Main Content
Virology and Infection Biology
In this profile area, the focus is on pathogen-host interactions. RNA viruses, for example, can quickly adapt to new conditions and hosts due to the high variability of their genome and thus pose a continuous threat to humanity. Research is being conducted on influenza and SARS viruses, for example, but also on highly pathogenic viruses such as Marburg and Ebola, which must be studied under special safety conditions. For this purpose, the University of Marburg has an outstanding and for a German university unique infrastructure with itsBSL4 laboratory, which will be expanded in the near future with the construction of a new BSL4 facility.
Similarly, bacterial infectious diseases are among the most common causes of death worldwide. Due to antibiotic resistance, the most important drugs against infectious diseases are becoming increasingly ineffective. Furthermore, it seems that the development and course of infectious diseases, but also protection against them, are much more influenced by the interactions of bacteria with each other and with human cells than previously thought. Understanding these is the basis for future treatment success.
The cooperation between Marburg Virology and the Justus Liebig University of Giessen, which has been tried and tested for decades, has led to a large number of internationally visible research consortia. The University of Marburg is spokesperson for the Pandemic Network Hesse, and together with the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut (Federal Institute for Vaccines and Biomedicines), virology in Central Hesse forms a site in the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF). The UMR is also represented in the German Center for Lung Research, with scientific coordination of the disease area COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulumonary Disease). Both health centers combine research and translation in the fields of virology and infection biology.
Together with its partners from industry and academia, the university is also successful in vaccine and drug development.
In May 2023, our researchers submitted a draft proposal under the Excellence Strategy II together with Justus Liebig University Giessen and other partner institutions. The Cluster of Excellence prEmerge - Understanding and predicting pathogenicity of emerging viruses aims to deepen the molecular understanding of the pathogenicity of zoonotic viruses and thus improve risk assessment and disease prevention of emerging viruses.
