HZI Forum
The Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research opened the HZI Forum in 2000 as a meeting place for lectures, seminars, events and symposia on campus. The rooms can also be rented by external companies, associations and other interested parties with a scientific background.
There is a hall with a stage (X0.13), two large seminar rooms (X0.13a, X1.04) and a small seminar room (X1.01) as well as a foyer, a gallery and a green outdoor area. Here you can find room plans with basic seating and alternative seating arrangements.
If you are interested in renting one or more of the rooms, please contact us.
Open Day at HZI
Visit real laboratories, talk to scientists about their work and listen to lectures from experts on exciting topics from their research: The Open Day at the HZI is a unique opportunity to enter the world of infection research! It allows you to experience the full spectrum of our research topics. In addition, we offer a supporting program for all age groups. Even the youngest visitors get their money's worth with the varied children's program.
The HZI Open Day in September 2024 was attended by around 1,300 people. We will provide information about future dates (probably in 2026) in good time on the HZI website.
Music and Infections
On October 25, 2024, the HZI hosted a special concert in the “Kleines Haus” of the Staatstheater Braunschweig. At the scientific concert “Sounds and Science: Music and Infections”, HZI researchers Kathrin de la Rosa, Melanie Brinkmann, Thomas Pietschmann, Josef Penninger and Martin Korte introduced the audience to the life stories and medical histories of famous composers. With topics such as the “lymph node orchestra”, the discovery of hepatitis B in Beethoven's curls, the development of health research and the positive effect of music on the brain, the scientists built a perfect bridge between music and their research.
Between the entertaining short scientific presentations, a quartet of members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra led by Rainer Honeck, Rémy Ballot, Hans Peter Ochsenhofer and Manfred Hecking played works by the composers presented.
The evening was hosted by presenter and actor Andreas Pietschmann.
The audience was thrilled by the unique blend of science and music. The combination of scientific knowledge and musical enjoyment left a deep impression and ensured a standing ovation.
Inhoffen Medal
In memory of the chemist Prof. Hans Herloff Inhoffen, who died in 1992, the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Technical University (TU) Braunschweig annually organize the Inhoffen lecture and award the Inhoffen Medal since 1994. The prize is endowed with 5000 Euros. The Inhoffen Medal is one of the most prestigious German prizes within the area of natural compound chemistry.
From 1946 to 1974, Inhoffen taught at the TU Braunschweig and served as its rector from 1948 to 1950. In 1965, he founded the "Institute of Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Biophysics", the precursor of the "German Research Centre for Biotechnology" and today´s HZI.
The Inhoffen Medal is awarded by the Friends of the HZI, who sponsor the prize money amounting to 8,000 Euro.
The award winner for 2024 is Prof Stephan A. Sieber from TU München.
AWARD WINNERS INHOFFEN MEDAL:
- 2024: Stephan A. Sieber, TU München
- 2023: Jörn Piel, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
- 2022: Sarah Reisman, California Institute of Technology, USA
- 2020: Christian Hertweck, Leibniz-Institut für Naturstoff-Forschung und Infektionsbiologie – Hans-Knöll-Institut (HKI) Jena
- 2019: Phil Baran, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, USA
- 2018: Rolf Müller, Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland
- 2017: Helma Wennemers, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
- 2016: Thomas Carell, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- 2015: Hiroyuki Osada, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Japan
- 2014: Alois Fürstner, Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung
- 2013: Christopher T. Walsh, Harvard Medical School, USA
- 2012: Peter Leadlay, Abteilung für Biochemie, Universität Cambridge, GB
- 2011: Peter Seeberger, Max-Planck-Institut für Kolloid- und Grenzflächenforschung, Potsdam
- 2010: Herbert Waldmann, Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Physiologie, Dortmund
- 2009: William H. Fenical, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, USA
- 2008: Steven V. Ley, Universität Cambridge, GB
- 2007: François Diederich, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
- 2006: Gerhard Höfle und Hans Reichenbach, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung, Braunschweig
- 2005: Wilhelm Boland, Max-Planck-Institut, Jena
- 2003: Manfred T. Reetz, Mülheim an der Ruhr
- 2002: Horst Kessler, Universität München
- 2001: Pierre Potier, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- 2000: Rudolf Wiechert, Berlin
- 1999: Carl Djerassi, Universität Stanford, USA
- 1998: Ekkehard Winterfeldt, Universität Hannover
- 1997: Sir Alan R. Battersby, Universität Cambridge, GB
- 1996: Kyriacos C. Nicolaou, Scripps Institute, La Jolla, USA
- 1995: Albert Eschenmoser, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
- 1994: Gerhard Quinkert, Universität Frankfurt
Jürgen Wehland Award
The Jürgen Wehland Award is given in honour of the former Scientific Director of the HZI, who passed away unexpectedly in 2010 after just one year in office. 2023 marks the ninth time the award has been granted by the HZI and the Friends of the HZI.
Virologist and Jun Prof Stephanie Pfänder has been awarded the Jürgen Wehland Award 2023. A scientist in the Department of Molecular and Medical Virology at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum, her research focuses on so-called emerging viruses, in particular coronaviruses. She received the award during a ceremony attended by the Mayor of Braunschweig, Anke Kaphammel, and guests from science and the alumni network of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI). This is already the ninth time that the HZI has awarded the Jürgen Wehland Award, which is endowed with 5,000 euros, to honour young scientists who have made outstanding contributions to the field of infection research. The award ceremony took place at the HZI Forum event centre in Braunschweig.
PhD Award
The Friends of the HZI donate yearly two PhD Awards in order to support young scientists. The awards honour excellent PhD theses from the field of life sciences at a partner university of the HZI.
The PhD Award is endowed with 1.000 Euros, each, and is presented during the Hans Herloff Inhoffen Lecture, which takes place once a year.
The award winners for doctorates completed in the year before will be selected upon receipt of applications.
Paper of the Month
An internal committee selects one publication per month for the HZI Paper of the Month Award (POM). The award is a gift voucher for the first author, accompanied by a certificate. The award ceremony takes place quarterly following the last Friday Lunch Seminar of each month, excluding vacations and vacations.
Current Award Winners
January 2023
Carsten E Seyfert, Christoph Porten, Selina Deckarm /HIPS/ Gruppe: Mikrobielle Naturstoffe
Darobactins Exhibiting Superior Antibiotic Activity by Cryo-EM Structure Guided Biosynthetic Engineering
Doi: 10.1002/anie.202214094
February 2023
Sangeun Lee /HIPS/
Proteoid biodynamers for safe mRNA transfection via pH-responsive nanorods enabling endosomal escap
Doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.12.018
March 2023
Eva Zahorska /HIPS/
Neutralizing the Impact of the Virulence Factor LecA from Pseudomonas aeruginosa on Human Cells with New Glycomimetic Inhibitors
Doi: 10.1002/anie.202215535
April 2023
Arne Bublitz /HZI/
The natural product chlorotonil A preserves colonization resistance and prevents relapsing Clostridioides difficile infection
Doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.04.003
May 2023
Katarzyna M Sitnik /HZI/
Fibroblasts are a site of murine cytomegalovirus lytic replication and Stat1-dependent latent persistence in vivo
Doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-38449-x
June 2023
Philipp C Münch /HZI/
Pulsed antibiotic treatments of gnotobiotic mice manifest in complex bacterial community dynamics and resistance effects
Doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.05.013
