Welcome to the DZIF -

the German Center for Infection Research

Research Areas

DZIF is doing research in nine areas:

Community-Acquired Infections at Mucosal Interfaces

Hepatitis

HIV

Infections of the Immunocompromised Host

Healthcare-Associated Infections

Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases

Emerging Infections

Novel Antibiotics

Tuberculosis

News

News and Press Releases:

DZIF scientist Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Susanne Herold
© JLU/Rolf K. Wegst

Susanne Herold admitted to the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina

A close-up image of a healthcare professional wearing white gloves administering a vaccine injection into a person's upper arm using a syringe.
© Mufid Majnun auf Unsplash

Therapeutic vaccine for chronic hepatitis B enters first clinical trial in patients

TherVacB, a novel therapeutic vaccine for chronic hepatitis B developed under the leadership of Helmholtz Munich in collaboration with the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), has entered its
Microscopic image of a diverse community of gut bacteria in various shapes and artificially colored hues on a dark background.
© Maier Lab (Lisa Maier, Anne Grießhammer, Leonardo Boldt), Tübingen Structural Microscopy Core Facility (Michaela Wilsch-Bräuninger, Stefan Fischer); Kolorierung/Coloring: Elke Neudert

Unexpected side effect: How common medications pave the way for pathogens

The human gut is home to a dense network of microorganisms, collectively known as the gut microbiome, which actively contributes to health. These microorganisms aid digestion, train the immune system
View of the world map with red markings indicating the latitudes and regions for which analyses of the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 lines are available. SARS-CoV-2 viruses are symbolically distributed across the world map.
© CoVerage; CDC/Alissa Eckert, Dan Higgins

Data-driven detection of concerning SARS-CoV-2 variants months in advance

Since the start of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, several variants of the virus have developed into Variants of Concern (VOCs), as classified by the World Health Organization (WHO). VOCs are virus variants
Group photo of PanACEA, a successful European-African TB trials consortium that developed trial capacity in many African countries.
© PanACEA consortium

Safe alternatives to toxic tuberculosis drug linezolid

Two international clinical studies led by PD Dr. Norbert Heinrich from the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine at LMU University Hospital Munich and conducted with international
All news

28 July 2025

World Hepatitis Day

Hundreds of millions of people worldwide are affected by chronic viral hepatitis. The DZIF is involved in the development of measures to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis with a dedicated research area. In a video campaign, DZIF scientists provide information on the viral disease.

Visit the TherVacB YouTube channel
Three drawn people in purple, blue and yellow outerwear against a green background with a schematically depicted group of people
© WHO

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Research in Focus

Hamburg - Lübeck - Borstel - Riems

Clinical Tuberculosis Center

The Clinical Tuberculosis Center provides the expertise and infrastructure for the optimization, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) as well as for translating research results into clinical practice. The main objectives of the Clinical Tuberculosis Center include coordinating clinical research activities involving the DZIF TB cohort. This cohort includes [...]

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Hannover - Braunschweig | Heidelberg | München | Tübingen

Transplant Cohort

Medical data and biological samples obtained from transplant patients are collected and managed across Germany with the help of the DZIF Transplant Cohort. The data and samples form the basis of scientific studies which investigate the connections between numerous factors influencing an organ’s susceptibility to infection and organ function. In [...]

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Tübingen

New strategies for specific eradication of Staphylococcus aureus

In this project, the scientists develop genetically engineered phage lysins and specific bacteriocins for the elimination of hospital germs such as Staphylococcus aureus, they clarify mechanisms of potential resistance mechanisms, and they analyse whether broad-spectrum or specifically acting agents have a more effective and lasting effect on colonization by [...]

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Hannover - Braunschweig

Preclinical development of Amidochelocardins

The challenge of antibiotic drug development today is the discovery and optimisation of novel bioactive compounds that do not show cross-resistances with clinically applied antibiotics, ideally due to a novel mode of action (MoA) which adresses unexploited microbial targets. In the case of chelocardin, this antibiotic substance was identified several [...]

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Our Partner Sites

Location

Hannover - Braunschweig

Research areas
Contact person
Silke Hartmann

Dr. Silke Hartmann

Hannover Medical School
Partner Site Manager Hannover - Braunschweig
Project Manager Community-Acquired Infections at Mucosal Interfaces
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Location

Bonn - Köln

Research areas
Contact person
Prof Achim Hörauf: Coordinator of the consortium "Neglected tropical diseases" at DZIF.

Prof. Dr. Achim Hörauf

University Hospital Bonn
Deputy Partner Site Speaker Bonn-Köln
Deputy Coordinator Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases
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Ullrich Bethe

Dr. Ullrich Bethe

University Hospital Cologne
Project Manager Clinical Trial Office (CTO)
Interim Partner Site Manager Cologne
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Location

Hamburg - Lübeck - Borstel - Riems

Research areas
Contact person
More about this location
Location

Heidelberg

Research areas
Contact person
Stephan Urban

Prof. Dr. Stephan Urban

Heidelberg University
Deputy Coordinator Hepatitis
DZIF Professor "Translational Virology"
Partner Site Speaker Heidelberg
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München Tübingen Heidelberg Giessen – Marburg – Langen Bonn – Köln Hannover – Braunschweig Hamburg – Lübeck Borstel – Riems
15
Databases- & Biobanks 2023