3 April 2019
€6.6 million to research the course of infections:New Leibniz Science Campus in Hamburg: InterACt
Photo: CSSB
At the Science Campus InterACt, researchers want to investigate the role of reaction chambers in cells. Reaction chambers or compartments are enclosed areas within cells in which, for example, special metabolic processes take place. During the course of a cellular infection, pathogens often use these niches for specific stages in their life cycles. InterACt’s goal is to study the processes and structures in these reaction chambers and, in the long term, to find new therapeutic approaches. Prof. Dr. Kay Grünewald (CSSB) will act as spokesperson for InterACt, which will begin its work on 1 May 2019.
President of Universität Hamburg Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Dieter Lenzen said: “The creation of a new Leibniz Science Campus devoted to infection research is yet another example of the excellent cooperation between the University and non-university research institutions. This cooperation is promising: Together, we in Hamburg want to tackle the numerous pathogens.”
In the next 4 years, InterACt will receive a total of approximately €6.6 million in funding. Universität Hamburg will contribute €2.8 million, HPI will contribute roughly €1.5 million, the Hamburg Ministry of Science, Research and Equalities will contribute €1.2 million, and the Leibniz Association will contribute €1.1 million. Four new research groups will be created in the context of InterACt. They will focus on the junction between virology and integrative data analysis. Universität Hamburg will advertise for a W3 professorship for computational systems biology and a W1 professorship for infection research; the HPI will set up a new early career research group. Furthermore, the University and HPI are planning to establish a joint W3 temporary professorship.
In addition to the HPI and Universität Hamburg, the HPI’s 2 partner institutes—the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine and the Research Center Borstel / Leibniz Lung Center—will also take part in the Science Campus InterACt. The new Science Campus in Hamburg is one of 22 Science Campi in Germany.