Search
Displaying results 71 to 80 of 89.
Doctoral Researcher (f/m/d) – "Deciphering host-pathogen interactions in the context of immune signaling"
The Department of Cellular Immune Signalling is looking for a PhD student.
Postdoc (f/m/d)
The Department of Immune Signalling (IMSI) at the HZI offers the position of a Postdoc (f/m/d).
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 .
Epidemiology
Epidemiology conducts research on health and disease at the population level – infection epidemiology is concerned with contagious diseases. Their tools and methods are systematic queries, clinical examinations and laboratory diagnostic documentation for both healthy and afflicted individuals, as well as statistical analysis of the compiled data. Causes and risk factors for infections can thus be identified. Infectious diseases epidemiology contributes to the development of preventive measures, early detection and therapy for diseases. Moreover, it examines the efficacy of such measures. Thus epidemiology ties in with scientific findings in basic research as well as medicine, and examines these processes at the population level.
Integrative Informatics for Infection Biology
Recent years have seen accelerating development of high-throughput technologies in infection biology. Now, thousands of genetic loci can be simultaneously interrogated in a single experiment, providing an array of measurements of transcription, translation, regulatory interactions, and fitness effects. The bottleneck in advancing our understanding of pathogens now lies in moving from hypothesis-free screening through data integration to hypothesis generation. We develop new statistical, computational, and visualization approaches to overcome this bottleneck in the interpretation of complex post-genomic data. This group is located at the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI).
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 Architecture and Evolution of RNA Viruses
RNA viruses are a major threat to human health and responsible for millions of deaths each year. Their replication is orchestrated by the RNA genome, which encodes for viral proteins needed to hijack the host cell. Traditionally, infectious disease research has focused on blocking viral replication by inhibiting these proteins. However, we now appreciate that the genomes of RNA viruses are not just passive carriers of protein coding information, but active participants in the viral infection process through the action of non-coding RNA. We study the structure and function of viral non-coding RNA, with the goal of harnessing the resulting knowledge in the design of next generation RNA-based therapies. This group is located at the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) .
Computational Biology for Infection Research
The Department of “Computational Biology for Infection Research” studies the human microbiome, viral and bacterial pathogens, and human cell lineages within individual patients by analysis of large-scale biological and epidemiological data sets with computational techniques. Focusing on high throughput meta’omics, population genomic and single cell sequencing data, we produce testable hypotheses, such as sets of key sites or relevant genes associated with the presence of a disease, of antibiotic resistance or pathogenic evasion of immune defense. We interact with experimental collaborators to verify our findings and to promote their translation into medical treatment or diagnosis procedures. To achieve its research goals, the department also develops novel algorithms and software.
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 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?
