Helmholtz Institute Saarbrücken

The Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) combines pharmaceutical sciences on campus of Saarland University (UdS) and infection research at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig. It started as joint foundation of UdS and HZI in late 2009.

One of the largest scientific challenges in the field of infectious diseases concerns the growing antibiotic resistance of pathogens. Once restricted to developing countries, resistant pathogens are now spreading in hospitals and in communities in developed countries as well, requiring massive investments in research to develop novel drugs.

The research of HIPS includes genetic engineering and genome mining for natural products, optimization of lead structures and the delivery of drugs across biological barriers. The combined expertise of the HZI and HIPS has a unique position within Germany and Europe by interleaving infection and pharmaceutical research, specifically for the development of novel anti-infectives. The complementary expertise will allow concerted and synchronous approaches to the discovery and mining of novel producers of potential drugs, their rational improvement and bioprofiling, and their optimal formulation. This will greatly enhance the identification and utilization of novel natural products, and eventually bring them faster to clinics.

Expertise and local partners of HIPS and HZI together now now cover the complete translational process from drug discovery and development to clinical phase IIa studies.

Press Release 24th August 2009 'Saar-Universität erhält Helmholtz-Institut für Pharmazeutische Forschung Saarland'

Website: www.helmholtz-hzi.de/hips

Members

Managing director: Prof. Dr. Rolf Müller, rolf.mueller (at) helmholtz-hzi.de

Prof. Dr. Rolf Hartmann, rolf.hartmann (at) helmholtz-hzi.de

Prof. Dr. Claus-Michael Lehr, claus-michael.lehr (at) helmholtz-hzi.de

Dr. Andriy Luzhetskyy, andriy.luzhetskyy (at) helmholtz-hzi.de

Involved Universities and Research Centres

Saarland University

Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research