Research Institute of Molecular Pathology

Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP)
Established 1985
Research type
Field of research
Director
 Jan-Michael Peters (science); Harald Isemann (administration)
Faculty 15
Staff 250
Address Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
Location Vienna, Austria
Website www.imp.ac.at

The Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) is a biomedical research center, which conducts curiosity-driven basic research in the molecular life sciences.

The IMP is located at the Vienna Biocenter (VBC) in Vienna, Austria.[1] The institute employs around 250 people from 36 nations, of which approximately 200 are scientists. The working language at the IMP is English. The IMP was established in 1985 and is funded by the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim and research grants.[2]

Research

Laboratory at the IMP. Up to three research groups share a lab to support communication and exchange.

Research at the IMP aims to elucidate mechanisms and principles that underlie complex biological processes. Six general themes emerge from the work of the IMP research groups[3]:

The research in these fields is pursued by 15 independent research groups, headed by principal investigators. The groups focus on the following topics:

History

The establishment of the IMP was a joint venture by Boehringer Ingelheim and Genentech and initiated in 1985. Under the directorship of Max Birnstiel, the first institute building was opened in 1988.

In 1992, three institutes of the faculties of science and medicine of the University of Vienna moved into a nearby building, today's Max F. Perutz Laboratories (MFPL). This created the basis for referring to the area as the "Vienna Biocenter" (VBC).

In 1993, Boehringer Ingelheim took over the IMP shares of Genentech. Following Max Birnstiel's retirement in 1997, Kim Nasmyth became scientific director.

In 2006, two institutes of the Austrian Academy of Sciences were opened in the vicinity of the IMP: the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology and the Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI). The three institutes cooperate closely by maintaining shared facilities. In the same year, Barry Dickson became the IMP's scientific director.

Since 2013, Jan-Michael Peters is scientific director of the IMP. In late 2016, the IMP moved into its new building, which was formally opened on 1 March 2017. [4]

Publications, Awards and Honours

Scientists at the IMP publish 60 to 90 papers in international peer-review journals per year: between 1985 and 2017, more than 2,000 research papers were published. 93 patents were filed based on discoveries made at the institute since 1985. IMP faculty was awarded 13 ERC Grants since the establishment of this grant scheme in 2007. Four IMP faculty members received Wittgenstein Awards since 1996.[5]

Notable alumni

International PhD program

The "VBC PhD Programme" is an international PhD training program carried out jointly by the four Vienna Biocenter research institutes (IMP, IMBA, GMI and MFPL). Acceptance into the program is competitive and based on a formal selection procedure. There are two selections each year, deadlines are April 30 and November 15. Participation in the program is a condition for doing a PhD at the IMP.[6]

IMP Building

Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), outside view.

The current IMP building at Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1 was opened in 2017. It comprises 15,000 square meters of gross floor space and 8,000 square meters of net area, spread over eight levels.

The building contains 3,000 square meters for laboratories and 2,000 square meters for offices; its lecture hall seats up to 280 people. The buildings has six seminar rooms and technical facilities. Some facilities such as cafeteria, but also scientific services, are open to staff from other Vienna Biocenter entities and the IMP building is connected to the neighboring Institute of Molecular Biotechnology building through a bridge.

Split-level architecture blending different floors and functions of the new IMP building.

Several features of the building refer to biological research: the facade features stripes should resemble DNA bands as seen in gel electrophoresis; the central elevator's glass covers are coated with dichroic foils which are also used in filters for light microscopy. The project costs of 52 million Euros were born by the IMP's main sponsor Boehringer Ingelheim.[7]

In-house services

The following in-house facilities, maintained in cooperation with IMBA, provide support and scientific services to the scientists at IMP:[8]

Other facilities include the workshop, a graphics department or grant management.

Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities

The four research institutes of the Vienna Biocenter maintain a number of shared services jointly called "VBC Core Facilities" (VBCF). The services offered are available to all VBC scientists including IMP staff and are the following[9]:

Scientific Advisory Board

In order to maintain a high standard of research, the IMP employs a process of continuous review and feedback. The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), consisting of distinguished scientists, meets once a year and discusses the quality, significance, and main focus of research conducted at the IMP. The SAB is chaired by Leslie Vosshall of Rockefeller University. Its other members are Angelika Amon (Massachusetts Institute of Technology); Hans Clevers (Hubrecht Institute); Michael Hausser (University College London); Norbert Kraut (Boehringer Ingelheim); Dan Littman (New York University Langone Medical Center); Ruslan Medzhitov (Yale School of Medicine/HHMI); Tom Rapoport (Harvard Medical School); Dirk Schübeler (Friedrich Miescher Institute).[10]

Funding

The operating budget of the IMP is provided largely by Boehringer Ingelheim. Support comes from grants awarded to individual scientists and projects by national and international funding agencies such as the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Austrian Industrial Research Promotion Fund (FFG), the Vienna Science and Technology Fund (WWTF), Zentrum für Innovation und Technologie (ZIT), the City of Vienna, the Austrian federal government, the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP), and the European Union (EU).

Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) impressions

References

  1. ↑ http://viennabiocenter.org/
  2. ↑ https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/research-development/research-institute-molecular-pathology/research-institute-molecular-pathology
  3. ↑ https://www.imp.ac.at/research/research-areas/
  4. ↑ https://www.imp.ac.at/about/history/
  5. ↑ https://www.imp.ac.at/about/history/
  6. ↑ http://www.vbcphdprogramme.at/
  7. ↑ http://lisavienna.at/en/news/imp-new-imp-building-international-research-center-opens-vienna
  8. ↑ http://cores.imp.ac.at/
  9. ↑ http://www.vbcf.ac.at/home/
  10. ↑ https://www.imp.ac.at/about/advisory-board/
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