Pro-Rector Prof. Katharina Riedel and the Dean of UMG Prof. Karlhans Endlich agree: The new Institute of Molecular Infection Research with its two departments shall strengthen Greifswald as a location and supplement the existing cutting-edge research. This could make it possible to vanquish central challenges of the healthcare system.
‘Greifswald provides an excellent infrastructure for an institute of this kind, with recognised areas of expertise,’ stresses Riedel: ‘Outstanding examples include the Center for Functional Genomics of Microbes (C_FunGene), a location for close collaboration between University Medicine and the University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology, and the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut on the island of Riems.’
Endlich points out the importance of the topics that the institute will address: ‘Modern mobility comes with new kinds of infection. That is unavoidable. At the same time, we know that more and more pathogens are multidrug resistant. These are central challenges for the healthcare system. Of course this also means that more work is needed in the field of infection research. This is where Greifswald can make a substantial contribution.’ The institute is planned as a branch of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig and should help to considerably advance infection biology in Germany.
According to Dean Endlich, Greifswald provides an institute of this kind with ‘unique surroundings for Europe, with recognised expertise in the fields of pathoproteomics and infection biology and an excellent infrastructure for the proteomics and immunoproteomics of microbial pathogens.’ Endlich considers the decision a recognition of the many years of successful research.
Pro-Rector Riedel suggests that the ‘requirements have now been met to make a successful bid for national research excellence programmes in the future. The federal funding must now also be supplemented in the long-term by state funding programmes that will increase the chance of success.’
Contacts
University of Greifswald
Jan Meßerschmidt
Domstraße 11, 17489 Greifswald
Tel.: +49 3834 420 1150
jan.messerschmidtuni-greifswaldde
University Medicine Greifswald
Christian Arns
Fleischmannstraße 8, 17475 Greifswald
Tel.: +49 3834 86 5288
christian.arnsmed.uni-greifswaldde