The pillar of research is closely related to the pillar of education because the next generation of researchers and doctors in the GC-I³ participate in research work in various projects. In addition to many individual projects, the research of the GC-I³ includes research programs from the DFG, the EU and the Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation:

Prof. Dr. med. Burkhart Schraven (Institute of Molecular and Clinical Immunology) is the chair of Collaborative Research Center 854 “Molecular Organization of Cellular Communication within the Immune System”. This research association is currently in its third funding period, during which it receives 12.5 million Euro from the Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft. In this project, scientists in 18 sub-projects are investigating how the communication between various cells influences the immune response during an inflammatory reaction. The insights from this research will improve the understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of common diseases such as atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus.

The Department for Orthopedics (Director: Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Lohmann) receives funding to form the EU Consortium HypOrth, which works throughout Europe on the question: How can the loosening of joint prostheses be better diagnosed and individually treated? The focus of this research is on the development of new materials for prostheses. One common complication during the treatment of patients with endoprostheses is the loosening of the implants. In HypOrth, the causes, notably immune responses, are being investigated. A particularly important question is how at-risk patients can be identified early through so-called bio markers and precisely treated. Furthermore, based on these insights, new orthopedic implants with improved bio compatibility are being developed. Through new advances in the field of the surface modification of implants, the project could encourage significant economic growth in the metalworking industry in the region. 

In the Else Kröner Research College Magdeburg, which was granted to the Department of Hematology and Oncology (Director: Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Fischer) together with other clinical departments of the university, acute and chronic inflammatory processes are being researched with crossover in the field of tumor diseases. The Research College conforms to the recently issued recommendations of the DFG for structured research and qualification programs for clinician scientists. Scientifically active doctors, so-called clinician scientists, are indispensable for clinical research. In order to motivate and qualify more doctors to do scientific work during their residency, the “Ständige Senatskommission für Grundsatzfragen in der Klinischen Forschung” of the DFG recommended a large range of structured clinician scientist programs to the medical faculties. In the research focus of immunology, these measures are therefore already established.

The goal of the GC-I³-associated Research Training Group (RTG) 2408 "Maladaptive processes across physiological barriers in chronic diseases" (Speaker: Prof. Dr. med. Berend Isermann, Inistitute for Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry and Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Michael Naumann, Institute for Experimental Inner Medicine) is to characterize chronic disease processes at physiological boundaries. Physiological boundaries are particularly important because they define organs and the organ-specific biosystem. The coordinators postulate that problems at organ-defining physiological boundaries are essential to the development and perpetuation of chronic diseases. The mechanisms, that lead to chronic problems at physiological boundaries are largely unknown. Because of this, a better understanding of pathological mechanisms at physiological boundaries for new therapeutical target structures is desirable. The RTG was approved by the DFG in May 2018 and includes 10 positions for doctoral candidates in the natural sciences, six for doctoral candidates in the field of medicine, and two rotational positions for clinician scientists. 

A series of institutes and clinical departments of the GC-I³ also participate in the research association “Autonomy in ageing” (AiA). This program is sponsored by the state of Saxony-Anhalt and the EU and reacts to the fact that Saxony-Anhalt will be especially strongly affected by demographic change in the coming years. In 19 joint projects, researchers from Magdeburg, Halle and Wernigerode are developing technological and social innovations which will allow aging people to live autonomously and participate in societal life for as long as possible. For example, members of the GC-I³ want to improve the diagnosis of hematological diseases or the monitoring and therapy of diabetic patients with neuropathy or cardiac patients. They are also developing new treatments for inflammatory diseases.

Scientists and doctors from the medical faculty and the GC-I³ also work on projects in the field of medical engineering.

In total, scientists from the Health Campus Immunology, Infectiology and Inflammation have received around 7 million Euros per year in external funding. With this funding, many highly qualified and well paid jobs were created in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. On its own, the immunology collaborative research center (SFB 854) employs around 35 scientists.