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ePaper created 2014-12-22, 09:34:33 | version 1.34.00
PROFESSOR GÜNTHER WESS Vice-President of the Helmholtz Association, Coordinator of the Research Field Health, Helmholtz Zentrum München – German Research Center for Environmental Health RESEARCH FIELD HEALTH 24 German Cancer Research Center Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Helmholtz Zentrum München – German Research Center for Environmental Health Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ MISSION The scientists involved in health research at the Helmholtz Association are studying the causes and development of major common diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, pulmonary illness, disorders of the nervous system, allergies and infectious disease. Building on a strong foundation of basic research, they aim to develop evidence-based methods for the prevention, diagnosis, early detection and individualised treatment of common diseases. Research into complex and often chronic illnesses requires interdisciplinary approaches, which the Helmholtz centres are implementing in cooperation with partners from medical schools, other research organisations and industry. In addition, as a partner to the German Centres of Health Research, which were founded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Helmholtz Association is working to make research findings more rapidly available for clinical applications and individualised medicine. PROMGRAMME STRUCTURE IN THE CURRENT FUNDING PERIOD Eight Helmholtz centres are collaborating in the field of health research. In the current programme period, they bundle their efforts in the following five programmes: Cancer Research Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Infection Research Disorders of the Nervous System Genetic and Environmental Influences on Common Diseases OUTLOOK The long-term goal of Helmholtz health research is to improve medical care and quality of life for the population into old age. For this reason the Helmholtz health centres regularly check whether additional diseases such as mental disorders should be added to the portfolio, and they are also taking steps to integrate prevention research into their research programmes. The “National Cohort” health study, which the association has initiated, will continue to lay the foundation for new approaches to the assessment of individual risk factors and the development of personalised prevention strategies. In all these activities, the ongoing discourse between scientists and physicians will play a vital role in enabling a quick translation of research findings into clinical practice. PROGRAMMES IN THE CURRENT FUNDING PERIOD 2014–2018 Cancer Research The goal of this programme is to significantly improve the prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. To this end it is developing new diagnostic and individualised therapeutic procedures on the basis of molecular, cell-biological, immunological and radio-physical findings and technologies. It will continue to translate basic research findings into clinical applications together with strategic partners. In this area a key role is played by the National Centre for Tumour Diseases (NCT) and the nation- ally active German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK).