History and developmental path of biology in Heidelberg
19th century
Biology in Heidelberg produced some of the 19th and 20th century's eminent researchers. They supported Darwin's evolutionary theory from an early stage and stand for the beginning of experimental biology, particularly research into physiology, developmental biology and biochemistry. The botanist Georg Klebs (1857-1918) was the founder of developmental biology of plants, and the zoologist Otto Bütschli (1848-1920) was one of the fathers of cell biology. They, in turn, attracted other experiment orientated researchers to Heidelberg.
Dawn of Chemical Biology in the Twenties and Decline Under National Socialism
Heidelberg was also a Mecca for biochemistry with the discovery of glycolysis and the respiratory enzyme cytochrome-c oxidase (Nobel Prizes in 1922 and 1931 to Meyerhof and Warburg. During National Socialism the further development of biology in Heidelberg was severely interrupted. This lasted well into the post-war period and it wasn’t until the beginning of the 1970s that an upturn occurred.
Raise of Molecular Biology
After the war fhe arrival of an electron microscope established modern cell structure research and DFG Priority Programmes in zoology and botany revived research in the field of developmental physiology. The advent of molecular biology in Heidelberg was the result of an initiative by the Physics Department and the decision by the complete Natural Sciences-Mathematics Faculty to establish a Molecular Genetics Institute in (1966). Ekkehard Bautz, who like his colleague at the time, Hermann Bujard, came from the USA, was made full professor in 1969. In 1974, Heinz Schaller was appointed to the new chair for microbiology. Both professorships were highly successful and helped molecular biology in Heidelberg gain global recognition. The enhanced reputation of the department, Kenneth Holmes, Hartmut Hoffmann-Berling and Theodor Wieland at the MPI for Medical Research, the rise of the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ) to the status of major research institutions (1975) and obtaining the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) have all made Heidelberg one of most important European molecular biology research centres.
This all occurred contrary to the state government’s original plans, which were to make Freiburg and Constance into the main centres for molecular biology. In 1981, the then Dean Bautz succeeded in persuading the BASF AG to provide generous financial support, thus sending out a signal for molecular biology at Heidelberg University which Minister President Späth responded to by agreeing to the consruction of a new laboratory building. This allowed the rapid development of the Centre for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), and together with Schaller's negotiations conditions were created which guarantee that the high standards of the facilities will be maintained. The ZMBH with its new research structures was a model for further biocience centres at Heidelberg University and other German universities.
Integration of Pharmaceutical Biology and Biotechnolog
In order to better link pharmacological research with molecular biosciences and with medicine in Heidelberg, in 1973 the Karlsruhe Pharmacy Department was moved to Heidelberg. In 2002 the Pharmacy Faculty’s institutes (pharmaceutical, pharmaceutical technology and pharmaceutical biology) became the Institute for Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IMPB) in the now larger Faculty of Biosciences.
Neurobiology
The neurosciences also experienced an upturn as a result of the integration of molecular biology. In 1976 the Institute of Neurobiology was founded, which together with the SFB (Collaborative Research Centre) 317 Molecular Neurobiology, set up in 1985, became the centre of neurobiology at Heidelberg University. In 2000 this was turned into the Interdisciplinary Centre for Neurosciences (IZN), which also incorporates clinical neurobiology and neuroanatomy.
Renaissance of Organismal Biology
In 2010 the classic disciplines zoology and botany were brought together in a new Centre for Organismal studies (COS). In the newly founded COS organisms from different taxonomic levels from single celled fungi to simple animals and plants up to mammals and man are investigated at a systematic level and through a combination molecular and organismal approaches. With this, the path of building integrated centres for complex scientific issues started on by the ZMBH and the Biochemistry Centre has been pursued. An interdisciplinary centre is planned for the Institute for Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB). The neurobiological research groups have been organised in a comprehensive network, the IZN. The Faculty of Biosciences has thus become a "Centres Faculty", which is closely linked with biologically orientated areas of chemistry, mathematics, physics and medicine. This integrative strength of Heidelberg biosciences is currently manifested in seven DFG research collaborations and participation in major BMBF and EU programmes and in the founding of several technology transfer centres.
