Research activities: “Immunodeficiency: Clinical Manifestations and Animal Models” (Collaborative Research Center SFB 620)

• “Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency” (CCI), integrated research and treatment center
• “Mechanisms of Persistence of Hepatotropic Viruses” (DFG Research Unit FOR/TR 1202
• Participation in the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF)

Research activities: “Functional Specificity by Coupling and Modification of Proteins” (Collaborative Research Center SFB 746)

• “Dynamics of Bacterial Membrane Proteins” (DFG Research Unit FOR/TR 929)
• “Functions and Mechanisms of Ribosomal Tunnel Exit Ligands” (DFG Research Unit FOR/TR 967)
• “BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies” (Cluster of Excellence EXC 294, BIOSS I/II)
• “NephAge – Systems Biology of Kidney Aging” (BMBF)
• “Polycystic Disease – From Model Organisms to Novel Therapies” (KFO 201)
• “Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine” (SGBM)
• “From Cells to Organs: Molecular Mechanisms of Organogenesis” Research Training Group 1104 (Faculty of Biology)
• “Center for Systems Biology” (ZBSA)

Research activities: “Medical Epigenetics MEDEP: From Basic Mechanism to Clinical Applications“ (Collaborative Research Center SFB 992)

• Research center in the German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research
• “Epigenetic Regulation of Normal Hematopoiesis and Its Dysregulation in Myeloid Neoplasia“ (SPP 1463)
• Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg (CCCF)

Research activities: “From Monocytes to Brain Macrophages – Conditions Influencing the Fate of Myeloid Cells in the Brain” (DFG Research Unit FOR/TR 1336)

• “BrainLinks – BrainTools” (BLBT, Cluster of Excellence EXC 1086)

Research activities: “Control of Cell Motility in Morphogenesis, Cancer Invasion and Metastasis” (Collaborative Research Center SFB 850

• “Imaging of Neuro Disease Using High Field MR and Contrastophores” (INUMAC, Joint Project)
• Research center in the German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK)
• Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg (CCCF)

Diseases of the cardiovascular system are the most common cause of illness and death worldwide. They are associated with tissue remodelling processes (from atherosclerosis and aneurisms to cardiac fibrosis and scarring), whose effects on patient well-being – in spite of impressive progress of surgical, interventional, and pharmacological therapeutic strategies – are still poorly understood. Vascular research at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Freiburg is focussed on the mechanistic characterisation of inflammatory responses and the development of immune-modulatory and minimally-invasive therapeutic strategies. Basic and applied cardiac studies explore type and properties on non-myocytes, and their interaction with other cells in lesioned myocardium.

The activities focusing on cell type characterisation, inflammation- and immune responses, tissue architecture, cardiac mechanics, and electrophysiology have been merged in the scientific growth-area ‘Cardiovascular Research’ with traditionally strong clinical research. This has culminated in the inauguration of the Collaborative Research Centre CRC1425 in July 2020, dedicated to 'The heterocellular nature of cardiac lesions: Identities, Interactions, Implications'. The Centre brings together 26 research groups who are studying the fundamental biomedical processes of cardiac scar formation, with the aim of developing new diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities, to ‘make better scars’.