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Microbial Natural Products
Even today efficient drugs against many diseases are missing but finding new active substances is very complex. Support comes out of the ground. Myxobacteria are soil-living microorganisms that produce many active agents. Here you learn more about the search for new compounds with biological activity. This department is located at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) .
Microbial Interactions and Processes
Microorganisms in the environment are living in complex and interacting communities. Also the surfaces of the human body are inhabited by microorganisms, where the bacterial cell number significantly exceeds that of the human cells. These communities have co-evolved with the human host and are important for human health. They can, however, also be a reservoir for pathogenic microorganisms.
Model Systems for Infection and Immunity
In infection research experiments on cells and mice have a pivotal role. Frequently such model systems have to be tailored to allow tackling a specific scientific question. To this end, genetic modification of cell lines and mice is being pursued.
Hair follicle models from the 3D printer
Hair follicles are complex structures that surround the hair root, anchoring it to the skin and giving the hair its hold. At the same time, the area between the skin and the follicle provides optimal conditions for microorganisms to multiply unhindered. This often leads…
Making sense of the data jungle
Antibiotic resistance is rising worldwide and poses a major challenge to healthcare systems. Understanding the underlying processes of how and why some bacteria develop such defenses is critical. Differences in bacterial gene expression—in which the information in a…
Human-Microbe Systems Bioinformatics
The human body encompasses fewer human cells than microbes. They constantly interact with each other and the host and greatly affect an individual's health and well-being. In our group, we develop and apply state-of-the-art bioinformatics software to study the human-microbe systems and aim to discover natural products involved in communication between the two realms. This group is located at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) .
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) .
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.
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 .
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 .
