He obtained his PhD in chemistry from the University of Breslau in 1923 where he discovered that the biguanided metformin lowers the blood glucose concentration in rabbits.

While working at the Chemistry Institute of the University of Vienna, Slotta synthesized compounds, analogous to plant extract from French lilac, then used to treat symptoms of diabetes.

Slotta was appointed professor of chemistry in 1935, but, during the rise of the National Socialist regime was summarily dismissed from his position, becoming one of the legion of German scholars "displaced" by the Nazis.

In Brazil, Slotta initially worked on the chemistry of coffee, from which bean oil he extracted a substance he called cafestol that he reported had estrogenic properties.

As a result, European pharmaceutical companies sought to duplicate his work, in the hope of producing steroidal sex hormone from such an abundant and inexpensive material.

In time, the Institute developed basic and applied biomedical research in many areas, including molecular biology, immunology and epidemiology.

The center has a graduate training program in collaboration with other institutions, in the areas of biotechnology and infectology, with research laboratories, production units and specialized library.

[4] Slotta purified the most basic polypeptide from cobra venom, known as direct lytic factor, and with James Vick identified this as a cardiotoxin.