Contrary to classical imaging procedures, where the phenotype, i.e. the anatomical development of molecular events, is proved, now specific molecular changes, which underlie an illness, can be detected. Functional expression analysis thus comprises the cell-free and cell-based analysis of gene alterations, gene activities and gene expression patterns as well as of protein activities in the context of intracellular signal transduction. In the future, the evidence of illness-relevantly molecules will not only lead to a better understanding of disease processes, but also allow diagnoses at an earlier time in the disease process. The realisation of this concept requires the comprehensive use of fluorescence-spectroscopically and -microscopically high resolution proceedings on the three relevant levels of gene expression (DNA, RNA, Protein).

The functional expression analysis has the task to affiliate the kinetics of transcription and translation proceedings and to identify and characterise the cellular proceedings in the homeostasis resp. at illness. Knowledge of the activity resp. the expression of regular and mutant genes and proteins is essential for understanding the pathogenesis of diseases with the aim of developing diagnostic marker-systems and designing rational forms of therapy.

The research training group is based on the collaboration of the University of Heidelberg with the Fachhochschule Mannheim - Hochschule für Technik und Gestaltung with following scientific institutions: University Hospital of Mannheim, Kirchhoff-Institut für Physik der Universität Heidelberg, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory Heidelberg (EMBL). The members of the group cooperate already for years successfully scientifically.