The Institute of Hygiene covers the field of hospital and environmental hygiene in teaching and services at the University Hospital Münster. It also represents an interdisciplinary research institute of the Medical Faculty of the University of Münster. Our research activities mainly focus on molecular aspects of bacterial infections. It is our aim to integrate results from clinical practice-oriented as well as from fundamental research into preventive measures. 

Besides the investigation of infection- and transmission routes, molecular diagnostics and epidemiology of bacterial pathogens, fundamental aspects of the pathogenesis of important human pathogenic bacteria, especially Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus are main research topics. The interaction of microbes with host organisms is studied as well as mechanisms of microbial evolution and adaptation to different environments and hosts.

Another focus is the further methodological development of matrix-assisted laser desorption-/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) together with mass spectrometry-based analysis of glycoconjugates.

The Institute of Hygiene includes the National Consulting Laboratory for Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome (HUS)  headed by Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Alexander Mellmann.