The focus of the Department of Physiology - Immunology is directed towards the application of basic immunological knowledge and molecular biotechnology for the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases, in particular haematological malignancies and solid tumors. Molecular techniques and tools developed in a research setting are made available for the diagnosis and the follow-up of patients. Studies in pre- clinical animal models are performed with the aim to develop strategies for immune intervention in human malignancies. Several phase I-II clinical trials of 'active specific immunotherapy' of cancer patients (i.e. cancer vaccine trials) have been initiated and are co-ordinated by the Laboratory of Physiology-Immunology. The Laboratory participates actively in a collaborative project of 'Cell Therapy', using genetically modified dendritic cells as therapeutic cancer vaccine. Since a major part of the laboratory activities and efforts are oriented towards the application into the clinic, the research can be best described as 'translational R & D'.