The new center is dedicated to important research into diseases of the cardiovascular system, which according to the World Health Organization (WHO) are the most common cause of death worldwide. In 2019, almost 18 million people worldwide died from cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is also the most common cause of death in Germany.

The ICON building will cover a total area of 6,823 m²; the construction costs will be borne by both the federal government and the Free State of Bavaria. Completion of the building is planned for the end of 2024.

Over the past few decades, modern basic research has gained numerous insights into the causes and mechanisms of diseases and developed possible therapeutic approaches. However, in order to actually bring innovative concepts into clinical trials and later into the clinic, such concepts must first be validated in suitable large animal models.

Prof. Dr. Steffen Massberg, Head of the Medical Clinic and Polyclinic I: "The transfer of basic scientific findings into a new form of therapy for the benefit of our patients is still a very lengthy and, above all, inefficient process. ICON will provide us with the necessary interdisciplinary environment to bring new procedures for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, particularly in the fields of cell and gene therapy, into clinical application more quickly."

This is precisely where the new ICON research institute comes in to make translation more effective. LMU physicians and veterinarians can draw on a wealth of experience not only in basic biomedical research, but also in the field of research on large animal models. In the new ICON center, they want to focus this expertise on new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for endocrine-metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and validate such approaches preclinically in tailor-made, in particular genetically modified large animals. The researchers at ICON will work closely with the LMU Clinic and its Early Clinical Trial Unit in terms of space and content.