NeuroCure moves into new training and research centre

Within the scope of a ceremonial opening, the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin inaugurated its new training and research centre on schedule and just in time for the beginning of the semester. The state-of-the-art building at the historical Campus Charité Mitte unites for the first time important basic disciplines of the Medical Faculty, the NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence as well as training facilities in particular for the scientific disciplines of medical studies.

Chairman of the Executive Board of the Charité Prof. Karl Max Einhäupl states on the opening: »The new building is to become the Charité’s front room, where students, young scientists and renowned investigators are working in close cooperation to bring cutting-edge research to hospital beds. This is what people expect from us.«

Dean of the Charité Prof. Annette Grüters-Kieslich emphasises: »A common building for research, science and training also benefits the translation, i.e. the transfer of basic scientific research findings into clinical practice. «She adds: »The establishment of the CharitéCrossOver has created excellent working, training and learning conditions for both scientists and medical professionals in Berlin and visiting scientists from all over the world; this will certainly make up for times when we had to improvise a lot.«

The pit was excavated in March 2010; the topping-out ceremony took place in May 2011. All in all, the CharitéCrossOver has a gross floor area of 27,000 square metres. A part of the building has been occupied by the NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, which was recommended for further funding until 2017 by an international expert committee in June. The research of the Cluster of Excellence is focussed on widespread neurological diseases such as stroke, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. Furthermore, the scientists are also investigating psychiatric diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, autism, depression and schizophrenia. The objective is to better understand these diseases so that they can be treated even more effectively in the future. The special thing about the Cluster of Excellence is the transfer of basic neuroscientific research findings into clinical practice and vice versa. This translation is enabled by clinical studies, which can be initiated by both basic researchers and clinicians.

To NeuroCure scientists, the relocation to the state-of-the-art research facility means finding a common home under one roof. Investigators from six partner institutions and various special disciplines now have the opportunity to use the short distances within the building, the common infrastructure and the forums for lively interaction, which is expected to generate new cooperative partnerships.

The Charité was also able to welcome a great number of representatives of the federal and regional governments to the opening ceremony. Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit, who, together with Prof. Grüters-Kieslich, cut the first sod for the training and research centre in 2009, emphasises: »The CharitéCrossOver is the first project of the 2015 Charité master plan. Excellent working, training and learning conditions are created for students, medical professionals and visiting scientists from all over the world. This example impressively demonstrates how valuable the excellence’s initiative is for our scientific facilities. The Federal Government’s funding for the NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence has given this project a power boost.«

On the occasion of the opening, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research Dr. Georg Schütte underlines »the great significance of the cooperation between the federal and regional governments to provide the appropriate frame – including the structural conditions – for outstanding training and research activities.« He adds: »As a result, an exemplary place for biomedical research and medical education of the highest level will come into being here in Berlin, at the Charité, allowing us to remain competitive on a worldwide scale and to make progress in the treatment of various, most notably also neurological diseases.«