Our Mission

The FZB is the lung research center of the Leibniz Association and is therefore committed to the motto “theoria cum praxi”.

The FZB sees its scientific and socio-political task in basic, disease- and patient-oriented lung research and training in this field. The field of research includes chronic inflammatory diseases of the lung of infectious and non-infectious environmental and behavioral origin. Research focuses on tuberculosis, infections with non-tuberculous mycobacteria and other bacterial and antibiotic-resistant pathogens, as well as asthma, COPD, smoking, allergens and other air pollutants.

To this end, the FZB follows an interdisciplinary research approach with the aim of addressing and answering the major questions about the causes and mechanisms of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases of the lung in such a way as to improve prevention, diagnosis, monitoring and therapy. Research into lung diseases is becoming increasingly important in an international context, also with regard to climate change. For this reason, the FZB is not only involved in research projects, but also in capacity building, laboratory support, the implementation of new technologies and clinical translation, especially in countries with high incidence of tuberculosis. The National Reference Center for Mycobacteria, appointed by the Federal Ministry of Health and the Robert Koch Institute, is based at the FZB and is also active internationally as a supranational reference center of the WHO.