Microbes can be found all-over the planet as parts of very different ecosystems and organismic communities. The role of microbes in our - the human - system as disease agents, as well as in natural ecosystems is being investigated in this main research area.
Organismic communities are structured by the constant exchange of chemical signals. These chemical mediators are produced and emitted by one of the interaction partners and perceived and processed by another, where they trigger a respective reaction. With this, chemical signals regulate the species composition as well as the interaction between individual organisms from one or more species.
Until now, the knowledge of chemical mediators has been predominantly limited to bilateral interactions. Insights into the regulation of multi-partner interactions are urgently needed in order to understand the organization of complex biological systems.
Basic principles for the improvement of diagnostics and therapy are being created by infection biology research, whereas the focus lies on fungal infections and sepsis control.
Over the last 20 years, the number of fungal infections in humans has increased significantly. So-called 'systemic infections' are particularly dangerous, as they can be spread via the bloodstream throughout the entire body. In addition to the identification and characterization of new active agents, infection biology aims, among others, to explore the molecular mechanisms in the regulation of fungal compound biosynthesis.
Witin the area of diagnostics, researchers of biological and medical research fields work closely together with physicists and engineers in order to develop innovative solutions for both the clinical routine and scientific investigations of infections.
This Cluster of Excellence explores the interactions of microbes with other organisms and their environment.
