Vaccination is the most effective method of countering infectious diseases - and a major success of medical research. Although there are already highly effective vaccines against many pathogens, each year millions of people die from infections of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS, where there has been so far a lack of suitable vaccination strategies. It is particularly difficult to trigger the complex reactions of the immune system if the vaccine is not a weakened form of a complete pathogen, but instead composed of, for example, protein components alone.

At the Institute for Infection Immunology, researchers led by Prof. Dr. Tim Sparwasser are investigating novel strategies for improving vaccines. Towards this the researchers study cells of the immune system that function en-route inducing or taming an immune response.

 
The major players initiating immune responses are dendritic cells (DC). They are part of the innate immune system that recognise pathogens via so-called pattern recognition receptors and are at present crucial target cells for vaccination. Alarming these cells represents the first stage of the defence cascade. Key questions asked at the Institute of Infection Immunology  include: What role is played by the various and highly-specialised sub-types of dendritic cells in different infections? What significance do pattern recognition receptors have as targets for new therapeutic and prophylactic measures?

Concomitantly an important feedback to an immune response is its control, where regulatory T cells (Treg) play an exceedingly important role. These cells prevent the immune system from overreacting and may be exploited by pathogens, particularly in chronic infections. An optimal vaccination approach should incorporate strategies that would activate dendritic cells and prevent regulatory T cells from stagnating the required immune reaction.

 
Since January 2010 Dr. Matthias Lochner is establishing a junior research group at the institute with the topic "Interaction of DCs, Th17-cells and Tregs in gastrointestinal infections". Dr. Lochner will focus on factors that are essential for the development of  T-cell subsets (Th17, Tregs) in intestinal lymphoid tissues. These cells control immune responses and play a specific role in autoimmune diseases and chronic infections.

So called "Twinning Projects" allow close cooperations between the Institute of Infection Immunology, the clinic (e. g. paediatric department, MHH) and the HZI (e. g. Experimental Immunology) which should lead to novel translational approaches in Immunotherapy and immunodiagnostics.

 
The long-term goal of the researchers at the Institute for Infection Immunology is to employ new model systems and the subsequent findings gained to make vaccines both more effective and more compatible.