The IMB is organised in three departments: Bacteria & Toxins, Viruses & Intracellular Pathogens and Medical B-Reconnaissance & Bioforensics. The Medical B-Reconnaissance & Bioforensics includes cross-divisional services such as the Central Diagnostics Unit and divisions for Molecular Genomics & Bioinformatics, for Technical Development Diagnostics & Platforms and for Mobile B-Reconnaissance & Verification. For international missions, the IMB has developed a modular, rapidly deployable diagnostic field laboratory for pathogens up to risk group 4, which can be easily adapted to local conditions. In addition to its deployable laboratory capacities, the IMB also offers accredited stationary diagnostic services for pathogens up to risk group 4. It holds the German reference laboratories for tick-borne encephalitis and brucellosis.
The IMB has state-of-the-art laboratory facilities for research into highly infectious bacterial and viral pathogens and biotoxins as well as the pathogenesis, treatment and prevention of health disorders caused by these biological agents. The laboratory capacities also include a BSL-3 laboratory and one of Europe’s largest collection of high-consequence pathogens. The institute’s division for Mobile B-Reconnaissance & Verification develops and validates novel methods for outbreak sampling and diagnostics, and its division for genomics & bioforensics conducts research in the field of applied bioinformatics in microbiology. The institute cooperates closely with Germany’s local and federal public health organisations, civil defence, and emergency services. On the international level, the IMB is also strongly connected: besides bilateral collaborations, the institute conducts projects in Caucasus, Central Asia as well as North and West Africa and participates in several European consortia. Since 2010, the IMB has formed the Munich partner site of the German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF) together with the Technical University of Munich, the Ludwig Maximilian University and the Helmholtz Centre.
