Bacterial and Viral Pathogens

The Topic "Bacterial and Viral Pathogens" focuses on the role of pathogenic bacteria and viruses in infectious disease processes. Scientists in this Topic study pathogens and their dynamic interplay with the host. They aim to understand the molecular bases of virulence, persistence and resistance, and to determine risk factors for the spread of diseases. They identify structures and mechanisms enabling pathogens to infect the host in order to identify promising targets for new therapies and new ways of diagnosis. To this end, they pursue a broad range of research approaches and use comprehensive profiling technologies as well as data analysis techniques to dissect pathogen features relevant for virulence and resistance. Furthermore, Topic 1 implements novel mobile health surveillance systems for rapid outbreak response and takes advantage of the German National Cohort (GNC) to investigate associations between infections and non-communicable diseases.