ImmunoPreCept has launched in January 2026 as a DFG-funded Cluster of Excellence under Germany’s Excellence Strategy. Coordinated by Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, it unites Berlin’s leading research institutions: Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, German Rheumatology Research Center (Leibniz Institute), Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, and Museum für Naturkunde (Leibniz Institute).
The Cluster pioneers a paradigm shift in medicine, moving from treating symptomatic disease to actively preserving health. It aims to decipher how immune-tissue networks maintain homeostasis and how early molecular and cellular changes in homeostatic networks predict disease, enabling targeted prevention and interception of chronic inflammatory and immune-mediated conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer.
ImmunoPreCept integrates single-cell and spatial tissue technologies with AI-driven predictive modeling to map transitions between health, pre-disease, disease and in remission. It leverages Berlin’s interdisciplinary expertise in medical systems biology, immunology, tissue biology, single-cell analysis, and clinical medicine to investigate how immune function sustains tissue integrity, how perturbations drive disease onset, and how clinical remission corresponds to restored physiological health. Through its research and translational programs, the Cluster establishes a foundation for precision-guided, interceptive medicine at scale while promoting dialogue between science and society via the Berlin Hub for Science with Society (BHS²).
(Planned) Support Activities for Postdocs
Inter- and Transdisciplinary Research Projects | Seed Funding for Independent Pilot Projects | Mentorship for Postdocs and Junior Group Leaders | Workshops & Training | Annual Retreats, Postdoc Days, and Monthly Meetings | Visiting Fellowships and Lab Exchanges | Support for External Grant Applications | Lab-Start Packages for Junior Group Leaders | Intersectoral and International Mobility Programs | Involvement in Cluster Governance and Decision-Making | Networking Events and Tailored Training Modules
Recruiting
Open positions are listed on the cluster’s job page and Zeit Online Jobs.
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