A POSSIBLE SITE FOR EMBO IN HEIDELBERG

This is an edited translation of a document prepared by the Faculty of Biology, University of Heidelberg. The original document was submitted to the Bundesministerium für Wissenschaft und Forschung, the Kultusministerium Baden-Württemberg, the Volkswagen Foundation, and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

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General Situation (Summary)

  1. Travel - Heidelberg is easily accessible by plane, train or car. It is close to Frankfurt international airport.
  2. Scientific environment - University, four Institutes of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, German Cancer Research Center, IBM Research Center
  3. Technology - The Nuclear reactor Research Center in Karlsruhe can be reached by car in 45 min. Neutron diffraction facilities are available.
  4. Industry - Heidelberg is situated in the Rhein / Neckar area, which is a center for chemical and electronic industries. A number of laboratory supply companies are situated in and around Heidelberg
  5. The Site - Most of the Heidelberg Scientific Institutions are close together. They are also close to the center of town.
  6. Social Environment - An international school can be established. Two-language schools exist. The city of Heidelberg will help in solving accomodation problems. Excellent recreation areas exist in the Odenwald and in the Neckar valley.

  1. Travel

    2. Heidelberg has a central position in Germany and in Western Europe. A major international airport (Frankfurt) is very close (80 km) and can be reached directly on the Autobahn in 45 min. There are frequent direct flights to all major European airports, furthermore, direct connections exist to the westcoast of the U.S. and to Japan.

    A number of European capitals and towns with large biological institutions can be reached through direct train service (e.g. Paris, London, Rome, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin, Geneve, Basel, Freiburg, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Tübingen etc.) Heidelberg is situated on two major north-south Auitobahnen.

  2. Scientific Environment

    3. Heidelberg is one of the oldest Universities in Europe. The internal structure of the University has been reorganized last year through a new constitution. The Faculty of Biology was established by splitting the old Science-Mathematics Faculty into smaller functional units. Besides the Faculty of Biology the Faculties of Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy, and of Geology were founded. The Faculty of Biology recently established new research groups by appointing Prof. Bautz (former Ruttgers University) to the chair of Molecular Genetics, Prof. Doerffler (Rockefeller University) to the chair of Microbiology, and Prof. Knappe to the chair of Biochemistry.

    The following Max-Planck-Institutes are in heidelberg: Nuclear Physics (Prof. Gentner, Prof. Schmidt-Rohr, Prof. Weidenmüller) - Astronomy (Prof. Elsässer) - Plant Genetics (Prof. Knapp) - Medical Research (Prof. Hasselbach, Prof. Hoffmann-Berling, Prof. Hausser, Prof. Wieland, Dr. Holmes)

    Prof. Hausser has a department devoted to the development of NMR techniques, for example the application of the Overhauser effect to biology.
    Dr. Holmes (formerly MRC Cambridge) has built up an X-ray group working on the structure of proteins, viruses, and nucleic acids.
    Prof. Hoffmann - Berling: DNA-replication
    Prof. Hasselbach: Calcium transport system
    Prof. Wieland: synthesis of polypeptides

  3. Technology

    4. Heidelberg has one of the leading University Physics Departments in Germany. The Nuclear Reactor Research Center is in Karlsruhe. Thus together with the MPI for Nuclear Physics and for Astronomy a large technological potential would be on hand for the development of the EMBO laboratory. There are several large computers available (IBM 360/65, IBM 360/44, CDC 3300) IBM Deutschland has ist own research center in Heidelberg.

  4. Industry

    5. In the Rhein / Neckar area (Karlsruhe - Mannheim - Ludwigshafen - darmstadt - Frankfurt) there are (within one hour's drive) for example; Merck (Darmstadt), BASF (Ludwigshafen),, Boehringer (Mannheim), Hoechst (Frankfurt), Siemes (Karlsruhe), Packard (Frankfurt), Stoe - X-ray equipment (Darmstadt), Serva - a supply company for rare biochemicals (Heidelberg), Desaga - instruments (Heidelberg), Colora - own instruments and German rep. For MSE (Lorch), Beckman - rep. (Frankfurt), New England Nuclear (Frankfurt), CDC (Frankfurt), IBM (Heidelberg)

    Every two years an international exhibition for chemical apparatus (ACHEMA) takes place in Frankfurt

  5. The Site.

    6. There is a close cooperation between the University and the Heidelberg Max-Planck-Institutes. This cooperation is the basis of the development of a physically and chemically orientated modern biology in Heidelberg. We are trying to find a place for the EMBO institute in the neighbourhood of the institutes of the Faculty of Biology, the Max-Planck-Institute für Medical Research, the Institutes of the Medical School, and the German Cancer Research Center. These form the new Science campus. The campus is very close to the center of the town (10 min, by tram)

    Unfortunately the land in this area is limited. Thus it is not possible to obtain 1o hectar space for a site on this campus. Possible 3 hectars could be made available.

    Howver, we believe that the close neighbourhood of as many different scientific institutions might be immediately of more interest than expansion plans in the future. We feel that the proximity of a number of small independent University and Max-Planck-Departments working on related problems in molecular biology and cell biology provides the ideal environment for a scientifically symbiotic relationship with the EMBO laboratory. If this suggestion is unacceptable to EMBO, and if EMBO would prefer a larger area at the periphery of the town or in ist neighbourhood, it would be possible to find a reasonable site. 1o hectars are certainly available within the city boundary.

    The University of Heidelberg builds new scientific institutes using vaious building modules which are flexible in design. If EMBO agrees to build a laboratory using such modules the building would be relatively cheap and ist construction time could be short (1 1/2 - 2 years). If, later EMBO wishes to expand beyond the confines of the existing site (e.g. to the edge of the town or elsewhere) in a number of years (say 15-20), the University of Heidelberg would be willing to take over the buildings. It is clear that EMBO needs as much freedom and flexibility as possible and that none can forsee in which direction science will go in 10 - 20 years. It is attractive, therefore, to have a flexible committment.

  6. Social Environment.

    7. We think there are strong arguments for keeping the EMBO laboratory within the town. Most of the EMBO scientists will be foreign, many will be postdoctoral fellows. EMBO has not been concieved on a scale big enough to be a self sufficient social community. Therefore it is imparative that the familiesof the employees at the EMBO laboratory should have a chance of integrating with the local community. As mentioned, two-language shool exist in Heidelberg. The Bunsen-Gymnasium teaches in English and German. A projected "Gesamtschule" (Hasenleiser) = comprehensive school will teach in English and German. There are also experimental groups of junior school children working in English and German at other schools.

    The center of the nearest larger town (Mannheim) can be reached by car or train in 15 minutes. Mannheim offers additional cultural events (opera, thetre) and opportunities for shopping.

    Heidelberg lies on the edge of the romantic and beautiful Odenwald. Local wine from the Bergstraße is worth derinking.

 

Ó Peter v. Sengbusch