The Institute of Molecular Biology

The Institute of Molecular Biology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany, is interested in the biomedicine of sphingolipids. The Institute consists of the four independent, but very closely connected research groups of  A. Carpinteiro, H. Grassmé and E. Gulbins.

We focus on the system sphingomyelin - sphingomyelinases - ceramide - ceramidases - sphingosine, which has an outstanding importance in many biological processes. We apply our insights to a wide range of biomedical problems and, thus, investigate the pathophysiology and development of novel treatments of bacterial pneumonia, tissue infections and sepsis, immune response to tumors, auto-immune disorders, major depressive disorder, homing of leukocytes and Farber disease.