Welcome to the Institute for Infection Research and Vaccine Development - IIRVD
The Institute for Infection Research and Vaccine Development (IIRVD) at the Center for Internal Medicine of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) was founded in January 2022 under the leadership of Director Marylyn M. Addo .
The institute's scientific focus is on basic and translational infection and vaccine research . The interdisciplinary scientific team's research includes new and re-emerging viruses, such as Ebola and coronaviruses – including SARS-CoV-2 and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Other viruses, such as hepatitis B, may also be the focus of research.
The IIRVD conducts early safety and efficacy studies of vaccines, as well as treatment and observational studies in the field of infectious diseases. In particular, we study early immune events initiated by the innate arm of the immune system, as well as B- and T-cell responses. We are also investigating sex-specific differences in vaccine responses. One area of research focuses on immunity to viruses and vaccines, including analysis of sex differences (DFG Research Unit 5068 ).
The institute is home to the DFG-funded Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1648 “Emerging Viruses,” which is led by Prof. Addo. CRC 1648 addresses knowledge gaps in four critical research areas for scientific preparedness against emerging virus infections: pathogenesis, target characterisation, immunity, and intervention. More information about the CRC can be found here CRC 1648 .
Two BMBF-funded Clinician-Scientist junior research groups are affiliated with the Institute for Infection Research and Vaccine Development: The junior research group "Genomics of Retroviral Infections" headed by PD Dr. Dr. Ulrike Lange at LIV (formerly HPI) and the research group "Infection & Immune Regulation" headed by Dr. Dr. Angelique Hölzemer MD/PhD at the I. Medical Clinic of the Center for Internal Medicine and the Institute for Infection Research and Vaccine Development.
We also collaborate closely with the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, as the UKE-associated Department of Clinical Immunology of Infectious Diseases .
