links:* http://www.nobel.se/medicine/laureates/1984/...
was a director of the institute from 1984 until his death in 1995.
Organisation
The Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics is organised into four departments:- Cellular and Molecular Immunology (Head: Prof. Dr. Rudolf Grosschedl)
- Developmental Immunology (Head: Prof. Dr. Thomas Boehm)
- Epigenetics (Head: Prof. Dr. Thomas Jenuwein)
- Molecular Embryology (Head: Prof. Dr. Rolf Kemler)
In addition to the four departments, the institute includes
- a Max Planck Investigator Group on Chromatin Regulation (Head: Dr. Asifa Akhtar)
- an adjunct University Department on Molecular Immunology (Head: Prof. Dr. Michael Reth)
- the Spemann Laboratory, which has the aim of promoting the early independence of junior scientists.
Management
The Management Board of the MPI comprises elected scientific members of the Max Planck Society. These serve a dual function as co-directors of the institute and as department heads. The managing directorship rotates every three years among these co-directors.Currently, the Management Board (Kollegium) comprises the following members:
Managing Director:
- Prof. Dr. Rudolf Grosschedl
Scientific Members:
- Dr. Asifa Akhtar
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Boehm
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Jenuwein
- Prof. Dr. Rolf Kemler
Adjunct Scientific Member:
- Prof. Dr. Michael Reth
Previous Directors:
1961 – 1982 Prof. Dr. Otto Westphal1964 – 1981 Prof. Dr. Herbert Fischer
1965 – 1988 Dr. Otto Lüderitz
1981 – 2004 Prof. Dr. Klaus Eichmann
1984 – 1995 Prof. Dr. Georges Köhler
Georges J. F. Köhler
-External links:* http://www.nobel.se/medicine/laureates/1984/...
1991 – 2006 Dr. Davor Solter