The Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Chemo- and Biosensors, at the University of Regensburg (formerly Institute of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry) exists since the foundation of the chemistry department in 1970. Research has always spanned a wide range of activities at the interface of chemistry, physics, biology and medicine. The institute currently consists of five groups headed by four full professors and one associate professor. The research in the Chemo- and Biosensor group has a strong focus on the development of optical chemo- and biosensors using fluorescence spectroscopy and imaging. This includes the development of fluorescent probes for various analytes and their application as chemo-sensors e.g. in biomedical imaging as well as fluorescence labels for proteins and DNA or fluorogenic reagents for proteins or enzymes. The developed assays are based on advanced methods like time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence polarization, fluorescence lifetime imaging, resonance energy transfer, dual luminophore referencing and fluorescence microscopy. (Michael Schäferling)