Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP

Today's groundbreaking ceremony for the new Fraunhofer ITMP building in Penzberg marks a significant step forward in immunology and pandemic research. In close collaboration with our partners Roche, LMU Klinikum Munich, and Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU), we are creating a state-of-the-art research center that will develop innovative therapies and diagnostic systems. The new building will be an important location for research in the fight against infectious diseases and will provide space for future-oriented projects that strengthen the health of people and society.

Prof. Dr. Frank Behrens, deputy director of Fraunhofer ITMP, has been named “Top Physician 2025” in the field of rheumatology by FOCUS Gesundheit magazine. The award recognizes his outstanding expertise in the treatment of immune-mediated diseases and his commitment to innovative care concepts such as the 4D Clinic. Fraunhofer ITMP congratulates him and regards the award as confirmation of his excellent research work.

The SLAS Europe Conference and Exhibition took place in Hamburg for the first time – and Fraunhofer ITMP was there with a diverse program. Dr. Philip Gribbon, site manager of Fraunhofer ITMP Hamburg, opened the conference in his capacity as SLAS president. With presentations, poster sessions, a technology showcase in its own laboratory, and a panel discussion, Fraunhofer ITMP played a key role in shaping the event. Hamburg proved itself to be a strong science location – SLAS will return to the Hanseatic city in 2027.

On the occasion of International Clinical Research Day on May 20, 2025, our employees will highlight the importance of clinical research—from the perspective of doctors and researchers. Clinical trials are a central component of our research in order to develop new therapies and enable medical progress. In a short video, we provide insights into our daily work – from laboratory work to patient care.

Low patient numbers impede the development of new drugs for rare diseases. Drug repurposing, which repurposes existing drugs for other indications, offers a path forward. With its high-quality drug repurposing substance library, comprising over 6000 clinically tested and partially approved drugs, and its expertise in drug screening, the Hamburg site of Fraunhofer ITMP supports clinical research for the treatment of rare diseases. A radio report from NDR Info reports on this (in German only).

As part of the COMBINE project at Fraunhofer ITMP Hamburg, a machine learning model has been developed to identify new antibiotics and reduce research costs and complexity. It is based on a FAIR-compliant antimicrobial knowledge graph, the first aggregated dataset based on in vitro data of its kind. Successful experimental tests with the EU-OPENSCREEN compound library confirm its applicability. Both the database and model are publicly available and now published in the Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling.

The World Health Organization (WHO) coordinates international measures against pandemics, supports states and distributes resources in times of crisis. But now, on the first day of his second term in office, Donald Trump has announced the United States’ withdrawal from the WHO. What impact would this have on the international fight against pandemics? Prof. Michael Hoelscher, head of Fraunhofer ITMP location Immunology, Infection and Pandemic Research IIP in Penzberg/Munich, gives his assessment of the possible consequences in an interview with the Apotheken-Umschau.