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PharmaScienceHub
Advancing Translational Pharma Research
A collaborative research platform between Saarland University and Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) to accelerate pharmaceutical innovation—from AI-driven drug discovery to clinical translation.
About Us
The PharmaScienceHub (PSH) is a dynamic research platform built on over 15 years of collaboration between Saarland University and the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS).
Collaborative Research Hub
More than 80 research groups and 500 interdisciplinary researchers work hand-in-hand to drive innovation in pharmaceutical discovery & development.
Bridging Academia & Industry
We benefit from strong ties with 30 regional and interregional companies, fostering national and international partnerships across the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.
Translational Impact & Innovation
PSH identifies commercially promising research from within its network and collaborates with partners such as Triathlon Southwest and HZI Innovation to shape these into fundable venture concepts — bridging the gap between discovery and entrepreneurship.
Our Key Objectives
Accelerate Drug Development
Identify new drugs and transform promising research results into market-ready medicines quickly and efficiently.
Enhance Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Integrate efforts in biomedical research, clinical medicine, and (bio)informatics for drug discovery.
Foster Industry Partnerships
Collaborate closely with national and international partners in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.
Joint Appointments & Talent Development
Train young scientists and technical staff and strengthen ties between HIPS and Saarland University through joint appointments.
Translational Drug Research & Start-Up Support
Facilitate the transition of innovations from basic research to clinical applications and promote start-up creation.
Infrastructure Sharing & Development
Ensure joint use of advanced laboratory space and equipment, with planned expansions to support drug development.
Our Members
84
Principal Investigators
Experienced group leaders driving interdisciplinary research across different disciplines and shaping PSH's scientific vision.
500+
Researchers
A collaborative network of scientists working across disciplines to tackle complex challenges in infection research, oncology, neurology, rare diseases, and beyond.
30
Industry Partners
Key partners from the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors fostering innovation and accelerating market access for new therapies.
PharmaScienceHub unites a broad community of scientists, innovators, and industry partners who collectively drive progress in pharmaceutical research.
View All MembersOur Research
The PharmaScienceHub is strategically shaped by nine emerging Profile Areas — Clinical Trials, Data Science & AI, Discovery, Preclinical Testing & 3R, Infection Research, Materials in Health & Delivery Systems, Natural Products & Microbiota, Neurobiology, and Systems Bioengineering & Synthetic Biology — which define our long-term vision and future scientific capabilities.
We bring together a dynamic, interdisciplinary research community whose expertise spans a broad range of disease-focused Research Areas, from oncology and infection to cardiology, neurology and rare diseases. Powered by cutting-edge methods and technologies, our scientists work at the forefront of organoid and model systems, multi-omics, pharmaceutical engineering, data science and beyond — collaborating closely with clinical and industry partners to translate discovery-driven research into real-therapeutic solutions.
To advance this scientific mission, the PharmaScienceHub regularly launches competitive funding calls for its members that support high-impact research projects, foster cross-disciplinary collaboration and accelerate the development of innovative ideas along the discovery-to-application continuum.
Our Profile Areas
Natural Products & Microbiota
Exploring microbial specialized metabolism and microbiome interactions to discover novel bioactive compounds for anti-infective drug development.
Data Science & AI
Developing trustworthy AI and machine learning methods to accelerate drug discovery, compound design, and toxicology prediction.
Infection Research
Combating antimicrobial resistance through integrated pathogen research, host-interaction studies, and the discovery of novel anti-infective drugs with innovative modes of action.
Cancer
Advancing translational cancer research through proteogenomics, biomarker discovery, and high-throughput drug screening to accelerate personalized therapeutic development for rare and common malignancies.
Neurobiology
Integrating clinical investigation with experimental neuroscience to uncover disease mechanisms and develop personalized diagnostics and therapies for neurodegenerative, neuroinflammatory, and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Clinical Trials
Accelerating drug development through investigator-initiated and multicenter clinical trials across oncology, metabolic, and infectious diseases, bridging academic research and industry collaboration.
Materials in Health/Delivery Systems
Developing innovative smart carriers, nanomaterials, and biohybrid delivery systems for targeted therapeutics across anti-infective, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and ocular applications.
Discovery, Preclinical Testing and 3R
Advancing early-stage drug discovery and preclinical validation through innovative cellular models, organoids, and microfluidic platforms while pioneering 3R strategies to minimize animal testing.
Systems Bioengineering/Synthetic Biology
Advancing targeted drug delivery through smart carriers, nanomaterials, and biohybrid systems for anti-infective, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and ocular therapeutics.
Upcoming Events
Upcoming
PSH TechTalk - Introduction to Mass Spectroscopy
Upcoming
PSH TechTalk - Introduction to Element Analysis & Mass Spectrometry
Latest News
Latest News
Recap: PSH Core Facility TechTalks #1
Yesterday we launched our new PSH Core Facility TechTalks series. Saarland University, together with HIPS and other partner institutes, hosts a wide range of advanced research infrastructure. The PSH Core Facility TechTalks give researchers...
Oskar Staufer Awarded the Alois Lauer Research Prize
Advancing Cancer Immunotherapy Cancer cells often evade the body’s natural immune defenses, making targeted treatment a major scientific challenge. PSH member Oskar Staufer, Group Leader at the Leibniz Institute for New Materials in Saarbrü...
HIPS Researchers Discover Parkinson’s Drug As a Basis for New Anti-Infectives
When the hospital germ Pseudomonas aeruginosa infects the body, it uses the sugar-binding protein LecA to attach itself to human cells, invade them, and form so-called biofilms. LecA thus plays a central role in the development and progress...
Contact & Connect With Us
Contact Info
Dr.-Ing. Kristina Scherbaum
Managing Director, PharmaScienceHub
Saarland University, Campus E2 1, R 2.07
66123 Saarbrücken
+49 681 98806 6001