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Person wearing purple gloves performing chemical synthesis

News

For decades, tuberculosis (TB) has been one of the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide. Resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are particularly problematic, as many established drugs are becoming increasingly ineffective against them. However, a research team from the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) and Saarland University has now discovered a new family of natural substances that exhibit excellent activity against the TB pathogen. They have also investigated these substances so comprehensively that targeted further development is possible for the first time. The researchers have now published their findings in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

21.01.2026

HIPS

News

Two collaborative projects involving the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) are being funded with 100,000 euros each from the joint program "zukunft.niedersachsen" of the state of Lower Saxony and the Volkswagen Foundation. Both projects result from the collaboration between HZI and the MRC–University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR), established in 2024 as part of a cooperation between the Helmholtz Association and the British Medical Research Council (MRC). The funded MARITH project will grow organoids from throat tonsil tissue to study the development of immunological memory in humans, while the ViReST project analyzes the sites of viral replication in respiratory infections and their impact on virus transmission.

20.01.2026

HZI Campus

News

The global skin care company Beiersdorf and the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) have entered into a long-term, exclusive partnership. In this collaboration they aim to investigate the role of the skin microbiome in maintaining healthy skin. The goal is to identify natural products produced by microorganisms on the skin that have a positive effect on skin balance. The project is based on extensive data sets on microorganisms that inhabit human skin.

13.01.2026

HIPS

Cryo-electron microscope image of the nuclease Cas12a3 with illustrated scissors

News

The CRISPR “gene scissors” have become an important basis for genome-editing technologies in many fields, ranging from biology and medicine to agriculture and industry. A team from the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) in Würzburg has now demonstrated that these CRISPR-Cas systems are even more versatile than previously thought. In cooperation with the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and Utah State University (USU) in Logan (USA), the scientists have discovered a novel CRISPR defense mechanism: Unlike known nucleases, Cas12a3 specifically destroys transfer ribonucleic acids (tRNA) that are vital for protein production to shut down infected cells. The team published its findings today in the journal Nature.

07.01.2026

HZI Campus

HIRI

News

The gene scissors CRISPR-Cas are an important tool for genome editing. However, their functionality is limited because they rely on specific sequences to operate. Their ancient ancestors, on the other hand, may have been much more versatile. Rediscovering their forgotten abilities and harnessing them for biotechnological applications is the goal of the “RGNcestry” research project led by Chase Beisel, affiliated department head at the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI). The European Research Council (ERC) is funding the project with ten million euros over a period of six years.

23.12.2025

HIRI

News

Rare diseases affecting fewer than five in 10,000 people are often particularly difficult to diagnose and treat. As part of their joint funding program “zukunft.niedersachsen”, the state of Lower Saxony and the Volkswagen Foundation have now selected nine promising research projects for funding that aim to develop new diagnoses and treatments for rare diseases. Among them are two projects from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI). The PREDICT-CTP consortium of TWINCORE, the HZI, and Hannover Medical School (MHH) is developing a new diagnostic method for rheumatic diseases. In the StopPSC project, researchers from the HZI and MHH are developing new agents to treat primary sclerosing cholangitis, a chronically progressive inflammation of the bile ducts.

22.12.2025

TWINCORE

HZI Campus

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HZI in the media

Spannend: Am Exponat des Helmholtz-Instituts Saarland kann man nach Bodenbakterien suchen. | Foto: Ilja C. ...

30.07.2026

Die Rheinpfalz

Sprachmodellen und Einzelzellanalysen bei, das Helmholtz-Institut für Pharmazeutische Forschung Saarland übernimmt die chemische Synthese ...

29.07.2026

Deutsches Ärzteblatt

... in Wirkstoffdesign, Sprachmodellen und Einzelzellanalysen bei, das Helmholtz-Institut für Pharmazeutische Forschung Saarland ( HIPS ) ...

24.07.2026

Management & Krankenhaus

together the Fraunhofer ITMP in Hamburg, the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and Enamine Deutschland GmbH from

23.07.2026

Associated Press

such a drug candidate. HIPS is a site of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in collaboration with Saarland University. The

22.07.2026

Technology Networks

Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) in Würzburg, a site of the Braunschweig Helmholtz Center for

20.07.2026

Medical Xpress

Forschende des Helmholtz-Instituts für RNA-basierte Infektionsforschung (HIRI) in Würzburg, einem Standort des Braunschweiger Helmholtz- ...

20.07.2026

DeutschesGesundheitsPortal

Berit Lange, Leiterin der Abteilung Epidemiologie, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) in Braunschweig , ergänzt: „Eine ...

17.07.2026

Biermann Medizin

Prof. Dr. Berit Lange gegenüber dem SMC . Sie ist Leiterin der Abteilung Epidemiologie am Helmholtz-Zentrum ...

15.07.2026

Apotheken Umschau

In den Laboren wachsen Stammzellen zu komplexen Geweben heran. Gezüchtet in Brutschränken, gepflegt von Robotern ...

13.07.2026

Deutschlandfunk

und leitet das Zoologische Institut. Am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung verantwortet er die Forschungsgruppe „Neuroinflammation

10.07.2026

Zwischengas

... von DZIF-Wissenschaftler Prof. Mark Brönstrup am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) geleitete Projekt für die Entwicklung ...

09.07.2026

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