The Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research (HIH) and the Clinic of Neurology at the University Hospital Tübingen run the “Hertie Center of Neurology”. Founded in 2001, the center owes its existence to an agreement between several entities: the non-profit Hertie Foundation, the State of Baden-Württemberg, the Medical Faculty of the University of Tübingen, and the University Hospital of Tübingen. The underlying bundling of public resources and private funds is unique in Germany.
The center’s role comprises patient care provided by the Clinic of Neurology as well as scientific research carried out by neuroscientists working at the HIH. This structural crosslink between the HIH and the Clinic of Neurology creates a multifunctional facility that is likewise capable of carrying out clinical brain research, medical attention, as well as scientific training. The close connection between excellent research and clinical care makes the HIH unique among all institutions in brain research.
Since its foundation, the Hertie Foundation has supported the HIH with almost 60 million euros. The funds also serve a reform project: here, the usual hierarchical and particularistic structure of isolated departments has been replaced by an interdisciplinary organizational structure that bundles the resources. The allocation of funds between the different research areas is flexible. A particular concern is the promotion of young scientists: they are provided with the opportunity of establishing their own independent research group early on and are allowed a performance-related salary.
The HIH closely collaborates with other institutions and research groups in Tübingen. Since its foundation by the federal and state government in 2008, the HIH is part of the excellence cluster “Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience” (CIN) and successfully contributes to its interdisciplinary concept. Furthermore, there is a close cooperation between the HIH and the Tübingen partner location of the German Center of Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), which was founded in Bonn in June 2009. Using the latest technology and ressources, this collaboration aims at developing new strategies for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases in the aging human brain, considering particularly Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
At present, the HIH is home to 24 professors, about 400 members and more than 30 research groups. Together they ensure the smooth running of clinical research, care and educational training.
