HelmholtzZentrum München - Institut für Inhalationsbiologie (IHB)

Information about the Institute from the GSF Annual Report 2004 (PDF file)

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The institute is concerned with the health relevance of environmental aerosols ("Environmental Health"). In order to understand the effect of aerosols on the organism down to the level of molecular mechanisms, their physical and chemical properties are characterized, dosimetry is determined and exposure experiments are performed. Since not every individual responds to aerosols in the same way and health status can have a significant impact, we are analyzing factors that influence this differential susceptibility. Of particular interest is the extent to which inherited traits predetermine an individual's susceptibility. Understanding these basic mechanisms will allow us to identify inflammatory processes in the lung at an early stage and to develop new therapeutic concepts in collaboration with our clinical collaborative group.

• Characterization of environmental and model aerosols
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• Exposure and dosimetry
• Identification of molecular pathomechanisms
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• Analysis of susceptibility and genetic disposition
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• Aerosol diagnostics and therapy