Networks
Successful basic research in a highly competitive international arena can be accelerated through close cooperation among various laboratories and research institutions. HPI is therefore closely linked at various levels with other research institutes.
The HPI is a member of the Leibniz-Association (WGL). Currently, the Leibniz Association is a syndication of 86 scientific, legally authorized and economically independent research institutes and service facilities in Germany and accordingly, one of the largest German scientific organizations. All of the Leibniz institutions are actively engaged in thematically defined, future oriented fields of research which are of global interest. Among the German scientific organizations, the Leibnitz association represents not merely one of many – but the primary column in the network. The consequent, transparent and strictly external assessment procedure is a singular hallmark of the WGL in comparison to the other university and external university research organizations in Germany.
The HPI is located on the grounds of the University Hospital Eppendorf (UKE) and is closely associated with the University of Hamburg through its cooperation contract. On the basis of this contract, the professors at HPI are appointed to the position of department heads and work in the field of medicine, chemistry or biology in a cooperative procedure with the University of Hamburg. There are manifold collaborations between the scientists at HPI and those of the University of Hamburg in the aforementioned fields.
The staff of HPI and UKE participates jointly in a variety of research initiatives, for example, research groups, graduate teams, scientific key projects and preeminent programs.
The HPI, the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute (BNI) and the Research center Borstel (FZB) are mutual founding members of the Leibniz Center of Infection Research (LCI). The three institutes are constituent members of the Leibniz association (WGL) and each has, respectively, a clear cut biological infection mission.
The HPI is mainly focused on human viral diseases, whereas the BNI devotes itself to research on tropical diseases, especially parasitic infections and the FZB primarily probes bacterially induced lung infections like tuberculosis. Altogether, approximately 1,000 persons are employed at the three institutes, around 300 of whom are scientists.
The aim of LCI is to advance inventive and innovative basic research concerning biological infection in the Hamburg/Schleswig Holstein region. Correlations between science and methodology are to be identified; cooperative research projects initiated and improved possibilities for the evaluation of research results are to be established. Endeavourers are being made to promote the future participation of both the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) and the University Hospital Schleswig Holstein.
Since May 2009 the Leibniz Graduate School “Model Systems of Infectious Diseases” of the Leibniz Center for Research on Infectious Diseases (LCI) has started in cooperation with UKE. It is aimed at excellent graduate-students from Life Science fields. The LCI-Leibniz Graduate School (LGS) provides ambitious training and research opportunities for graduates who wish to obtain a PhD in the fields of Parasitology, Immunology, Bacteriology, Virology, Infection Biology, and Molecular-, Cellular- and Structural-Biology as well as Pathobiology of Infectious Disease. The PhD program intends to achieve a broad education in infection processes of various microorganisms, including molecular and clinical-epidemiological aspects of global and emerging infectious diseases, as well as complex model systems to analyse these diseases.
The support and advancement of the biological infection research in the entire region of Northern Germany is being pursued and cultivated by the Northern Association for Biological Infection. Apart from the Heinrich-Pette-Institute, other participants engaged in this partnership are the Medical University of Hannover (MHH), the University for Veterinary Medicine of Hannover Foundation, the Institute for Infectional Medicine at the University of Lübeck, the Institute for Biotechnological Research Braunschweig (GBF), the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute (BNI), the Research Center Borstel (FZB), and the Hans-Knoll-Institute.
The HPI is affiliated with the children’s Cancer Center (R. A = Registered Association) through a cooperation contract. On the basis of this public – private partnership, the children’s Cancer Center (R.A) maintains an independent research institute for pediatric hematology and oncology in the new and Building Expansion Plan II at the Heinrich-Pette-Institute.
