The Corona pandemic clearly demonstrated the importance of infection research. The emergence and pandemic spread of as yet unknown viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2 most recently, is by no means new. Since founding of the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) in 2012, its scientists have devoted a special focus on this problem with the research area "Emerging Infectious Diseases".

Decisive action is also needed to address other problems in infection research: Chronic infections, more and more immunocompromised patients in an increasingly older society and the global increase in antibiotic resistance along with emerging viruses are among the major infectiological challenges of our time. The activities of the DZIF in the field of infectious disease research are strategically aligned to meet these challenges.

To this end, the DZIF brings together the expertise of more than 500 researchers from 35 member institutions and from a wide variety of fields, including medicine, biology, epidemiology, chemistry and bioinformatics.

More information on the DZIF's mission: https://www.dzif.de/en/portrait