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Displaying results 221 to 230 of 231.
Biostatistics
High-Throughput-technologies generate large amounts of data. The drawback: these biological and medical data must be processed to results with statistical methods and models. Concepts from robust and computational statistics as well as visualisation techniques help to better understand, estimate and cope with the uncertainty and strong variation that are often inherent in biological and medical data. The project group „Biostatistics“ is part of the research group „Cellular Proteome Research” which is led by Lothar Jänsch.
Biomarkers of Infectious Diseases
The Research Group Biomarkers of Infectious Diseases aims to identify more accurate diagnostic, prognostic and predictive host biomarkers for infectious diseases and the vaccine response. The clinical aims of the group are to help select the most effective, individualized treatment as early as possible, aiming to streamline the use of anti-infectives (improve anti-infective stewardship) and to improve clinical outcome. This group is located at the TWINCORE in Hannover.
Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting
Our organism is made of many different cells that are specialized to perform specific tasks. As long as they work together in the collective, we will stay healthy – do they change or are they changed by pathogens, we become unbalanced and sick. The Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting platform provides the instrumentation and expert knowledge for the phenotypic identification and functional analysis of cells at the single cell level.
Epidemiology and ecology of antimicrobial resistance
Due to the interconnectedness between humans, animals and the environment, as well as the rapid potential for antimicrobial resistance to spread between bacterial species, we need a One Health approach to adequately address the threat of antibiotic resistance. This department is based at the Helmholtz Institute for One Health .
Pathogen Evolution
Ecological interactions that underpin human life are highly dynamic, and changes in complex ecosystems can have far-reaching consequences on human health. Therefore, One Health also has a very strong evolutionary component. Over the last decades, evolutionary biology concepts have provided a major contribution towards unveiling the short- and long-term dynamics of pathogen emergence and spread. The importance of evolutionary approaches has become particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the initial emergence event and the later spread and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 have been investigated using evolutionary genomics – with the rise of variants of concern (VOC) being pointed out in the first place by observational data and inferential statistics. The Department of Pathogen Evolution studies both current and historical samples and uses them to make targeted predictions about the potential spread of important pathogens, thus providing important contributions to public health. The department is located at the Helmholtz Institute for One Health .
Evolutionary Community Ecology
Humans are increasingly part of these interaction networks and pathogen transmission from animals to humans is occurring at increasing rates. Indeed, emerging zoonotic disease are an increasing threat to human health and most of these diseases have their origins in wildlife. Microorganisms and their associated diseases also influence animal populations’ persistence and conservation, with some spilling over to animals from humans as well. The research group ‘evolutionary community ecology’ explores how the changing composition of animal communities has cascading impacts on their microbial communities, diseases, and rates of transmission, including to humans. The department is located at the Helmholtz Institute for One Health .
Experimental Infection Research
If we are attacked by a virus, the immune system reacts within a matter of hours. Highly specialized immune cells recognise the pathogen and release highly efficient messengers, which activate the immune system. These messengers include the interferons, which ensure that individual host cells are mildly infected . At the same time, interferons can also influence the course of the immune response and the memory of the immune system. Without these messengers virus infections - which we normally overcome almost unnoticeably - become fatal within just a few days. The group Experimental Infection Research is based at the TWINCORE in Hannover.
Experimental Virology
Viruses are tiny vehicles that transport biological information to reprogram the functions of human, animal, or plant cells in order to replicate. So-called "enveloped" viruses consist of only one layer of proteins, are filled with genetic material, and are surrounded by a thin shell of lipids in which viral proteins are embedded. Even though viruses are tiny and have a simple build, viral pathogens such as the hepatitis C virus (HCV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and SARS-CoV-2 have the potential to threaten the health of millions of people. Here at the Institute for Experimental Virology, we focus on fundamental and translational RNA virus research. Our research groups combine the expertise of molecular and cell biological approaches with computational methods to help elucidate viral replication mechanisms to develop new therapeutic and preventive strategies.
Genome Analytics
The Genome Analytics (GMAK) facility provides next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology to the HZI. External users may also have access to the technology, e.g. upon collaborative arrangements. In addition to sample DNA/RNA quality check, library preparation and sequencing, the facility provides primary data processing, data quality check and analysis. A number of pipelines for secondary data processing are established.
Genome Mining for Secondary Metabolites
The misuse of antibiotics on a global scale has led to an ever-growing antibiotic resistance crisis. Novel antimicrobial compounds are urgently needed. Microorganisms are considered to be one of the most prolific sources for natural product drugs including antibiotics. Developing novel genome mining approaches to harness the potential of the underexplored biosynthetic gene pathways and discover novel microbial natural products, is a potential antibiotic resistance crisis mitigation path. This group is located at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) .
