Organizational Structure and Collaboration

Institute Structure of Fraunhofer ITEM

Prof. Dr. Norbert Krug

Prof. Dr. Norbert Krug, Institute Director of Fraunhofer ITEM
© Fraunhofer ITEM, Ralf Mohr
Prof. Dr. Norbert Krug, Institute Director of Fraunhofer ITEM

Norbert Krug is professor of Immunology, Allergology and Clinical Airway Research and has been Medical Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM since 2008. In 2014, he became coordinator of the Clinical Research Center Hannover (CRC Hannover) in addition. At the Hannover Medical School, he trained in internal medicine and also in respiratory medicine, allergology and intensive-care medicine. From 1991 to 1993, he was a research fellow at the University of Bochum, Germany, and the University of Southampton, UK.

In 2000, he was awarded a full academic professorship in immunology, allergology and clinical airway research at the Hannover Medical School and became Division Director of Immunology, Allergology and Airway Research at Fraunhofer ITEM, where he played a leading role in setting up the clinical airway research department in the following years.

Professor Krug is a member of several international professional societies such as the German Respiratory Society, the European Respiratory Society, and the American Thoracic Society. His major research interests include translational medicine and clinical trials in allergy, asthma, and COPD, pathogenesis of allergic airway diseases (asthma, rhinitis and COPD), and air pollution and airway diseases. Professor Krug is a reviewer for numerous international journals in respiratory medicine and allergology and for a variety of research organizations. He is a member of the scientific advisory board of the German Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology and a member of the German Center for Lung Research. Prof. Krug took over the job of the institute’s executive director on January 1, 2017.

Facts and Figures

Staff

© Fraunhofer ITEM
[as of March 31, 2026]

Development of the number of employees. 

*Note: [as of March 31, 2026] The sale of the Pharmaceutical Biotechnology division at the Braunschweig site of Fraunhofer ITEM and the transfer of employees to Avethera GmbH took place on March 16, 2026.

Employment Groups

© Fraunhofer ITEM
[as of March 31, 2026]

Our employees were active in these employment groups and came from a total of 12 different countries.
64 percent were women.

Total Budget

© Fraunhofer ITEM
[as of March 31, 2026]

The institute budget for 2025 had a volume of approximately 42.7 million euros.
Investments by Fraunhofer ITEM amounted to 1.3 million euros.
Total budget 2025:
44 million euros

Sponsors and External Income

© Fraunhofer ITEM
[as of March 31, 2026]

Financing by acquired funding amounted to 60 percent in 2025.
The share of industry income in the institute’s budget was 41 percent.

Fraunhofer ITEM's mission: We are Pioneers for Sustainable Health

Our Vision - What we Stand for

Technological change, demographic developments, and new lifestyle habits present society with increasingly complex challenges – especially when it comes to sustainable human health.

We do not want to "alleviate symptoms in the short term" – we want to contribute to a healthy future in the long term. For us, this does not just mean helping people who are ill to gain better health, but also protecting people from health risks in their everyday lives and working environments. Creatively and with a view to practical application, we develop solutions to address these needs.

We are pioneers for sustainable health.

We do research to improve health, to protect against hazards, and to generate safety.

We assess and develop tomorrow's materials, medicines, and medical devices.

We combine basic research and industrial application in the regulatory environment.