Infectious diseases still represent a serious threat to human health in developing as well as industrialized countries. In particular, a steady increase in world-wide travel and migration has contributed to spread of newly emerging as well as previously endemic infectious diseases. Chemotherapy and vaccination have become the major weapons against a wide range of infectious diseases, but show increasing limitations against highly virulent or newly emerging pathogens. Thus, new or improved strategies of specific prophylaxis are urgently required. The research topics of this research area will provide a better understanding of the underlying immunological mechanisms that limit microbial and viral infections which is an important prerequisite for development of efficacious vaccines and vaccine formulations.

Research Groups:    
Franz X. Heinz
Mathias Müller
Johannes Stöckl 

 
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