Research for a strong defense: DFG funds graduate school in Hanover

Research for a strong defense: DFG funds graduate school in Hanover

On July 28, 2025, it was announced that the newly founded ACME graduate school at the Hannover Medical School (MHH) was launching a comprehensive research initiative to combat infections. This innovative project will receive funding of around 7.2 million euros from the German Research Foundation, which will be made available over a period of five years. The official start date is set for April 2026.

The research training group has set itself the goal of investigating cell-specific defense mechanisms against various viruses and bacteria. Given that infections are among the leading causes of death worldwide and place significant financial pressure on healthcare systems, researchers see an urgent need for new approaches. Increasing antibiotic resistance and the lack of effective drugs against many viral infections make these research measures particularly relevant mhh.de reported.

Key areas of research

Under the direction of Professor Dr. Dirk Schlüter will investigate vaccinations and therapies for human infections with alphaherpes and influenza viruses as well as intracellular bacteria. The scientists aim to identify molecules that can trigger protective responses in the body and to develop cellular effectors that support the detection and control of pathogens. In addition, the research will also regulate the controlled cell death of infected cells.

An essential part of the research is the training of 20 scientific and 10 medical doctoral students and young scientists. We rely on comprehensive and quality-oriented training in infection biology. An accompanying training program supports individual career advancement for the doctoral students and is supplemented by seminars and research stays, including in Denmark.

Immunology: Past and Present

To broaden the context of this research initiative, it is important to consider the fundamentals of immunology, which is considered key to fighting infections. Every year, many people are exposed to microorganisms that cause pathogens. Even if many people do not become seriously ill, studying the body's defense mechanisms shows how important this research is. Edward Jenner is considered a pioneer of immunology, whose work on smallpox vaccination in the late 18th century laid the foundation for modern vaccination methods, such as pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov describes.

Immunology covers a variety of aspects, such as the development of long-lasting immunity and the healing of infections. Immune diseases affect around eight percent of the world's population and, in addition to the existing challenges in combating infectious diseases, represent an additional urgent need for research item.fraunhofer.de shows.

Research into immunomodulating substances and the development of novel therapies are key goals of current research. The use of innovative testing strategies, coupled with a deep insight into pharmacological and toxicological processes, is becoming increasingly important in order to understand immune mechanisms more effectively and to develop therapies based on them.