DRFZ at a glance
Advancing Rheumatology – Shaping Health
Research for Better Therapies in Rheumatology
The DRFZ is conducting research into the causes of rheumatic diseases in order to develop innovative and personalized therapies. Using state-of-the-art technologies such as artificial intelligence and biomarker analysis, we are working on more precise diagnoses and more effective therapies.
Our aim is to improve the quality of life of patients in the long term, close gaps in care and open up new avenues for treatment of rheumatic diseases – by directly transferring research into practice.
The DRFZ
The German Rheumatology Research Center is a non-profit foundation. It has been a member of the Leibniz Association since 2009 and is jointly funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the State of Berlin
The DRFZ promotes the academic training of young scientists and physicians in order to train future experts. Close cooperation with clinics such as Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and other institutions enables us to transfer research findings into clinical practice and promote the exchange of knowledge. We are raising awareness of rheumatic diseases with extensive engagement in public relations activities.
The DRFZ promotes the academic training of young scientists and physicians in order to train future experts. Close cooperation with clinics such as Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and other institutions enables us to transfer research findings into clinical practice and promote the exchange of knowledge. We are raising awareness of rheumatic diseases with extensive engagement in public relations activities.
Committees at the DRFZ
Board of Directors
Further boards
President
Prof. Dr. Thomas Krieg
Vice President of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Cologne
Permanent members
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) – Department 615GF „Med. Forschung; Medizintechnik“
Dr. Leonhard Waschke
The Governing Mayor of Berlin
Senate Chancellery
Dr. Björn Maul
Immanuel Hospital GmbH, Berlin
Prof. Dr. Andreas Krause
Chairman of the Board of Charité – Universitätsmedizin, Berlin
Prof. Dr. Heyo K. Kroemer
Elected members
Joern Aldag
Hookipa Pharma Inc, New York
Dr. Helmut Häuser
Chairman of the Executive Board of the Willy-Robert-Pitzer-Foundation, Frankfurt am Main
Dr. Julia Rautenstrauch, Deputy Chairperson
former Executive Director EULAR, Stuttgart
Prof. Dr. med. Gabriela Riemekasten
Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Director Klinik für Rheumatologie
Ursula Weyrich
Administrative Director, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg
Chairperson
Prof. Dr. Carsten Watzl, Leibniz-Institut für Arbeitsforschung an der TU Dortmund, DE
Members
Prof. Christopher Buckley, DPhil FRCP, Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, UK
Prof. Kimme Hyrich, MD PhD FRCP, University of Manchester, UK
Prof. Frank P. Luyten, MD, PhD, Professor Emeritus at KU Leuven, BE; RegMed XB, NL
Prof. Vivianne Malmstroem, PhD, Karolinska Institutet, SE
Prof. Musa Mhlanga, PhD, Radboud University, NL
Prof. Claudia Mauri, PhD, University College London, UK
Prof. Ariel D. Stern, PhD, Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering, Universität Potsdam, DE
Dieter Wiek, Patientenvertretung, DE
Organizational chart
The DRFZ and its Liaison cooperation partners
What are Liaison groups?
Liaison groups are an instrument developed by the DRFZ that gives clinicians and basic researchers from partner institutions such as the Charité the opportunity to conduct research at the DRFZ. The liaison groups are co-financed to varying degrees by the partner institution and the DRFZ. This provides these groups with research space and access to the DRFZ's infrastructure and technology platforms.
Liaison with the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
The close connection to the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin is a characteristic feature of the DRFZ. Charité and DRFZ not only operate joint research infrastructures but are also connected through joint professorships and liaison research groups.
Liaison with the Universities in Berlin and ZIB
To intensify cooperations between the DRFZ and the universities in Berlin joint professorships have been created. A Professorship for 'Dynamic and Functional in-vivo Imaging' links the DRFZ with the Freie Universität Berlin (FU) and a Professorship for 'Cytometry' is established with theInstitute of Biotechnology of the Technische Universität Berlin (TU). The liaison group 'Explainable AI for Inflammation' is a cooperation with the Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB).
Leibniz Association
The DRFZ has been a member of the Leibniz Association since 2009 and is active at various levels. The Leibniz Association unites 96 independent research institutions. Its focus ranges from the natural, engineering and environmental sciences to economics, spatial and social sciences and the humanities.
DRFZ projects in the Leibniz Association
The DRFZ is involved in research alliances and networks of the Leibniz Association. We also take part in the Leibniz Competition to raise funds for special research projects.
An overview of successfully funded projects and networks can be found at the following link.
Leibniz Chairs reflect a particularly close connection between an international researcher and a Leibniz institution. In 2018, the Leibniz Executive Board appointed Fritz Melchers (honorary for lifetime) and in 2020 Koji Tokoyoda (until 2025) to a Leibniz Chair. Andreas Radbruch has been a member of the Central Ombuds Committee of the Leibniz Association since March 2024.
Postdocs and doctoral candidates at the DRFZ are actively involved in the Leibniz PhD Network and the Leibniz PostDoc Network.
History of DRFZ
Over 30 Years of the German Rheumatology Research Center Berlin
The DRFZ was founded in 1988 by the State of Berlin, to which it owes great gratitude for many years of generous support and constructive collaboration. As the only non-university research institution in Germany dedicated to rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, it has been part of the Leibniz Association since 2009 and has received federal funding ever since
Research funding is essential for our work to succeed
Our cutting-edge research is made possible by a broad range of support – from public institutions to private foundations and industrial partners. The Berlin Senate Department, the Leibniz Association, the DFG, the BMBF, the European Research Council and the European Commission provide significant funding for our scientific projects. At the same time, private foundations such as the Willy Robert Pitzer Foundation, the Deutsche Rheumastiftung and the Dr. Rolf M. Schwiete Foundation play a decisive role by supporting outstanding research groups and thus sustainably shaping the profile of the DRFZ.