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A single vaccination that provides protection for many years – so far, this has rarely been possible with vaccines against respiratory pathogens. Regular booster shots are often necessary. Dr. Henning Jacobsen from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Casper Silvis from the Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM) want to change that. As part of the ENDURIVAC project, they are developing a vaccine technology designed to provide long-lasting protection after just one dose. In this episode of the HZI podcast InFact, they explain how the technology works, why it is initially being used to develop a vaccine against RSV and whether booster shots could largely become unnecessary in the future.

A recent study from Hannover provides important insights into the understanding and future treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Researchers from the Hannover Medical School (MHH), the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), TWINCORE and the Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), a joint institution of the HZI and the MHH, have demonstrated that a previously little-noticed group of immune cells – so-called γδ T cells – plays a central role in controlling the viral infection. The study was published in the journal Gut.

Even after the COVID-19 pandemic, infectious diseases remain among the greatest challenges to global health. At the same time, advances in biomedical research, data-driven methods, and clinical innovation are opening up new opportunities to tailor prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to individual patients. How these approaches can be translated into medical care was the focus of the 2nd International Conference on Individualized Infection Medicine, which took place from March 19 to 21, 2026, at Herrenhausen Palace in Hannover.

How Long COVID develops is still largely unknown. New molecular connections are revealed in a recent study led by the Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM). Using their approach of examining different molecular levels within individual cells, the researchers identified a specific condition in immune cells that was directly associated with elevated inflammation markers, fatigue, and respiratory problems in patients with Long COVID. The study was published in the journal Nature Immunology. The CiiM is a joint institution of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Hannover Medical School (MHH).

Liver transplants often save the lives of seriously ill patients. However, there remains a risk that the body will reject the new organ. Doctors distinguish between acute and chronic rejection. While acute rejection is easy to diagnose and treat, chronic rejection causes lasting damage to the organ, is difficult to detect – currently only possible by examining tissue samples under a microscope – and is often overlooked. An international research team led by Hannover Medical School (MHH) and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) has now discovered clear molecular signatures for chronic rejection even after liver transplantation, which could aid diagnosis. After ten years of work, the findings have now been published in the Journal of Hepatology.

Why do people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) often suffer from cardiovascular, liver, and other comorbidities? Researchers at the Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM) investigated this question as part of the 2000HIV study, a multi-omics cohort coordinated by several research centers in the Netherlands. They identified various molecules and mechanisms that could be linked to the development of these comorbidities. The scientists are making the extensive results of their study freely available. They hope that they will be used for new research approaches and lead to a better understanding of the underlying causes and to helpful therapies. The researchers have now published their study results in the journal Nature Medicine. The CiiM is a joint institution of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and Hannover Medical School (MHH).