Immunodeficiency manifests in a reduced resistance to infections and, as a consequence, in an increased susceptibility to disease.
Synonyms
Immunodeficiency disease
Detailed description
Immunodeficiency can have genetic causes or manifest as a consequence of certain diseases such as HIV infections, cancer and gut diseases. It may even be induced artificially before bone marrow transplantations. The weakened immune system makes patients more susceptible to usually harmless pathogens. Persons suffering from immunodeficiencies profit a lot from vaccines and immunotherapies.
Humanized mice carrying human genes or cells, for example, are a crucial model for disease research and drug development. Generating them and keeping them in optimal conditions requires a lot of know-how and experience. Therefore, a professional central unit with humanized mice (Humanized Mouse Core ...
The working group is responsible for projects aimed at the detection, occurrence and description of emerging viruses. To accomplish this task, the scientists are collecting samples of potential virus carriers, such as game, farm and domestic animals, thereby building up a comprehensive database ...
While there are treatment options for the immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS today, there is still not a cure. This is mainly due to the fact some of the human immunodeficiency viruses invade the genome of the host, where they cannot be attacked. Therapeutic agents can only destroy the free viruses in ...
The know-how for microbiome analysis coalesces at the Center for GI Microbiome Research (CEGIMIR). The gastrointestinal microbiome, i.e. all the microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, plays a key role in the course of infections. Changes in composition, such as those caused by environmental ...
A microscopy unit was established at the Heidelberg Partner Site for research groups from the research field “Hepatitis” and other research fields including “Emerging Infections”, “Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases” and “HIV” in particular. The working group microscopy of hepatitis viruses ...
When emerging viruses cause severe diseases, the rapid development of vaccines and antivirals against these pathogens becomes critical. Some newly emerging viruses are very dangerous and necessitate the highest of biosafety levels for research and development purposes. DZIF scientists have a ...
Mosquitoes are transmitters of numerous viruses that are pathogenic to humans. Besides the known local species, new types of mosquitoes have been imported into Germany over the past few years. In order to prepare for the potential formation of colonies of these new types of mosquitoes and the ...
Professor Markus Cornberg is Clinical Director of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Co-Director of the Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM). He and his translational research group provide the necessary link between hospitals, the HZI, the HepNet Study-House trial ...
The research group “Mathematical models and biostatistics” supports scientists in the field of malaria research with bioinformatics methods. Their aim is to more accurately determine the courses of infection, the spread of pathogens and human immune responses. In addition, their studies provide data ...
