What do we do?

MPI-NAT

The MPI-NAT - Understanding the world with basic research

The MPI-NAT brings the disciplines of physics, chemistry, biology, and biomedicine together under the same roof. This way, we link basic research in the natural sciences with medical research. With such a broad setup, we can address the most urgent scientific questions of the 21st century. (in German)

Nanobodies from Alpacas

Alpacas have special antibodies which can be reduced to nanobodies. They have the potential to replace the most-used antibodies and to drastically reduce animal numbers in antibody production.

Researcher portraits

Jens Frahm

Jens Frahm – faster
real-time, MRI (Film of the European Patent Office)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4fEWrr0xmo

His new FLASH technology has made magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) one of the most successful imaging methods: Today it is routinely used in clinics worldwide. Jens Frahm, Head of the Biomedical NMR at our institute, was therefore awarded the European Inventor Award in the category research by the European Patent Office in 2018. (Press Release June 7, 2018)

Musicians in real-time MRI

german hornsound support study about focal dystonia

Website of the Biomedical NMR by Jens Frahm

Stefan Hell

Nanoscopy with focused light — film portrait of Stefan Hell

Ever since physicist Ernst Abbe discovered the resolution limit of the microscope in 1873 it has seemed impossible to improve the resolving power of light microscopy. This century-old barrier was broken by Stefan Hell, scientist at our institute. He developed novel fluorescence microscopes featuring diffraction-unlimited spatial resolution. Using focused visible light these ultra high resolution light microscopes make even smallest details in the interior of living cells visible. Thus, he also laid the foundation of a new scientific field: fluorescence nanoscopy.

Website of the Department of NanoBiophotonics by Stefan Hell