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Displaying results 661 to 670 of 670.
Clinical Bioinformatics
The Department “Clinical Bioinformatics” is concerned with analyzing molecular information using computer-based methods such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, or other algorithms. Its focus lies on spatially and temporally resolved processes to help understand how bacteria, as producers of natural products, interact with humans and can trigger or even protect against disease. This department is located at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) .
Immune Regulation
Due to their physiological functions our mucosal surfaces are in direct contact to the environment and thus represent the major port of entry for pathogens. To protect the body from severe infections an effective mucosal immune system is indispensable. We are studying respiratory tract infections with the focus on influenza and pneumococci, which represent the most frequent viral and bacterial infectious agents for pneumonia in humans. A major focus of our research is to study molecular and cellular processes during coinfection with influenza and pneumococci and here in particular the immunological functions of the alveolar epithelium in host defense.
Mouse Pathology
Histology is the science of tissues and pathology. In a sense, it is also the science of diseases and their pathogenesis. The major concern of histologists working in our service unit is helping other HZI researchers make this connection and work out the details of the relationship between histological changes at the tissue level and the infectious diseases they are studying.
Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory
Biological agents of risk group 3 (RG3) pose a constant global as well as national challenge because they cause severe illnesses in humans against which there are usually no effective preventive or treatment measures. Since these pathogens can only be handled in special biosafety level 3 (BSL3) laboratories, the modern BSL3 laboratories at the HZI provide a technology platform that is indispensable in today's infection research - only in this way can our scientists develop new therapies, prevention measures or diagnostic procedures against these pathogens.
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.
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 Proteomics
A genome contains all the information that is needed to build an organism like, for instance, a bacterium. One of functional genomics’ central questions is: How are these blueprints implemented so that relatively simple molecular codes ultimately give rise to a microorganism with the potential of getting us sick? What are some of the underlying mechanisms and under what conditions do they become activated?
Microbial Drugs
The majority of the medically important antibiotic drugs are derived from secondary metabolites, which are produced by bacteria and filamentous fungi. Despite intensive world-wide efforts using alternative approaches, no other concept could so far surpass the historically successful strategy to exploit biologically active natural products as candidates for anti-infective drugs. The recently observed, increasing resistance of the human pathogens against antibiotics has prompted us to intensify our search for novel lead structures from microorganisms and fungi, which can be used as anti-infective drugs.
Transgenic Mice
Genetically modified mice can provide information about the function of particular genes or individual genetic elements. Further, they can be specifically designed to mimic certain physiologic or pathologic conditions. The Service Unit "Transgenic Mice" (TGSM) creates such genetically modified mice for researchers of the center.
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.