20.07.09

The right messenger for a healthy immune response

Researchers from Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Germany, decipher special role of the messenger Beta-Interferon for immune responses.

Cells of the immune system communicate using molecular messengers. One group of these substances are interferons. During a virus infection, the immune system increases the production of interferons such as Beta-Interferon, thus alerting immune cells to combat the infection. Furthermore, Beta-interferon also has tumour fighting qualities and – used as a therapeutic against multiple sclerosis – is...

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30.06.09

The tiny difference in the genes of bacteria

Researchers from Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Germany, develop new method for better diagnostic of diarrhea causing bacteria.

Every year, diarrhea causes around five million fatalities worldwide. Most people die due to pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria or viruses, which were ingested into the gastro-intestinal tract through contaminated drinking water or food. Determining which bacterium is causing the illness in those cases is sometimes very complex. In cooperation with Chilean researchers, scientists from...

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09.06.09

GARP makes the difference

Researchers develop key brake for immune cells in petri dish – hope for easier organ transplantation?

Scientists from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig, Germany and the Medical School Hannover, Germany (MHH) have succeeded in treating immune cells in a way that enables them to inhibit unwanted immune reactions such as organ rejection. Their results have now been published in the current issue of the scientific journal “Journal of Cellular and Molecular...

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02.06.09

The whole world of infection research

Helmholtz internet portal for researchers and journalists

The web site www.infection-research.de is being relaunched with a new look: it is the first internet portal worldwide on the subject of infection research. The Braunschweig Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) operates the web site which, in addition to an extensive job market for infection researchers, also offers eight further information areas. "The portal aims to offer scientists and...

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11.05.09

Thus the bile does not overflow

HZI-Scientists have elucidated which bacteria block artificial bile ducts

A consequence of the different cancers of the hepatobiliary system is blocked bile ducts. However, artificial catheters known as ‘stents’ can remediate this problem. Stents are medical implants which reopen narrowed bile ducts to allow the outflow of bile. However, bacteria colonize these catheters forming dense communities, so-called biofilms. Inside these biofilms, bacteria are not only...

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