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Picture of Chase Beisel
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
Digitale Darstellung mehrere Menschen
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
EHEC bacteria on an intestinal cell
News
Experts are increasingly turning to machine learning to predict antibiotic resistance in pathogens. With its help, resistance mechanisms can be identified based on a pathogen’s genetics. However, the results should be viewed with caution: Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) in Würzburg have shown that the models are often less reliable than assumed. Their findings were published in the journal PLOS Biology. They contribute to the development of more reliable tools for predicting and combating antibiotic resistance.
17.12.2025
Teaser for the podcast with Andreas Keller
News
At first glance, biology and computer science seem like opposites. But wherever enormous amounts of data are generated from research, progress is hardly possible without digital methods. Bioinformatician Prof. Andreas Keller therefore relies on artificial intelligence. He heads the department “Clinical Bioinformatics” at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS). In this episode of InFact, he talks about how AI can help us understand how beneficial and harmful bacteria communicate with each other in our bodies, how to predict when infections will cause long-term effects, and how this can be used to develop new drugs against dangerous pathogens.
16.12.2025
Elisabeth Strunk in the lab
News
Biphenomycins, natural products derived from bacteria, show excellent antimicrobial activity, but have long remained out of reach for drug development. The main obstacle was the limited understanding of how these compounds are produced by their microbial hosts. A research team led by Tobias Gulder, department head at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), has now deciphered the biosynthetic pathway of the biphenomycins, establishing the foundation for their pharmaceutical advancement. The team published its findings in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.
11.12.2025
Maximilian Order awarded to HIRI Director Jörg Vogel by Marcus Söder
News
On December 3, Jörg Vogel, Director of the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, was honored with the Maximilian Order for Science and Art at a ceremony held in the Antiquarium of the Munich Residence. He received the distinction from Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder, who referred to the Free State’s highest honor as the ‘Bavarian Nobel Prize’. HIRI is site of the Braunschweig Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in cooperation with the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU).
04.12.2025

HZI in the media

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Das Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung: Wissenschaftler:innen am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) untersuchen ...

22.10.2026
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DeutschesGesundheitsPortal

... Lange, Leiterin der Abteilung Epidemiologie am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung in Braunschweig und Mitglied der Ständigen ...

22.10.2026
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DIE WELT

... befallen. Am HZI in Braunschweig wird daran geforscht.

 

Am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI) in Braunschweig ...

22.10.2026
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NDR Norddeutscher Rundfunk

are extremely complex.

 

Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) have now shown that artificial

21.10.2026
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Phys.org

Würzburg (JMU) und dem Helmholtz-Institut für RNA-basierte Infektionsforschung (HIRI), einem Standort des HZI in ...

20.10.2026
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Regional Heute

community. HIPS is a site of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) that operates in collaboration with Saarland University.

20.10.2026
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WDC Tv News

... Verabreichung eintritt. Expertin Berit Lange vom Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung betonte, dass jetzt der richtige Moment ...

16.10.2026
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upday

... Berit Lange im Gespräch mit FOCUS online. Sie ist Leiterin der Abteilung Epidemiologie am Helmholtz-Zentrum ...

16.10.2026
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Focus Online

protection against BV. Researchers from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research have reported evidence that antibodies produced after

16.10.2026
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Medscape

... ist Leiterin der Abteilung Epidemiologie am Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung in Braunschweig und Mitglied der Ständigen ...

16.10.2026
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Berliner Morgenpost

... beeindruckendes Ergebnis“, sagt Jakob Wirbel vom Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (HZI). „Trotzdem schlafe ich momentan noch ...

15.10.2026
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Der Tagesspiegel

also included Japanese microbiologists and collaborators from IST Austria and HZI Braunschweig (Germany), demonstrated that actin inhibitors

14.10.2026
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Health Medicine Network

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