New name, proven expertise

The transformation of the department into an institute reflects the great importance of the Tropical Institute in the care of patients and research into global diseases. Director Prof. Dr. med. Michael Hoelscher emphasizes: "The establishment of the institute enables us to further expand our expertise in infection and tropical medicine and to break new ground in research and therapy."

With around 110 employees, the Tropical Institute focuses on international research in the fields of infection and tropical medicine, travel medicine, laboratory diagnostics and the development of vaccines. Almost 20 working groups conduct research on key topics such as HIV, antimicrobial resistance and infectious diseases such as tuberculosis. One particular success is the development of a new TB drug, which the Tropical Institute has developed from the preclinical phase to the patient in cooperation with the Leibniz-HKI in Jena. Approval is being sought in the next few years.

The Institute's Teaching & Training Unit sets new standards in the training of medical students and doctors in tropical medicine and global health. In cooperation with the CIHLMU, a comprehensive program is offered to train international health professionals and to promote cross-border research in order to improve global health care.

The International Clinical Trials Unit (ICTU) of the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) focuses on the rapid clinical application of new research findings, particularly in the fight against antibiotic resistance and emerging infections. New collaborations such as with the Fraunhofer ITMP site Immunology, Infection and Pandemic Research IIP and the establishment of the Global Health Unit at Helmholtz Munich underline the increasing importance of global health. Internationally, the Tropical Institute works with over 35 partners on four continents to promote innovative approaches to combating infectious diseases worldwide.

Especially since the coronavirus pandemic, the monitoring of novel diseases ("emerging infections") with a high potential to spread has been a core element of the work at the Tropical Institute. For example, the first COVID-19 case in Germany was diagnosed in the outpatient clinic of the Tropical Institute. A research group at the institute also developed a wastewater monitoring protocol that has been determining the load of SARS-CoV-2 viruses in Munich's wastewater network since April 2020.

Infectiology and tropical medicine have played a key role in combating serious epidemics since the beginning of the 19th century. In Bavaria, the fight against infectious pathogens began in 1817 with the opening of the Royal Central Vaccination Institute (later the State Vaccination Institute) and the introduction of the world's first compulsory vaccination against smallpox in 1807. The State Vaccination Institute played a central role in the administration and production of vaccines until it was dissolved in 1976 when it was incorporated into the LMU Clinic as the Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine and moved to the building at Leopoldstrasse 5 in Munich - the current location of the University Outpatient Clinic of the Tropical Institute.

The University Outpatient Clinic for Tropical Medicine, Infectiology and Travel Medicine at the LMU Klinikum is now the only university facility of its kind in Bavaria. The services for patients in the outpatient clinic at Leopoldstraße 5 under the direction of Dr. med. Camilla Rothe remain unchanged - a comprehensive range of travel medicine consultations and vaccinations as well as diagnosis and treatment of tropical diseases and other infectious diseases.

Prof. Markus M. Lerch, Chairman of the Board of LMU Klinikum, comments on the establishment of the institute as follows: "The transformation into the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine reflects LMU Klinikum's ongoing commitment to setting the highest standards in patient care while being at the forefront of medical research."

Source: Press release of the LMU Hospital Munich, 01.07.2024