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Meet the TiHo

General Information

Founded in 1778 by King George III as the Royal School of Equine Medicine, the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation (TiHo) is one of the oldest establishments of veterinary education in Europe and the oldest continually existing independent one in Germany. With its transformation into a public foundation as of January 1, 2003, the TiHo took an historic and innovative step forward. Responsibility for the TiHo no longer lies with the State of Lower Saxony, but with a private foundation. This organisational form gives the TiHo new freedom of action and the ability to accrue capital. The TiHo will use this opportunity better to fulfil its responsibilities in research, teaching and services, and to seek solutions to pressing issues in animal health, animal welfare, consumer protection, food sciences, and the biomedical sciences.

In the course of more than 225 years, the TiHo has become an important scientific institution with five clinics, thirteen institutes, two centres, two special units, and two affiliated independent organisations at two locations in Hannover.

The TiHo also maintains two external sites for research and student training, one in Ruthe, south of Hannover, and one in Bakum, near Vechta. At the Farm for Research and Training in Ruthe students receive hands-on training in modern animal production, while research and teaching at the Field Station for Epidemiology in Bakum focus on preparing veterinarians for herd diagnostics and health, and for their future involvement in the food production chain.

Teaching and Professional Training

During the winter semester of 2004/2005 there were 2,095 registered students of veterinary medicine at the TiHo, including PhD and doctoral candidates. Degrees in biology and biochemistry are also offered in a joint programme in cooperation with the University of Hannover and the Hannover Medical School.

The Graduate School of Biomedical Science Hannover was established in April, 2003, to provide postgraduate professional training in veterinary medicine and the natural sciences. Included in the Graduate School are the PhD programme in Veterinary Research und Life Science, the DFG Research Training Group (GK) Mucosal Host-Pathogen Interactions, and the international PhD programme offered by the ZSN (see below).

The TiHo also provides on-the-job training to 59 apprentices, including biology lab technicians, animal handlers, veterinary assistants and machinists.

Research

Research at the TiHo is dedicated to the welfare of humans and animals. The main areas of research are gastroenterology, infection medicine, neurosciences, food sciences and clinical research of individual animals. Of particular interest are three Collaborative Research Centres (SFB) supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG): SFB 621, Pathobiology of Intestinal Mucosa; SFB 587, Immune Reactions of the Lungs to Infections and Allergies; and SFB 599, Sustainable Bioreabsorbing and Permanent Implants of Metallic and Ceramic Materials.

Two virtual centres have been established to promote close cooperation between scientists of the TiHo and other institutions in the areas of animal health and food quality and reproductive medicine

In September, 2003, two centres were established to promote biomedical research focussing on infection biology and neurosciences: the virtual Centre for Systems Neurosciences (ZSN) and the virtual Centre for the Biology of Infections (ZIB). These centres offer international postgraduate training programmes leading to the PhD.

Services

The TiHo provides a broad range of services including clinical treatment of patients and pathological and diagnostic examinations of materials submitted; veterinary care of agricultural stock and consultation on all questions of animal husbandry, particularly the diagnosis of infections; and chemical, biochemical, or toxicological analyses.        

Specialised services are also provided at the TiHo by the World Health Organisation's Collaborating Centre Veterinary Public Health (WHO Centre); the EU Reference Centre for Classical Swine Fever; and the Centre for Animal Welfare.

Numerous research groups at the TiHo work in cooperation with partners from industry for the advancement and transfer of scientific innovation.

Updated 11 July 2005