Research-Initiatives

CMMS is the Frankfurt centre for multi-scale modelling, analysis and simulation of biological processes located at FIAS (Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies). The long-term goal of CMMS is a comprehensive understanding of both simple molecular biological processes, such as the mode of action of an enzyme, as well as the complex behaviour of organisms. 

Such an understanding is the basis for the adaptation of cell functions for biotechnological use as well as for the development of biomedical, pharmacological and agricultural applications. Advances in the development of high-resolution methods for the atomistic description of molecules, cells and cell systems using cryo-EM and light microscopy provide insights into molecular mechanisms and processes. By integrating this information into models and simulations, basic mechanisms and causalities are identified. This requires new technical, algorithmic and informatic solutions to overcome the scale constraint and the prediction of missing information in experimental data sets.  The merging of theoretical competences and their interlinking with data from diverse experiments carried out independently on several scales is essential in order to develop new concepts for describing biological systems and deciphering the causes of diseases.