Where construction projects in Berlin spark the change in science culture

On the North Campus of the Humboldt University, right next-door to the anatomical rooms of the Charité, there’s a lot going on. The construction cabins and cranes on the area of land, which extends idyllically over a small stream, have become a familiar sight by now. Although they do clash slightly with the earthy tones of the historical buildings and the colors of the trees in fall, they bring new life to the campus. Nils Blüthgen’s laboratory at the Integrative Research Institute of Life Sciences, the recent history of which is now only  recognizable through the construction work in the auditorium, has blended in perfectly here.

Not too long ago, however, the premises that house a modern, fully equipped laboratory with several light-filled offices today were just a ruin. The laboratories, which contained equipment that in large part goes back as far as the 1950s, were last used by the Free University after the reunification of Germany and had been standing empty since then. After he was jointly appointed to work at the IRI Life Sciences and the Institute for Pathology by the Humboldt University and the Charité in 2014, Nils Blüthgen initiated the conversion work, supported by Stiftung Charité. Based on the idea of concentrating the scientific activities of both institutions in the field of bioinformatics and computational biology on the campus, he initiated the founding of a joint lab in the field of bioinformatics. Contrary to what one might expect of construction projects in Berlin, the joint efforts of the architects, the universities and Nils Blüthgen proved extremely successful.

The result clearly shows how interdisciplinary collaboration can be spatially implemented. Nils Blüthgen’s research team, which is stationed here, is studying how molecular networks interact in our cells in order to process signals. It specifically concerns signal networks that control cell division and survival. The structure of the Joint Lab enables us to look at entire networks in all their complexity, rather than just single signal paths. Based on data gathered from cell biology experiments, the research team creates computer models of the networks linking the signal paths. “Of course, I would first construct a car on the computer before producing an expensive prototype. In a similar way, we also use computer models to simulate the complex behavior of the cells. However, it is difficult to establish this kind of thing at universities, as they are still very much oriented towards disciplines,” explains Nils Blüthgen. He now wants to overcome the barriers between theory and experiment with the integrated laboratory.

The laboratory focuses mainly on signal networks, which are incapacitated in cancer cells, and which are already used clinically as a target for cancer therapies. It is evident that not only basic researchers, but also clinicians are integrated into the work, and in this respect being so close to the Charité offers a great advantage. “We have close contact with colleagues at the Charité, but sometimes our questions are quite different from those of a dyed-in-the-wool pathologist or oncologist. Experiments that are boring for them can be highly interesting for us,” explains Nils Blüthgen. It’s precisely because of these different viewpoints that many interesting interactions take place, as both sides complement one another well.