Professor Ernst Th. Rietschel is a chemist and an immunologist. He dedicates his scientific life to translating results from fundamental research to clinical practice. From 1990 to 2006, he was a director at the research institute Borstel (Leibzig pulmonic centre) and from 2007 to 2011, he was the president of the Leipzig community which encompasses more than 90 institutes. Prof. Rietschel founded the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH). He is also a member of several national and foreign industrial committees.