Press Releases

DZIF news and press releases at a glance

Coronavirus
© CDC

DZIF Coronavirus Researchers use “Fast Track”

Research has been called to develop drugs, vaccines and testing methods as quickly as possible to fight the SARS-coronavirus-2. A fast-track procedure has made additional funding available to

Daptomycin
© Fabian Grein/Universität Bonn

Mode of action of the reserve antibiotic daptomycin solved

The reserve antibiotic daptomycin is used primarily when conventional drugs fail due to resistant bacteria. Although the antibiotic was developed around 30 years ago, its exact mode of action was

Hilgenfeld and his team
© Foto: Elena Vogt / Universität zu Lübeck

Structure of the coronavirus’ main protease identified

The new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has been identified as the pathogen behind the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus contains a main protease termed Mpro (or also termed 3CLpro), which is involved in the

Coronaviruses can cause the highly infectious and potentially lethal respiratory illnesses MERS and SARS.
© CDC/Dr. Fred Murphy/Sylvia Whitfield

SARS-CoV-2: DZIF scientists and the development of vaccines

Scientists and physicians at the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) have been closely monitoring and investigating the development of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 since it first emerged

Coronaviruses can cause the highly infectious and potentially lethal respiratory illnesses MERS and SARS.
© CDC/Dr. Fred Murphy/Sylvia Whitfield

Preventing spread of SARS coronavirus-2 in humans

Viruses must enter cells of the human body to cause disease. For this, they attach to suitable cells and inject their genetic information into these cells. Infection biologists from the German Primate

The digitally-colorized scanning electron microscopic (SEM) image depicts numerous filamentous Ebola virus particles (blue) budding from a chronically-infected cell.
© National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Recognise and control new variants of the deadly Ebola virus more quickly

The situation is extraordinary: there have only ever been four declarations of public health emergencies of international concern in the past and now there are two at the same time. Whilst the risks

Hepatitis B virions (orange coloured)
© CDC/Dr. Erskine Palmer

New therapeutic approach may help to cure chronic hepatitis B infection

Researchers at Helmholtz Zentrum München, Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) have developed a novel therapeutic approach to cure chronic hepatitis

Team Klein
© Uniklinik Köln/Thies Schöning

Highly active HIV antibody restricts development of viral resistance

A research team led by Univ.-Prof. Dr. Florian Klein of the Institute of Virology of the University Hospital Cologne and the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) has identified a new highly

Monkey kidney cells infected with MERS
© Müller/Charité

A new treatment strategy against MERS

First identified in 2012, the MERS-coronavirus is capable of causing severe and often fatal pneumonia. There are no effective treatments for MERS. Researchers from the German Center for Infection

Coronaviren
© cdc/Dr. Fred Murphy & Sylvia Whitfield

Researchers develop first diagnostic test for novel coronavirus in China

Researchers from the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have developed a new laboratory assay to detect the novel Chinese coronavirus. The assay

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