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Interview

Poliomyelitis, also known as polio, is a contagious disease caused by the poliovirus. Thanks to the development of effective vaccines, the poliovirus has been largely eradicated and was endemic in only two countries in 2024. However, until the virus is eradicated worldwide, vaccination protection is important in Germany as well, as the virus could be reintroduced at any time. Epidemiologists at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) have now shown that many people do not know their vaccination status and cannot find it on their vaccination record. In an interview on the occasion of World Polio Day on October 24, Dr. Carolina Klett-Tammen, deputy head of Clinical Epidemiology in the department “Epidemiology” at the HZI, explains the study results, which have been published in the journal BMC Public Health.

23.10.2025

HZI Campus

Interview

Antimicrobial resistance is still an underestimated problem. Resistant bacteria are by no means only found in hospitals, they also occur in the natural environment. Prof. Katharina Schaufler and her team from the Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH) in Greifswald – a site of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) – have detected antibiotic-resistant bacteria in surface water at various locations in the Greifswalder Bodden. The sampling sites also included a bathing area, and in some cases, the detected bacteria were even multidrug-resistant. However, these findings do not indicate an acute danger to residents and tourists. Nevertheless, according to Schaufler, the situation should be taken seriously and action should not be delayed until the situation worsens.

17.09.2025

HIOH

Dr. Julia Port and Dr. Marina Greweling-Pils

Interview

Scientists at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) are studying important mechanisms for the development of infectious diseases and how they can be treated or prevented. Some of the research questions can only be answered with the help of animal experiments. Dr. Julia Port, head of the junior research group “Laboratory of Transmission Immunology”, and Dr. Marina Greweling-Pils, head of the research group “Core Facility of Comparative Medicine” and Animal Welfare Officer at the HZI, explain in an interview to mark the World Day for Laboratory Animals 2025 why not all animal experiments can be replaced and why choosing the right animal model is crucial for reliable scientific results.

23.04.2025

HZI Campus

Interview

Bushmeat, the meat of wild animals hunted for food, is consumed across cultures and considered a delicacy in most parts of the world. Especially in sub-Saharan Africa, it still represents a major fraction of the proteins consumed. However, the close contact between humans and diverse tropical wildlife species — potentially harboring a wide variety of pathogens — poses a significant risk for the transmission of zoonotic diseases. The project "BehaviorChange: Co-creating and evaluating behavioral change interventions for reducing the zoonotic risk associated with wildlife consumption" aims to characterize the zoonotic risks associated with bushmeat consumption in Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia, and to understand its socio-economical drivers.

14.03.2025

HIOH

[Translate to English:] Portrait Natalia Torow

Interview

Dr Natalia Torow researches the immune system of newborns, seeking to understand how it responds to pathogens and vaccinations to better prevent early-life infections. Since 2024, she has led the junior research group "Early Life Immunity" at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig, introducing a new research focus to the institution. In this interview, she discusses the neonatal immune system’s "silent mode," her goal of optimizing oral vaccines, and how she balances life as a researcher with family responsibilities.

06.03.2025

HZI Campus

Interview

A conversation with Prof. Andreas Keller from the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) and Prof. Yang Li from the Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM) about artificial intelligence (AI) in individualized infection medicine.

28.11.2024

HIPS

CiiM

HZI in the media

... beschleunigen

Das DFKI hat zusammen mit dem Helmholtz-Institut für Pharmazeutische Forschung Saarland (HIPS), der ...

02.08.2026

SR Saarländischer Rundfunk

... Forschungszentrum Fahrzeugtechnik (NFF) oder dem Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI).

Am 24. März 19973 ...

01.08.2026

t-online.de

... including to Germany, for further testing. Professor Fabian Leendertz at the Helmholtz Institute for One ...

31.07.2026

Deutsche Welle

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

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