The web site www.infection-research.de is being relaunched with a new look: it is the first internet portal worldwide on the subject of infection research. The Braunschweig Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) operates the web site which, in addition to an extensive job market for infection researchers, also offers eight further information areas. "The portal aims to offer scientists and journalists extensive information and evolve into the leading internet meeting point for the infection research scene," says Rudi Balling, Scientific Director at HZI and initiator of the portal. There are currently around 6,000 scientists and science journalists worldwide using the site, developed in 2007, on a regular basis. To date the texts have been exclusively in English, for the first time now selected German translations are also to be offered.
Service for scientists and journalists
Following the relaunch the web site not only offers a new layout, but also significantly more service:
- A job database, containing nearly all worldwide vacancies in the field of infection research. This may be accessed free of charge.
- A comment function enables scientists and journalists to discuss current themes online.
- Concise information and extensive links offer journalists in particular a precise overview of the most globally significant infectious diseases and the current status of research. The newly-established bilingual aspect should be a further aid in this.
- The range of graphics created specifically for PowerPoint use should aid scientists in the graphic layout of their presentations and papers – professionally created illustrations of cells or receptors are available for free downloading. This will enable the scientists to save time, as well as considerably increasing the aesthetic quality of their own slides.
Independent information
Scientific independence and an international approach are paramount at infection-research.de. "The content of the site is compiled by an international editorial team consisting of biologists, medical practitioners and freelance science journalists. The focus is neither upon national themes nor Helmholtz subjects. If a theme is good and significant, then it will appear on infection-research.de," explains Hannes Schlender, Head of Press and PR at HZI. "With this initiative we aim to reinforce the exchange of thoughts and ideas between the scientists, whilst at the same time making a difficult subject accessible to interested journalists," says Schlender.
Further areas are to be established in the coming months. In future there will also be animations of significant infection biology processes, which will be available for download. In addition, an international editorial board is currently being established, the purpose of which will be to guarantee the independence of the content and monitor the quality of editorial work.
