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Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas
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Dzanga-Sangha Day 2025 in the Central African Republic
On 18–20 November 2025, the Central African Republic (CAR) celebrated its first-ever Dzanga-Sangha Day (La Journée des Aires Protégées de Dzanga-Sangha). Conceived as a three-day national event, the celebration aimed to shine a spotlight on the country’s unique natural heritage and raise awareness of the Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas (DSPA)—an extraordinary conservation landscape in CAR’s remote southwest. Held under the theme “Reconciling Nature, Health and Development”, the event underscored how biodiversity protection, community wellbeing, and scientific research intersect in DSPA. It was co-organized by the Government of the Central African Republic in partnership with WWF and the Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH).
03.12.2025
HIOH
Group photo with 11 people behind a 3D lettering “HZI 60”
News
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research celebrates its 60th anniversary
On November 27, 2025, the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) celebrated its 60th anniversary with a ceremony attended by cooperation partners, alumni, and guests from the worlds of science, politics, and industry. The research institution has been located on the Science Campus Braunschweig-Süd since 1965 and underwent several reorientations and renaming in the following decades. Among those offering their congratulations at the ceremony were Lower Saxony's Minister President Olaf Lies, the new President of the Helmholtz Association Prof. Martin Keller, and his predecessor and long-time companion of the HZI, Prof. Otmar D. Wiestler.
27.11.2025
HZI Campus
Crystal structure of LecA and tolcapone.
News
Parkinson's drug as basis for new anti-infectives
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 transplantation: Pattern of chronic rejection decoded
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
HZI in the Science Showcase - research up close in the Braunschweig city center
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
The IBT Lower Saxony supports Innovative Biomedical Ideas with nearly 2.5 Million Euros of Funding
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

HZI in the media

Seuchen aus dem KI-Labor: Kann Künstliche Intelligenz bereits Biowaffen bauen?

... beeindruckendes Ergebnis“, sagt Jakob Wirbel vom Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI). „Trotzdem schlafe ich momentan noch ...

15.10.2026
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Der Tagesspiegel
Impfung sinnvoll? Erst Erkältungen, dann Corona und Grippe – So schützen Sie sich

... Lange, Leiterin der Abteilung Epidemiologie am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung in Braunschweig und Mitglied der Ständigen ...

14.10.2026
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DIE WELT
HMN 2026: How crawling motility may be far older than previously thought

also included Japanese microbiologists and collaborators from IST Austria and HZI Braunschweig (Germany), demonstrated that actin inhibitors

14.10.2026
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Health Medicine Network
Neue Empfehlungen der WHO zur COVID-19-Impfung

... in der Abteilung „Virale Immunologie“ am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI), hat die WHO als externer ...

13.10.2026
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DeutschesGesundheitsPortal
Metax brings genome-wide coverage into focus for sharper microbial profiling

tool called Metax, developed by researchers at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and described in the

12.10.2026
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Bioengineer.org
New Hope for Fighting C. difficile Infections

parts of the microbiome. HIPS is a site of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in collaboration with Saarland University. “We

12.10.2026
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Technology Networks
HZI erhält 724.000 Euro: Makrophagen sollen Lungenfibrose bekämpfen

... auch gezielte Forschungsmittel an das Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI): Die Forschungsgruppe von Prof ...

12.10.2026
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Ad Hoc News
Fieser Magen-Darm-Erreger breitet sich immer stärker aus: Infektionen in England steigen drastisch

... nur in England vor. Laut Angaben des Helmholtz Zentrum für Infektionsforschung ist es dem Erreger ...

12.10.2026
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Frankfurter Rundschau online
EU fördert Entwicklung von Immunzelltherapie bei Lungenfibrose

... und Belgien. Aus Deutschland sind das Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI), das Fraunhofer-Institut für Toxikologie und ...

12.10.2026
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MTA Dialog
Forscher entwickeln Wirkstoff gegen Pockenviren

... weitere Versuche herstellen.

 

Auch das Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) in Braunschweig ist beteiligt. Die ...

11.10.2026
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t-online.de
Warum Ballaststoffe nicht bei jedem gleich wirken

... unterschiedlichen Regionen unterscheidet. Der Forscher vom Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung konnte in seiner Studie zeigen, ...

10.10.2026
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rbb radioeins
Gut bacteria team up with diet to decide who rules the microbiome

Tawk, Youssef El Mouali and colleagues at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, together with collaborators at the University of

09.10.2026
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Bioengineer.org

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