Freie Universität Berlin

Focusing on the health of humans, animals, and the environment through integrated research approaches

How are environmental, human, and animal health connected?

Climate change, endangered species, and global health risks make it all the more apparent that human health and well-being cannot be separated from the natural world. Researchers at Freie Universität Berlin are therefore working across disciplines within a framework that incorporates the concept of planetary boundaries as well as One Health. Their goal is to better understand how ecological systems, animal health, and human well-being are interrelated.

How can research help us better understand problems related to global health and the environment?

Researchers working in the natural sciences, including Earth sciences, biology, chemistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, and bioinformatics, are collaborating closely with economists, social scientists, and experts from the humanities. Together they investigate topics such as antimicrobial resistance, biodiversity, and the properties of complex molecular structures at biointerfaces (for example, within the nervous system). Modern equipment and infrastructures power research that is leading to new insights into these areas – from the Veterinary Center for Resistance Research (TZR) to the SupraFAB research building to the Joint Biodiversity Building Dahlem. The Botanic Garden Berlin also contributes to this field with its world-renowned collection of plants, fungi, and algae.

How can we guarantee sustainability and well-being in the long term?

The Center for Sustainable Resources is home to research activities that explore resource-conserving and cycle-oriented material synthesis and use. Projects there combine basic research on fundamental questions with practical applications and show how scientific expertise can boost resilience, sustainability, and quality of life – while still respecting the ecological limits of our planet.