Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry

The main goal of the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry is to uphold a uniquely close interaction between basic science, clinical research and clinical services in order to gain knowledge about and understanding of the causes of psychiatric disorders. This knowledge can then be applied in the development of novel diagnostic possibilities as well as therapeutic and preventive approaches. Stress- and trauma-related disorders, such as major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and anxiety disorders are our main research and clinical focus. The traditional clinic of the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry is primarily concerned with diagnosis of, treatment of and research on stress-related disorders, whose incidence is increasing worldwide. As a non-profit research organization, it is important to us to be able to apply our scientific results when treating our patients without any delay. We are proud to rank among the world’s leading institutions. The basic research of our institute is closely connected with clinical research and treatment. Cutting-edge research in the areas of genetics, proteomics and metabolomics are combined with clinical analytical imaging methods and measurement of brain functions. Besides the optimization of current treatments, our results help to develop novel therapies and drugs for the personalized medicine of the future.