Metabolomics Department – Bunsen-Kirchhoff-Str. 11
44139 Dortmund
Germany
Phone: +49 231 1392-238
Fax: +49 231 1392-438
http://www.isas.de
http://metabolomics.isas.de
Baumbach@isas.de
Company Contacts
Department/ Name Address
Metabolomics – PD Dr. Jörg Ingo Baumbach Bunsen-Kirchhoff-Str. 11, 44139 Dortmund, Tel: +49 (0)231 1392-238
Baumbach@isas.de
Company Figures
Number of employees 100-499
Year of foundation 1952
Area of business Laboratory Equipment
Language: German Language: English Company Profile
ISAS – Institute for Analytical Sciences
ISAS – the Institute for Analytical Sciences, with departments in Dortmund and Berlin, is a scientific research establishment jointly supported by the German Federal and States’ Governments. The Institute is governed by the “Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Analytischen Wissenschaften e.V.”, who have three members on the Executive Board. The Institute has been joined contractually with the Technical University of Dortmund since 1993 and is a member of the Leibniz Association.
Since its founding in 1952 as the Institute of Spectrochemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, the work has been directed mainly towards user orientated basic research in the field of analytical chemistry. The Institute has gathered particular expertise in developing new methods and improving existing ones. To solve complex analytical problems various methods have been combined, according to the particular needs (the so-called multi-method concept). Experts from ISAS Dortmund and ISAS Berlin are called into work together when their joint expertise is required to solve a problem. ISAS has earned a great international reputation through internal and external interdisciplinary co-operation between physicists, chemists, engineers, biologists and clinicians.
As consequence of a critical assessment by the Federal Science Council in January 2001, ISAS has concentrated its work on essential areas and, thus, sharpened its profile. The methods employed place emphasis on the use of microfluidics and spectroscopy. The aims of the Institute are summarised in a ‘mission statement’:
ISAS works at solving analytical problems, for this it develops new or improves existing measurement principles and procedures, analytical techniques, methods and instruments.
Spectroscopic methods and the analytical contribution for solving problems in the areas of material and life sciences are the essentials of the research and development at ISAS.
To achieve these aims and after the reorientation as the ISAS – Institute for Analytical Sciences, the institute has been re-structured with five research departments: (I) Miniaturisation; (II) Proteomics; (III) Metabolomics; (IV) Material Analysis; (V) Interface Spectroscopy. The research departments have been established on a limited time basis. They will, however, exist in their current form for a number of years to allow continuity in the research.
A yearly appraisal of the research plans as well as an evaluation of the Institute’s work is the responsibility, as written into the statute, of the Scientific Advisory Board who are an Executive Body of the Society. This Board produces a written report based on the results of an annual audit. The guidelines they use are the recommendations of the Federal Science Council as well as the ‘mission statement’. Taking this report into account, the annual research plan is prepared and then eventually presented to the Board of Trustees for approval.
With the aim of increasing efficiency, ISAS has carried out cost/performance calculations since 2001. The most important criteria for the performance are publications in refereed journals, patents, licence income from patents, third-party funding as well as invited lectures at conferences where expenses are covered. In a benchmark process, ISAS regularly checks its performance against other natural science research institutes, in particular those of the Leibniz Association.