Maternal health during pregnancy plays a critical role in shaping the long-term health of her child. Researchers at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), together with partners at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, are investigating how maternal inflammatory conditions influence immune development in newborns. The project focuses on immune cells in the oral and intestinal mucosa, key tissues that form the body’s first line of defense against pathogens. The researchers aim to understand how these immune compartments are shaped early in life and how this may influence the child’s susceptibility to infections, inflammatory diseases, and vaccine responses later in life.

When viruses infect the respiratory tract, they first come into contact with a viscous gel called mucus. Only viruses that can overcome this layer on the cells of the mucous membranes are able to infect a host. In the joint project ONEMUC, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) with 4.3 million euros, researchers at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and cooperation partners are investigating the role of mucus as a barrier in the transmission of zoonotic influenza A viruses. At the HZI, group leaders Prof. Christian Sieben and Dr Julia Port are investigating how mucus and environmental factors influence virus transmission. The five-year project started on March 1, 2026.

The microbiome performs a variety of health-maintaining functions in the body. The microbes can produce nutrients, dampen inflammation or displace pathogens. In order to fulfill all these tasks, the microbiome must be in balance. For the microbiome, this means first and foremost that it is as diverse as possible. This makes it harder for harmful microorganisms to find a niche to live in. If microbiome diversity decreases or harmful germs dominate, there is a risk of inflammation, infections or chronic diseases - and this is precisely where the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) comes in. Using “microbiome engineering”, Dr. Lisa Osbelt-Block and Prof. Till Strowig are specifically editing the gut microbiome to prevent disease.