Immune pathology: Prof. Paul Racz,
Department of Pathology
The substantial German research groups who work on clinical research
and molecular medicine on AIDS and HIV are integrated in the 2001 approved
network of competence HIV/AIDS. The network´s aim is to build up
a representative and national overlapping patient cohort. As a result
better requirements are to be created to improve the treatment, the quality
and the life expectancy of HIV patients.
Coordination: Prof. Dr. N.H. Brockmeyer, Clinic for Dermatology und Allergology
at Ruhr-University Bochum/Germany
Supported by the Federal Ministry of Education
and Research (BMBF)
Project website: www.kompetenznetz-hiv.de
(German only)
National Genome
Network - disease control by genome research
>
Northern German Network "Infection and Inflammation"
Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Rolf Horstmann, Bernhard Nocht Institute
Supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
The network´s aim is to identify genetic factors influencing resistance
or susceptibility to human infectious diseases. The network is supported
within the programme
" National Genome Network - diesease control by genome research"
by BMBF with an amount of 7.5 Mio. € and started in May 2001. The
studies are performed in the Leibniz institutes
Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine (malaria) and Research
Centre Borstel (tuberculosis). For the studies thousands of malaria and
tuberculosis patients in Ghana are examined, where BNI operates a research
centre in cooperation with the University of Kumasi.
In the first phase of the project 450 siblings from 120 families were
examined weekly on malaria parasites and clinical signs of malaria during
a period of 8 months. In a second project 2000 additional patients with
strong malaria complications were examined. They were compared to exposed,
but not infected test persons.
In the seconds phase, starting 2004, the collection and evaluation of
genetic data takes place in Hamburg. The BMBF funds the second phase of
the project with 1.8 Mio.€.
SFB 470 "Glycostructures in biosystems
- demonstration and effect"
Sub-project C4: "The effect of glycosylation on
the interaction of HIV-1 gp120 with the viral co-receptors CCR5 and CXCR4".
Prof. Dr. Herbert Schmitz,
Dr. Michael Schreiber,
Department of Virology
The 1997 founded research network SFB 470 includes researchers of the
departments medicine, chemistry and biology of the University of Hamburg
as well as research groups of the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical
Medicine, the Research Centre Borstel and the Medical University Lübeck.
Within the project, carbohydrate containing molecules are to be visualised
and their structure clarified. In addition to structure, the scientists
also analyse biological function. Focal points are cell-cell interactions
and as well as the relation between the cellular membrane structures and
the pathogens.
SFB-speaker: Prof. Dr. Joachim Thiem, Faculty
of Chemistry of the University of Hamburg SFB-Info
