Biomedicine and Drug Discovery

At TU Dortmund University, the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology pursues transdisciplinary projects for the further development of personalized approaches in cancer treatment and drug discovery. Among other things, TU Dortmund University is the initiator and coordinator of two drug discovery initiatives, Center for Integrated Drug Discovery (ZIW) and Drug Discovery Hub Dortmund (DDHD), which emerged from the Science Master Plan 1.0 and are anchored in the scientific competence field of biomedicine and drug discovery. The research is carried out in close cooperation with physicians, chemists and structural biologists and can be substantiated by joint, scientifically high-ranking publications, third-party funding and successful commercialization models (licenses and spin-offs). The Dortmund start-up companies PearlRiver Bio GmbH and Serengen GmbH are examples of this. In addition, with the Center for Entrepreneurship & Transfer (CET), TU Dortmund University has an Excellence Start-up Center.NRW that has received an award from the NRW Ministry of Economics. It combines systematic transfer and start-up support with targeted research on entrepreneurial topics.

The MPI is one of the leading German institutions in the field of basic biomedical research. In line with the scientific guiding theme „From Molecules to Humans“, the institute pursues an interdisciplinary research approach at the interface of structural biology, molecular cell biology and chemical biology, bringing about a unique liaison between chemistry and biology. The scientific concept aims at a holistic understanding of the dynamics of the interwoven reaction networks in somatic cells. By identifying and synthesizing near-natural drug substances, intracellular processes can be modulated with pinpoint accuracy, and reactions in living cells can be monitored using state-of-the-art imaging techniques. An important aspect of the systems biology-oriented research work is the elucidation of the molecular causes of diseases which, like cancer, are based on a misdirected intracellular transmission of signals.

ISAS develops powerful and cost-effective analytical methods for health research. The aim is to advance personalized medicine. With its four-dimensional analytical methods, ISAS contributes to improving the prevention, early diagnosis and therapy of diseases. To this end, the institute combines expertise from chemistry, biology, physics as well as informatics and uses, for example, multi-method approaches that combine complex data on proteins (proteomics), lipids (lipidomics) and degradation products (metabolomics) to provide a comprehensive overview of disease-relevant processes in the body. These results can make important contributions to the prevention and successful treatment of diseases, as they provide starting points for new diagnostic and therapeutic concepts.

The IfADo researches work-relevant effects on physiological processes and investigates the underlying mechanisms at the bio-chemical-cellular level. The aim is to derive fundamental principles for the design of the modern working environment from the research results, which serve to maintain and promote performance, health and competitiveness. It also develops techniques to predict toxicity of developmental substances in humans.

The LDC is a research company dedicated to the translational development of pharmaceutical agents for diseases that are currently difficult to treat. It develops lead structures and therapeutic antibodies according to the highest industry standards, in cooperation with academic partners, whose efficacy has been demonstrated in disease-relevant model systems. Through licenses/cooperations/spin-offs with biotech/pharma companies/investors, these are transferred to subsequent phases of drug development.

Taros is a contract chemical research organization providing successful solutions to the pharmaceutical and chemical industries since 1999. In the field of drug discovery, Taros‘ scientists make a decisive contribution from target validation to lead optimization and selection of drug candidates for clinical development. Taros‘ service portfolio includes custom synthesis, process chemistry, medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry and molecular design as well as the production of compound libraries.

The BMZ is one of the competence centres of TechnologieZentrumDortmund. It accelerates the transfer of research from the universities and scientific institutions of the region into economic applications with high social benefit with particular efficiency. It offers young companies and start-ups an attractive infrastructure in an ideal environment for the rapid and comprehensive implementation of ideas, concepts and R&D projects. BMZ is currently home to nearly 35 companies in the fields of biomedicine, bioinformatics and diagnostics. These include the LDC, Taros and the aforementioned start-ups PearlRiver Bio and Serengen.