Newsroom

Crystal structure of LecA and tolcapone.

News

When the hospital germ Pseudomonas aeruginosa infects the body, it uses the sugar-binding protein LecA to attach itself to human cells, invade them, and form so-called biofilms. LecA thus plays a central role in the development and progression of infections with this pathogen, which is classified as particularly critical by the WHO. Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) have now discovered that the approved Parkinson's drug tolcapone is able to specifically inhibit the activity of LecA. This finding allows the research team to develop new strategies for combating Pseudomonas infections. The researchers published their findings in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

26.11.2025

HIPS

Group of people discussing research findings

News

Liver transplants often save the lives of seriously ill patients. However, there remains a risk that the body will reject the new organ. Doctors distinguish between acute and chronic rejection. While acute rejection is easy to diagnose and treat, chronic rejection causes lasting damage to the organ, is difficult to detect – currently only possible by examining tissue samples under a microscope – and is often overlooked. An international research team led by Hannover Medical School (MHH) and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) has now discovered clear molecular signatures for chronic rejection even after liver transplantation, which could aid diagnosis. After ten years of work, the findings have now been published in the Journal of Hepatology.

24.11.2025

CiiM

Poster for the HZI in the Science Showcase from December 3-17; topic: "Mikrokosmos ganz groß"

News

To mark its 60th anniversary, the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) is bringing its research to the heart of Braunschweig's city center from 3 to 17 December 2025. Under the motto “Bringing science to life where people spend their everyday lives ”, the HZI is presenting an interactive exhibition, hands-on stations, offers for school classes in cooperation with the BioS school laboratory and exciting after-work talks with experts from the HZI in the science showcase ("Wissenschaftsschaufenster") at Waisenhausdamm 8.

20.11.2025

HZI Campus

Group picture of 6 people with an oversized cheque

News

A novel oral immunotherapy for cancer and a drug for treating chronic liver fibrosis: What many patients are hoping for is already a part of cutting-edge research in Lower Saxony. To ensure that such innovative ideas are translated into practical applications more quickly, the state of Lower Saxony is funding particularly promising projects: “Citrapeutics” from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and “RNA Healer” from the Hannover Medical School (MHH) will receive a total of nearly €2.5 million in funding from the Institute for Biomedical Translation (IBT) Lower Saxony to spur their innovations.

19.11.2025

TWINCORE

HZI Campus

News

In Germany, around 10,000 people die every year from antibiotic-resistant pathogens. At the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), scientists are using artificial intelligence to find new antibiotics. In particular, they are looking for active substances that circumvent known resistance mechanisms. They are supported by citizen scientists sending them soil samples from various habitats. On the occasion of World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week 2025, the Helmholtz Association explains how the researchers are fighting against multi-resistant germs.

18.11.2025

HIPS

HZI Campus

Portrait Dr. Felix Deschner and Dr. Max Kellner with their prizes

News

PhD students play a crucial role in the advancement of knowledge and technologies that shape our world. At the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and its locations, more than 300 doctoral students are working on solving important questions in infection research. Two HZI scientists have now been honored for their successful doctoral theses. Dr. Felix Deschner, postdoc at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), was awarded the Eduard Martin Prize of Saarland University. HZI junior research group leader Dr. Max Kellner received the PhD Award of the Vienna BioCenter for his doctoral thesis at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) in Vienna.

17.11.2025

HIPS

HZI Campus

HZI in the media

... erhielt das Projekt „Citrapeutics“ vom Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) in Braunschweig eine Förderung in Höhe ...

25.11.2025

Bionity.COM

led by Hannover Medical School (MHH) and the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI) has now discovered clear molecular signatures for

24.11.2025

Medical Xpress

Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover (MHH) und dem Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI), hat nun eindeutige molekulare Signaturen ...

24.11.2025

DeutschesGesundheitsPortal

Braunschweig. Das Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) bringt anlässlich seines 60. Jubiläums seine Forschung vom 3. ...

22.11.2025

Regional Heute

Universität Hannover (LUH), dem Helmholtz Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) in Braunschweig, der Technischen Universität Braunschweig ...

21.11.2025

Medizinische Hochschule Hannover

... 38100 Braunschweig Das Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung: Wissenschaftler:innen am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung ( ...

20.11.2025

Bochumer-Zeitung

Dr. Dunja Bruder ist Forschungsgruppenleiterin am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung in Braunschweig und zugleich Professorin für

20.11.2025

Bilanz

... Wissenschaftler und Wissenschaftlerinnen des Helmholtz-Zentrums für Infektionsforschung (HZI) und der Medizinischen Hochschule ...

19.11.2025

Rheinische Post

... Forschungsschwerpunkt „Neue Antiinfektiva“ des Helmholtz-Zentrums für Infektionsforschung (HZI) entwickeln fast 20 Forschungsgruppen neue ...

18.11.2025

Regional Heute

... , Stellvertretende Teamleiterin der Klinischen Epidemiologie am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI), Braunschweig.

17.11.2025

Biermann Medizin

... und individueller Darmflora ab.

Forscher am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung arbeiten bereits an der nächsten Generation ...

14.11.2025

Ad Hoc News

Klett-Tammen, Abteilung Epidemiologie (EPID), Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (

HZI

), Braunschweig. Grundsätzlich sei auch die ...

13.11.2025

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