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Max Planck Institute for Medical Research

Welcome to the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research!

At our institute, physicists, chemists and biologists create knowledge of long-term relevance to basic medical science. The unifying theme of our research is to observe and manipulate the vastly complex molecular and cellular interactions that are the basis of life. more

News

New regulatory protein of the neuronal cytoskeleton identified

April 23, 2025

The growth and function of nerve cells is based on a lattice-like structure called membrane-associated periodic skeleton (MPS). However, how the organization of the MPS is controlled has not been elucidated until now. A team from the Max Planck Institutes for Medical Research and for Multidisciplinary Sciences has now discovered that it is regulated by the concentration of the protein paralemmin-1.

Dieter Schwarz Foundation provides long-term funding for application-oriented basic research and innovative talent pool

March 13, 2025

The funding will enable the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research to expand its institute by two departments at the Heilbronn location.

Optical nanoscopy without the ON/OFF

February 27, 2025

Researchers from Göttingen and Heidelberg have increased the resolution in fluorescence microscopy by a factor of 30 without switching fluorescent molecules sequentially into a fluorescent and a non-fluorescent state.

Further News

Departments of the Institute

Biomolecular
Mechanisms

Ilme Schlichting

Cellular
Biophysics

Joachim Spatz

Chemical
Biology

Kai Johnsson

Optical
Nanoscopy

Stefan W. Hell

Research Groups

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Education and Careers

Max Planck Schools

Our institute is the initiator and speaker of the new Max Planck School MATTER to LIFE that wants to educate a new generation of scientists. Curious? Find all the information here.

Apply now!

August 14, 2023

We are always looking for highly motivated and enthusiastic members for our institute. With the attractive city of Heidelberg and its surroundings and an excellent research environment we can offer an optimal combination of high living standards and first-class research.

Mentoring and Career Development

Talent, creativity, and passion – these are the qualities that count at our institute. As a researcher joining the MPI for Medical Research, you will work alongside scientists who are world leaders in their field. We value a culture of respect, openness and strong support for emerging talents, irrespective of background. We look forward to your contribution to our efforts towards understanding nature.