The "Institut für Medizinische Strahlenkunde und Zellforschung" (MSZ) was founded in 1993 and adjusted to modern safety standards by extensive remedial actions, which were completed in 2006. With the retirement of Prof. Rapp the MSZ has seen a major change, which touched the scientific direction of the Institute as a whole. The focus shifted towards the understanding of various aspects of regenerative stem cell biology.

Two groups which were organized as part of the department earlier because of the intimate relationship between cancer and regenerative stem cells are currently carrying the scientific program. The group of Prof. Müller is analyzing gene expression programs in mammalian embryonic and adult stem cells with a special emphasis on chromatin regulation. The group of Prof. Raabe is studying signal transduction within the progenitor compartment of the developing Drosophila brain. The MSZ is working together with several institutes of the faculties of medicine and biology and is integrated in local and national collaborative research centers.