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Decorative image to represent the new databases
News
Modern pharmaceutical research generates large amounts of data faster than ever before. To analyze and evaluate this data, it is collected and structured in extensive databases and thus provides the basis for the development of new active ingredients. Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) have now published two such databases. While the "ABC-HuMi" database focuses on genetic data from microorganisms that colonize humans, "ZEBRA" provides a high-resolution cell atlas of the human and mouse brain. Both databases were published in the annual database issue of the journal Nucleic Acids Research.
09.01.2024
Spike protein of Pirola variant
News
Despite the end of the pandemic, COVID-19 continues to pose a serious health threat. Most individuals have established robust immune protection and do not develop severe disease but the infection can still lead to marked and sometimes long-lasting disease symptoms. In the late summer of 2023 a new SARS-CoV-2 variant emerged, BA.2.86 (Pirola), which, based on genetics, differs markedly from all previously circulating variants.
09.01.2024
Group Picture of Participants of the ENLIGHT-TEN+ Winter School
News
From 13 to 17 November 2023, 28 young scientists gathered at BAYER in Berlin to take part in the Winter School for Translational Medical Research and Drug Development organized by ENLIGHT-TEN+ and EATRIS. Experts from science and industry provided in-depth insights into the basics of drug production and introduced the young scientists to the processes through interactive exercises and case studies. BAYER is a member of the ENLIGHT-TEN+ consortium and was primarily responsible for organizing the Winter School.
21.12.2023
Symbolic image defense against viruses
Story
Vaccinations do not always live up to what we would want them to do – so far, anyway. But they are still invaluable for our health and life in our communities.
12.12.2023
[Translate to English:] Endogener ASC-Speck, abgebildet in 3D mit dSTORM. © iScience, CC-BY-4.0
News
A central component of the human immune system, the NLRP3 inflammasome plays an important role in fighting off infections. However, its chronic activation is also implicated in a variety of common diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, gout, and type II diabetes. The NLRP3 inflammasome occurs primarily in specialized immune cells in the blood and elsewhere. It is a dense complex in which several proteins interact with each other. A key protein in this complex is known by the abbreviation ASC. In non-activated immune cells, it is distributed homogeneously throughout the cell. If the NLRP3 inflammasome is activated, all of the ASC protein present in the cell aggregates in the inflammasome complex. Under an ordinary fluorescence microscope, the ASC protein, once labeled, appears as a single, bright, nearly round spot. Due to the small size and high density of this ASC speck, scientists have been unable to elucidate details of its structure inside cells. Different models were proposed in the scientific literature but a comprehensive understanding was missing.
11.12.2023
Symbol image; hand turns an equal and an unequal sign between the symbols for male and female gender
Story
Men are more susceptible to a number of chronic infections, while women, in turn, are more likely to overreact to infections. The underlying reason and why it needs to be taken into account more in clinical practice in the future. Am I more likely to have a mild case of pneumonia or is it more likely to be life-threatening? What is my risk of side effects from COVID-19 vaccination? Do I belong to a group of people who are more likely to contract chronic viral hepatitis than others? The answers to these questions vary – depending on your sex and gender. Hospitalised for pneumonia, males are twice as likely as females to need to be transferred to intensive care (see list of sources). Females, in turn, are more than twice as likely as males to suffer side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine. And chronic hepatitis B is more common among males than among females.
08.12.2023

HZI in the media

and an associate member of the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI).

 

Additional collaborators included Professors

04.09.2025
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Phys.org

JMU) Würzburg und ein Forscher vom Helmholtz-Institut für RNA-basierte Infektionsforschung (HIRI) mit ihren Bewerbungen ...

04.09.2025
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Open PR.de

Studie und Hersteller des Prüfpräparats. Das Helmholtz-Institut für Pharmazeutische Forschung Saarland (HIPS) war bei ...

03.09.2025
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Biermann Medizin

Das undatierte Foto vom Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) zeigt die elektronenmikroskopische Aufnahme von EHEC-Bakterien. © ...

02.09.2025
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MSN Deutschland

Braunschweig. Das Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) in Braunschweig war mit drei Projektanträgen im Förderprogramm zukunft.

02.09.2025
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Regional Heute

and manufactured the investigational product. The Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) contributed through the

02.09.2025
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News Medical

... sie unwirksam sind, erklärt Andreas Keller vom Helmholtz-Institut für pharmazeutische Forschung Saarland in einem ...

02.09.2025
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RUHR24

... sind die Darmbakterien?

 

Nach Angaben des Helmholtz-Zentrums für Infektionsforschung entwickelt rund jeder zehnte Erkrankte das ...

01.09.2025
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Ruhr Nachrichten (RN)

... Zahlenspiel in diesem Zusammenhang, das vom Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) veröffentlicht wurde: Nimmt man als ...

01.09.2025
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Deutsche Apotheker Zeitung online

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