Environmental Health

Today’s Research – Tomorrow’s Medicine

The processes underlying common diseases such as diabetes, lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and depression are still not understood to a large extent.

Many factors influence these processes, which generally take place over a long period and develop out of a complex interaction between individual genetic predisposition and environmental factors such as nutrition, lifestyle, stress or pollutants. Frequently, they are accompanied by preexisting conditions or symptoms of old age.

Helmholtz Zentrum München is investigating these relationships with a special focus on diabetes and lung diseases. Understanding the complex causal relationships involved is crucial for the development of new therapies, diagnostic methods and prevention strategies. With the aid of our technological platforms, we are elucidating the biological mechanisms involved in these processes and are thus making important contributions to fighting diseases of the central nervous system, cancer, infectious diseases and cardiovascular diseases.

The foundation of our work is excellent basic research, which is carried out by well-managed institutes and scientific departments which undergo external expert review on a regular basis. Our expertise ranges from biomedicine to research on ecosystems and the preservation ot the natural foundations of human life.

The HELENA graduate school offers three-year projects for graduate students within one of eight thematic fields, which are closely linked through interdisciplinary activities and technologies. This creates the best possible conditions for a future scientific career in research, industry or administration.