German Resource Center for Genome Research

In 1987 Hans Lehrach and Günther Zehetner founded the Reference Library / Primary Database (RLDB) at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) in London.

The macroarrays consisted of clones of genomic and cDNA libraries transferred to 22 × 22 cm nylon filters with the help of robots which have been developed by Zehetner at the ICRF.

[6] In the summer of 1995, the Resource Centre was established as part of the German Human Genome Project (DHGP)[7] by Hans Lehrach (Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (MPIMG), Berlin-Dahlem), Günther Zehetner (MPIMG, until July 2000 Scientific Director of the Berlin Resource Center) and Annemarie Poustka (German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg).

Data collected in the Primary Database were made available to compare experimental results by researches using the globally standardized material provided by the center.

[10] In Berlin the RZPD was first located at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin-Dahlem and then moved to a nearby site at the Harnack road (which today is the site of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science) before the center relocated to its final location at the former building of the Empress Auguste Viktoria Infant Home in Heubnerweg in Berlin-Charlottenburg.