The Institute was originally founded by Max Rubner as the Kaiser-Wilhelm Institut für Arbeitsphysiologie, part of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in 1913. During the First World Warthe Institute focussed on nutrition and diet, and how ersatz substitutes could be found for particular foodstuffs which were becoming scarce. They worked alongside the Kriegsernährungsamt to try out different food surrogates both for the military and the civilian population. They also developed aptitude tests for different types of work, such as evaluating distance perception for military drivers, pilots and railway workers. This was further developed to provide a means for selecting artillery officers.
The Department of Mechanistic Cell Biology aims to better understand the molecular mechanisms of cell division and their regulation. The main focus is on the key proteins that control the division of chromosomes during mitosis, a process that separates sister chromatids into two identical daughter cells, thereby maintaining chromosome stability.
Systemic Cell Biology (Director: Prof. Dr. Philippe Bastiaens)
The Department of Systemic Cell Biology studies the regulation of signal transduction processes in cells. These processes control significant cellular functions such as tissue growth or the differentiation of cells into specialized cell types and, thus, determine the fate of each cell.
Structural Biochemistry (Director: Prof. Dr.Stefan Raunser)
The Department of Structural Biochemistry focuses on structural and functional analyses of biologically and medically relevant membrane proteins and macromolecular complexes. Special attention is given to the investigation into the molecular mechanisms of muscle contraction and the infection with bacterial toxins. Furthermore, membrane proteins that play an important role in the synthesis, transport, and homeostasis of cholesterol in the body are examined.
Research in the Department of Chemical Biology concentrates on the interface between organic chemistry and biology. By using biochemical and chemical techniques, researchers identify and develop new tools for the investigation of biologically relevant processes and phenomena.
