Research
Bioinformatik-Forschung bedeutet vor allem die Entwicklung von geeigneten Computermodellen und -verfahren zur Vorhersage von Molekül-Eigenschaften und lebenswissenschaftlichen Phänomenen. Am ZBH widmen wir uns mit drei Arbeitsgruppen und zwei Nachwuchsgruppen einem breiten Spektrum bioinformatischer Fragestellungen. Computerprogramme aus dem ZBH sind weltweit im akademischen und industriellen Umfeld im Einsatz.
The Center for Bioinformatics Hamburg (ZBH) is an organization of the University of Hamburg. It began its work on July 1, 2002. The ZBH aims at establishing research and education in bioinformatics on a high national as well as international level. For this, the ZBH is furnished with five research groups covering a wide range of bioinformatics topics:
Research Group for Computational Systems Biology, Prof. Dr. Jan Baumbach
The Computational Systems Biology research laboratory at University of Hamburg investigates the molecular mechanisms driving diseases using artificial intelligence methodology and combinatorial optimization. We develop computational methods for Network and Systems Medicine, in particular for mechanotyping and redefining diseases by their mechanistic causes rather than symptoms. Here, we emerge novel ways for drug repurposing and synergistic pharmacology. We also develop privacy-preserving artificial intelligence tools to unleash the power of big data in precision medicine, where sensitive data may not be shared cross-institutionally for prediction model learning. The COVID19 pandemic has demonstrated that the data silo attitude puts massive researchers barriers in our way, which need to be overcome. We thus develop privacy-by-design methods, largely based on federated artificial intelligence, that respect individual privacy while still allowing for big data analytics.
Research Group for Genome Informatics , Prof. Dr. Stefan Kurtz
The Research Group for Genome Informatics develops and applies new algorithms and data structures
as well as flexible software systems for processing large sets of sequences.
Research Group for Biomolecular Modeling , Prof. Dr. Andrew Torda
Research Group for Computational Molecular Design , Prof. Dr. Matthias Rarey
The development of novel bioactive compounds like they appear as active substances in drugs happens more and more with the aid of computers. The research focus of the AMD group at the Center for Bioinformatics is the development of necessary software systems.
Research Group Machine Learning in Bioinformatics, Prof. Dr. Fabian Kern
The working group develops and researches computer-aided methods of artificial intelligence and machine learning with a special focus on biomolecular issues. The starting point is concepts from computer science and mathematics, which we transfer specifically to biological data for hypothesis-driven or open-ended basic research. One focus is on the combination of deep learning with symbolic AI as well as statistical learning and the solution of complex optimization problems with bioinformatics relevance.
Our methods are used in a variety of biological and medical applications - for example in single cell analysis, in bio- and pharmaceutical research or in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. For example, our approaches have been used to predict the neurological effects of COVID-19.
The aim of our work is to make new computer science techniques usable in the life sciences and medicine - through robust, interpretable models and close interdisciplinary collaboration.