Charité

Our most important university partner for translational research activities is the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin.

 

Since 2007, the two institutions have jointly run the experimental and clinical research center (ECRC), a center for translational medicine on the Campus Buch. The Max Delbrück Center and the Charité have extended their joint activities even further by forming the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), which is focusing on translational systems medicine research.

Article

Scientific image
Press Release No. 27 Berlin

How cancer cells lose their most dangerous DNA

Aggressive tumors often contain large amounts of exchromosomal DNA. Removing this DNA from the nuclei of cancer cells could improve patient outcomes, an international team led by Anton Henssen of the Experimental and Clinical Research Center reports in “Nature Genetics.”
Stomach tissue infected with Helicobacter pylori
Press Release No. 24 Berlin

Stopping stomach cancer before it starts

A team headed by Michael Sigal’s lab has revealed how Helicobacter pylori reprograms the stomach lining at the cellular level, allowing cancer to develop. The findings, published “Nature Communications,” pave the way toward prevention.
Scientific image of a stained tissue sample showing inflammation around a blood vessel.
Press Release No. 18 Berlin

Proteomics and AI identify better biomarkers

A seven protein “signature” in blood can indicate successful treatment for vasculitis. The Mertins, Forslund and Kettritz labs report in “Nature Communications” how they used proteomics and AI to identify biomarkers, which could enable more personalized treatment with fewer side effects.
Anti-CXCR5 CAR-T cells (green) attack lymphoma cells (magenta) within the stroma cell network of the B cell follicle (light blue).
Science

The path of new immunotherapies to the clinic

Bringing a new CAR-T cell therapy from promising results in the lab to critically ill cancer patients is anything but straightforward. A Tagesspiegel podcast featuring, among others, Armin Rehm explores the hurdles that must be overcome along the way and why the process is often faster in the United States.
Johanna Barnbeck and Thoralf Niendorf
Science

Out of a tube and into the clubs

Transforming the loud knocking sounds of MRI scanners into techno music to make the procedure more pleasant is the goal of artist Johanna Barnbeck’s and Max Delbrück Center’s Thoralf Niendorf’s science communication project, which is being funded by the Stiftung Charité with approximately €100,000.
Oxalate in the kidney cortex
Science

Inflammation links the kidney and the heart

Oxalic acid might do more than just contribute to the formation of kidney stones — it may also be an underappreciated driver of inflammation and heart damage in people with impaired kidney function. Researchers from Berlin and Würzburg report their findings in “Cardiovascular Research.”
Altuna Akalin
Science

Altuna Akalin awarded professorship

Altuna Akalin has been appointed a professorship at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The position will enable closer collaboration with clinicians and faster application of bioinformatics in clinical care.
Mass spektrometer
Science

Three drugs work better than two

A combination of three drugs appears to more effectively treat people with cystic fibrosis than therapy with only two, concludes a study by Max Delbrück Center researchers published in “Cell Systems.” The study analyzed changes in the proteomes of blood and sputum samples from people with the disease.
Scientific image
Science

Distinct metabolic signature found in HFpEF

Researchers at the the Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité and the Max Delbrück Center have identified a unique metabolic fingerprint in the hearts of patients with HFpEF and obesity. The findings, which were published in “Cardiovascular Research,” point to new drug targets.
Detlev Ganten
Institute & Campus

Happy 85th birthday, Detlev Ganten!

The founding director of the Max Delbrück Center, physician and pharmacologist Detlev Ganten, celebrates his 85th birthday on March 28, 2026. Without his commitment, our research center would not exist as we know it today. Once again, we say thank you and offer our heartfelt congratulations!