DIVISION OF EXPERIMENTAL PATHOPHYSIOLOGY & IMMUNOLOGY
History - Research - Structure - Teaching

History


Pathophysiology (previously called "Functional Pathology" or General and Experimental Pathology) is taught to medical students during the 
second section of their studies, i.e. before entering the practical and the clinical sector.
 
The first Institute of this kind was founded in Vienna in 1873 by the reknown Austrian pathologist von Rokitansky, a contemporarian of the
German pathologist von Virchow.

The first chairman of the Vienna Institute for General and Experimental Pathology was Salomon Stricker. The Institute in Innsbruck was 
founded already in 1878 under its first chairman, Dietl. Subsequent chairmen were Loewit, Pfeiffer, Bayer and von der Wense. 

In 1975 Georg Wick was appointed as the present Chairman and Professor for General and Experimental Pathology. Wick is also Professor for
Immunology and head of the Central Laboratory Animal Facilities (Zentrale Versuchstieranlage - ZVTA), a common unit of 
the entire Medical University that is used by scientists from theoretical institutes as well as clinics (see separate homepage). 

Prof. Wick had a simultaneous appointment (from 1991 until 2003) as the Director of the extramural Institute for Biomedical Aging Research
 of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

As a consequence of the foundation of the Innsbruck Medical University in 2005 and the concomitant restructuring of the entire architecture, 
the institute was divided into 2 divisions, both of which were incorporated into the Department of Biocenter, 
i.e. the Division of Experimental Pathophysiology and Immunology with Prof. Georg Wick as head and Prof. Siegfried Schwarz as deputy head, 

and the Division of Molecular Pathophysiology with Prof. Reinhard Kofler as head and Prof. Arno Helmberg as deputy head. 

In 2007, a further division was "enucleated" from the Division of Experimental Pathophysiology and Immunology,  
i.e. the Division of Developmental Immunology" with Prof. Andreas Villunger as head and Prof. Jan Wiegers as deputy head.

As of September 30, 2007, Professor Georg Wick retired as Director of the Division of Experimental Pathophysiology and Immunology. 
He has moved to new laboratory premises, designated the "Laboratory of Autoimmunity" (also within the Biocenter) where he continues his 
research on the "immunology of atherosclerosis" and the "immunology of fibrosis" (telephone number: +43(0)512 9003.70960). 
In addition, he continues his diagnostic work in his private laboratory.

The former and present collaborators of the "old" "Expatho" institute thank Professor Wick for over 30 years of excellent guidance 
and wish him all the best in his future scientific work as Professor emeritus.

Professor Lukas Huber, M.D., Head of the Department "Innsbruck Biocenter" and Director of the Division of Cell Biology, has been appointed 
by the Senate and the Rector as Provisional Director of the Division of Experimental Pathophysiology and Immunology.

The Division awaits a new Director to apply and to be appointed.

Research

The Institute is highly research-oriented and concentrates on three main areas, viz.

- Immunopathology,
- Endocrinology

Structure
The Division is divided into the following research groups,

-Laboratory of Immunopathology (Georg Wick -Emeritus)
-Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology (Siegfried Schwarz)
-Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology (Roswitha Gruber-Sgonc)
-Laboratory of Biophysics/Biooptics (Guenther Boeck)
-Laboratory of Local Immunity (Hugo Wolf - retired)
-Laboratory of Immunogenetics (Karel Hala - retired)


Teaching

Pathophysiology is taught during the 7th and 8th semester of the "old" medical study curriculum, and already from the 3rd semester until the 
7th semester of the "new" curriculum  (since 2003). 

All three Divisions form the "Bereich Pathophysiologie" and participate in the teaching duties. 
Prof. Schwarz coordinates these activities with respect to the Alte as well as the Neue Curriculum Medizin. 

The aim of pathophysiology is to teach medical students - based on their knowledge acquired during the first section of their medical studies 
(physics, biochemistry, anatomy, histology, physiology) 
- the principles = the molecular and cellular basis of diseases and thus
- the understanding of pathogenetic mechanisms,
- diagnostic procedures and
- therapeutic and preventive measures.
In addition to the main obligatory program of lectures special electives (Nebenvorlesungen) are offered dealing with topics beyond basic study 
requirements. In addition, the Division constantly educates approx. 10 to 20 pre and postgraduate students from the fields of medicine, biology, 
molecular biology, microbiology and biophysics.

 



Division of Experimental Pathophysiology & Immunology
Department Biocenter
Innsbruck Medical University
Fritz-Pregl-Strasse 3, A-6020 Innsbruck/Austria
phone: +43 (0)512-9003.70975; fax: +43 (0)512-9003.73960; e-mail  


In order to get a map of where we are located, click here 

The secretary responsible for students affairs is Ms. Ilona Lengenfelder, room 403, phone: 9003.70964.
last update: February 9, 2009Webpage created by Siegfried Schwarz, webmaster of the above Division