Newsroom

Scanning electron micrograph of an Escherichia coli cell (red) infected by bacteriophages (green).
Story
Since the middle of the 20th century, antibiotics have been among the greatest successes in medicine. They save millions of lives every year, prevent complications during operations and make many therapies possible in the first place. But their success has a downside: More and more bacteria are developing strategies to evade the attacks of these drugs. Resistant germs are spreading around the globe, against which hardly any drugs are effective. With the annual World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) from 18 to 24 November, the World Health Organization reminds us how important it is to use antibiotics carefully and how urgently new approaches are needed to continue fighting infections effectively in the future. Almost 20 research groups in the research topic “Novel Anti-Infectives” at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) are developing new drugs against infectious diseases.
17.11.2025
Researchers from the HZI
News
The company Clarivate Analytics publishes an annual list of “Highly-cited Researchers” to recognize scientists whose publications have had a particularly large impact on their field. In 2025, three researchers from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) are once again among the honorees: bioinformatician Prof. Andreas Keller, molecular biologist Dr. Max Kellner and biotechnologist Prof. Marc Stadler were recognized for their widely cited research and the significant contribution they have made to their respective disciplines.
12.11.2025
 Fabian Leendertz with certificate
News
During the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Academy of Sciences in Hamburg , Fabian Leendertz, founding director of the Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH), was inducted as a full member. The ceremony took place on 16 October 2025 in Hamburg. Five new members joined the interdisciplinary network, which currently comprises 145 leading scientists from northern Germany. HIOH is a site of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI).
11.11.2025
Dr. Lina Herhaus heads the junior research group “Immune Signalling” at the HZI.
News
Scientist Dr. Lina Herhaus, who heads the junior research group “Immune Signaling” at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), will receive one of the coveted Exploration Grants from the Boehringer Ingelheim Stiftung starting in March 2026. This program offers outstanding basic researchers in biology, chemistry and medicine the opportunity to explore new directions in research. In addition, Herhaus received the Walther Flemming Award from the German Society of Cell Biology (DGZ) and ibidi GmbH on October 27, 2025. The prize is endowed with 3,000 euros and is awarded to experienced postdoctoral researchers and young scientists for outstanding achievements in cell biology.
29.10.2025
Portrait Caroline Klett-Tammen
Interview
Poliomyelitis, also known as polio, is a contagious disease caused by the poliovirus. Thanks to the development of effective vaccines, the poliovirus has been largely eradicated and was endemic in only two countries in 2024. However, until the virus is eradicated worldwide, vaccination protection is important in Germany as well, as the virus could be reintroduced at any time. Epidemiologists at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) have now shown that many people do not know their vaccination status and cannot find it on their vaccination record. In an interview on the occasion of World Polio Day on October 24, Dr. Carolina Klett-Tammen, deputy head of Clinical Epidemiology in the department “Epidemiology” at the HZI, explains the study results, which have been published in the journal BMC Public Health.
23.10.2025
Light microscopy of red blood cells, some are infected with Plasmodium
News
It has long been known that bacterial pathogens are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. However, common medications are also becoming less effective against malaria, a tropical disease caused by a parasite. To counteract this development, a research team at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), in collaboration with the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), has now developed a new drug candidate that can kill the malaria pathogen even when existing drugs are no longer effective. The team has now published its findings in the journal Angewandte Chemie.
22.10.2025

HZI in the media

... leitete er eine Forschungsgruppe am Helmholtz-Institut für RNA-basierte Infektionsforschung (HIRI) in Würzburg.

 

Vorbeugen - ...

02.11.2026
|
Management & Krankenhaus

"Trump ist eine Bedrohung für die Demokratie und Freiheit. Eine Rückkehr in die USA ist beruflich keine Option mehr", so Biologin Dr. Elsa Anderson. Forschenden droht in den USA in der zweiten Amtszeit von Donald Trump der Verlust ihrer wissenschaftlichen Freiheit, sie suchen des

02.11.2026
|
arte

... nach dem Saarland benannt.

 

Seit gut drei Jahren läuft das vom Helmholtz-Institut für Pharmazeutische Forschung ...

02.11.2026
|
Tagesschau

... ist Leiterin der Abteilung Epidemiologie am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) und Mitglied der Ständigen Impfkommission ...

30.10.2026
|
Focus Online

von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen und des Helmholtz-Zentrums für Infektionsforschung zwei bislang unbekannte Naturstoffe entdeckt. Die

30.10.2026
|
Bionity.COM

Researchers at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and its Saarland University partner site, the Helmholtz Institute for

27.10.2026
|
Scienmag Science Magazine

experimental and modeling study led by scientists at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig. The researchers found that

26.10.2026
|
Bioengineer.org

... am Helmholtz Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) und dessen Saarbrücker Standort, dem Helmholtz-Institut für Pharmazeutische ...

26.10.2026
|
Verband Deutscher Biologen e.V.

Dr. Milan Gerovac, Nachwuchsgruppenleiter am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) in Braunschweig, erhält den begehrten ...

24.10.2026
|
Homburg

heads the Research Group “Molecular Cell Biology” at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI), has shed new light on the central

23.10.2026
|
Health Medicine Network

... “

 

Das Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung: Wissenschaftler:innen am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) untersuchen ...

22.10.2026
|
DeutschesGesundheitsPortal

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

22.10.2026
|
DIE WELT

Register now for the HZI newsletter