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Meningokokken (orange) haben sich an menschliche Wirtszellen (grün) angeheftet. Rasterelektronenmikroskopische Aufnahme in Falschfarbendarstellung.
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In meningococci, the RNA-binding protein ProQ plays a major role. Together with RNA molecules, it regulates processes that are important for pathogenic properties of the bacteria. Meningococci are bacteria that can cause life-threatening meningitis and sepsis. These pathogens use a small protein with a large impact: The RNA-binding protein ProQ is involved in the activation of more than 250 bacterial genes. ProQ ensures that meningococci can better repair their DNA if damaged and it makes them resistant to oxidative stress. Both these factors contribute significantly to the bacteria's pathogenic properties. This was reported by research groups led by the Würzburg scientists Christoph Schoen from the Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) and Jörg Vogel from the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) in the journal Nature Communications. The HIRI is a joint institution of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and the JMU.
04.06.2020
Bundesforschungsministerin Anja Karliczek und der Niedersächsische Minister für Wissenschaft und Kultur Björn Thümler mit Forscherinnen und Forschern des HZI.
News
Federal Minister of Education and Research Karliczek and Lower Saxony’s Minister for Science and Culture Thümler were guests at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig today. The scientists at the HZI provided them with an overview of the current state of research on COVID-19, in particular a new nationwide epidemiological antibody study.
25.05.2020
News
Interferons are important messenger molecules in the immune system, assisting in the fight against pathogens such as influenza viruses and probably also SARS-CoV-2. However, interferon might also be involved in immune-brain interactions unrelated to an infection and may have an influence on learning ability. This is indicated by a study with mice from the Technische Universität Braunschweig, which is published today in the scientific journal Cell Reports. The Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig and TWINCORE in Hannover are also involved in the study.
20.05.2020
Niedersächsischer Ministerpräsident Stephan Weil und Minister Björn Thümler besuchen das Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung.
News
A distinguished visitor to the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research: The Prime Minister of Lower Saxony Stephan Weil and Lower Saxony’s Minister of Science and Culture Björn Thümler visited the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig today. The focus of the visit was on current challenges and innovative solutions, especially in the fight against SARS-CoV-2 and the future development of infection research in Lower Saxony.
08.05.2020
Cas12a-Nukleasen sind leistungsstarke Werkzeuge zur Genombearbeitung, erfordern jedoch ein PAM neben jeder ausgewählten Zielsequenz. Beisels Forschungsgruppe fand heraus, dass zwei sehr ähnliche Cas12a-Nukleasen unterschiedliche PAMs erkennen können.
News
CRISPR technologies are revolutionary genome-editing tools that rely on molecular scissors called Cas nucleases to cut DNA. While these scissors can be programmed to cut virtually any sequence, that target must be flanked by a special sequence called a PAM (Protospacer Adjacent Motif). The PAM sequence is up to six nucleotides in length and can vary widely between Cas nucleases. To allow all sites of the genome to be targeted with CRISPR technologies, there is an ongoing push to collect nucleases that cover all possible PAMs. In a current study published in Nucleic Acids Research, researchers from the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) in Würzburg characterized technologically important Cas nucleases to determine how to expand the spectrum of target sequences. The HIRI is a joint institution of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg.
07.05.2020
Der Virologe Luka Cicin-Sain erforscht SARS-CoV-2-neutralisierende Antikörper, die von der Technischen Universität Braunschweig und YUMAB isoliert wurden.
News
Neutralizing antibodies are the interceptors of our immune system. They bind precisely to pathogens and prevent them from entering our cells. After an infection, the immune system needs about two weeks to produce mature antibodies. In severe cases of Covid-19, the body's immune reaction often comes too late for the patient. One option for acute treatment would therefore be to administer antibodies to the patients that are immediately effective. Recent results of the CORAT Consortia, especially from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in cooperation with the Technische Universität Braunschweig and the company YUMAB, have led to a breakthrough in the development of fully human antibodies for immune therapies.
07.05.2020

HZI in the media

... unseres Immunsystems zu entziehen. Strukturbiologen des Helmholtz-Zentrums für Infektionsforschung (HZI) konnten nun mittels ...

18.02.2026
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Bionity.COM

of our immune system. Structural biologists at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI) have now used cryo-electron microscopy to

16.02.2026
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Phys.org

Was es mit Mpox – früher Affenpocken genannt – auf sich hat, welche Symptome erkrankte Personen haben und wie man sich anstecken kann.

13.02.2026
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Apotheken Umschau

Julia Port, research group leader at Germany's Helmholtz Center for Infection Research.

 

"Ongoing outbreaks—particularly those driven by

12.02.2026
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Medical Xpress

... Livia Patrono, laut einer Mitteilung des beteiligten Helmholtz-Instituts für One Health (HIOH): Denn dadurch ...

12.02.2026
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n-tv

... für den Neubau der Klinik für Strahlentherapie Würzburg sowie für das Helmholtz-Institut für RNA-basierte ...

12.02.2026
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mainpost.de

Project

 

Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH), a site of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), together

11.02.2026
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NewsBreak

by Prof. Hortense Slevogt, Hannover Medical School, and Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, shows that the treatment with PulmoPlas®

10.02.2026
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Biotech Investments

... der Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover und des Helmholtz-Zentrums für Infektionsforschung. „Unsere Methode erfordert nur einen ...

10.02.2026
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Health Capital

Fermentation und Aufreinigung, wurde ebenfalls am HZI in der Arbeitsgruppe von Prof. Marc Stadler, stellvertretender ...

06.02.2026
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juraforum.de

... gehört habt: Phagen. Spoiler: Was am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) passiert, rettet im Zweifel Leben – ...

05.02.2026
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Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland

Mattioli an: Am Helmholtz-Institut für RNA-basierte Infektionsforschung (HIRI), einem Standort des Braunschweiger Helmholtz-Zentrums für ...

04.02.2026
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Universitätsklinikum Würzburg

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