Chemical Genomics Centre

The Chemical Genomics Centre (CGC) (2005 - 2024) was established as a joint initiative of several departments and research groups in the Max Planck Society and the pharmaceutical industry. The focus of the CGC was the analysis of biological phenomena through the use of small molecules. The CGC focused on novel basic research in the life sciences and chemical biology that showed great promise in the discovery and development of novel bioactive compounds and modulators of disease-related processes.

This partnership opened up opportunities for research normally inaccessible to academia and research institutions. The CGC network interconnects the scientific, infrastructural and institutional strength of well-established Max Planck Departments with new research groups bringing in intellectual talent and novel scientific approaches.

The CGC was set up as a 5 years project. After two successful funding periods (CGCI: 2005-2010; CGCII: 2012-2017), a third funding period of the CGC (CGCIII) was initiated in October 2018 in partnership with the pharmaceutical companies Astra Zeneca, Pfizer and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt.

The third funding period ended at the end of 2024. Since 2025 the CGC group leaders Malte Gersch,  Peter ‘t Hart and Peng Wu are independent research group leaders at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology.