The research institute funded by the Free State of Thuringia is geared towards the mission "Technical Systems for Life Sciences". With its application-oriented research, the institute is focussed on developing biotechniques at interfaces ("Biotechniques at Interfaces") for use in biomedicine, biotechnology and ecology. A unique selling proposition is the combination of technology and life sciences. The research is focussed on modeling native processes in the lab to provide approaches to better understand diseases (disease modeling) and their causes and to influence them in a targeted manner (personalized medicine).