Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology

Laboratories for genetic research

At the BIMSB science centre, the aim is to find remedies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's and to understand the processes of ageing. To this end, scientists are investigating ‘How do cells make decisions?’ or ‘How do genes control our body cells?’.

The fields of biochemistry, molecular biology, computational science and clinical research - to name but a few - are working together here. They need laboratories with modern equipment, the latest technology platforms and workstations, the scope and distribution of which can and will change again and again. After all, scientists from all over the world come together here for a wide variety of research projects.

Angela Merkel at the inauguration of the BIMSB — David Ausserhofer, MDC

Flexible room concept with top equipment

The brief for the new building for the BIMSB was therefore clear: top equipment, flexible rooms and an appealing, communication-enhancing architecture for the 250 researchers from the current 16 working groups.

There is a deliberate mix of disciplines in the work zones: laboratory and computer workstations alternate. The glass façades of the building complex and the glass walls of the laboratories allow light to penetrate the laboratory and computer-aided workspaces on both sides and ensure a bright, pleasant working environment.

Optimum utilisation - now and in the future

In terms of laboratory equipment, the focus was on maximum flexibility: around half of the laboratories have media lights that are supplied with media via the ceiling. The special feature: The media lights can be moved via the suspension system and thus positioned at different points in the room within the ceiling grid.

The media connections to the media lights are so flexible that they can be moved to the left and right. This makes it easy to convert laboratories or even laboratories into office workstations. The strict separation of furnishings and media supply means that the furnishings can be adapted to changing user requirements at short notice without technical intervention.