Head of Department
The aim of the Toxicology Department is the risk assessment of chemicals based on the understanding of molecular mechanisms. In the modern working world, chemicals, including numerous hazardous substances, cannot be dispensed with. This results in the need to recognise toxic properties of working substances at an early stage and to assess exposure-dependent risks. This requires precise knowledge of the mechanisms of action of chemicals and their health-relevant effects, also taking into account interindividual differences in sensitivity.
Research Group
Systems Toxicology
The mission of the group is to understand the self-organising system of the liver with its metabolising, detoxifying and secretory functions and to study how this can be disturbed by chemicals and diseases.
Neurotoxicology and Chemosensation
The nervous system is a unique, network-like structure of different cells that can come into direct contact with chemicals in the workplace. The group conducts research to protect the performance of our nervous system.
Cell Metabolism
The Cell Metabolism group focuses on metabolic networks and how changes in key proteins and pathways influence phenotypes of the cells, organs and organisms.
Interorgan Toxicology
The Interorgan Toxiclogy group investigates how disturbed functions of one organ, e.g. through altered release of metabolic products, can lead to disorders of other organs.
Bioimaging
The research group Bioimaging investigates functional principles of organs at the cellular and subcellular level using functional imaging methods and develops these further.
Intravital Toxicology
The group uses intravital imaging to investigate toxic mechanisms at the cellular and subcellular level with a strong focus on cholestatic liver diseases.
Regulatory Networks of Stem Cell Differentiation
The research group Regulatory Networks of Stem Cell Differentiation investigates gene regulatory networks in the context of differentiation of stem cells into mature liver and neuronal cells for application in animal-free in vitro systems for toxicity testing.
DFG Senate Commission
Senate Commission on Food Safety (SKLM)
The Senate Commission on Food Safety (SKLM) of the German Research Foundation (DFG) provides scientific advice to several political and research institutions on topics related to food safety.