Heinrich Pette Institute

The Heinrich -Pette - Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology (HPI ) is dedicated to research into the biology human viruses, the pathogenesis of viral diseases, the immune response of the organism and related problems.

The HPI is available as a charitable foundation under civil law and an independent research organization, which member in 1995 of the Leibniz Association (WGL ). Donors is on the federal side, the Federal Ministry of Health, the country side is represented by the Ministry of Science and Research in Hamburg.

Research

The aim of research at Heinrich -Pette - Institute is to understand virus- related diseases and to identify new targets for improved therapies for viral diseases and virus- associated tumors. Scientists of the HPI explore a broad spectrum of viruses, such as hepatitis viruses (HBV, HCV ), herpes viruses (HCMV, HSV1, EBV, KSHV ), immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) and DNA tumor virus (MCV ). The practical application of the results in diagnostics and therapy is becoming increasingly important. This is reflected in many collaborations with clinical institutions and industry.

Research mission of the HPI: " The HPI explores human pathogenic viruses. The aim of our research is to understand virus-induced diseases and to develop new therapeutic approaches. "

The HPI is divided into four research divisions, three independent research groups and two junior research groups. The research spectrum is supplemented by four technology platforms.

Departments:

• Antiviral Strategies (Director: Joachim Hauber )
• Viral transformation (Director: Thomas Dobner )
• Virus Immunology (Director: Marcus Altfeldt )
• Virus-host interaction (Head: Wolfram Brune )

Research Group:

• Retroviral pathogenesis (Director: Carol Stocking)
• Viral zoonoses and adaptation (Director: Gabriel Gülsah )
• Virus Genomics (Director: Adam Grundhoff )

Research Group:

• HCV replication (Director: Eva Herker )
• Emerging viruses (Director: Cesar Munoz- Fontela )

Technology Platforms:

• Flow cytometry / FACS
• High -throughput sequencing
• Small animal models
• Microscopy and image analysis

History

Founded in 1948 as the " foundation for the study of poliomyelitis " the emergence of the Institute is mainly due to two people due: to the generous patron Philipp Fear God, Reemtsma, who established a foundation from the maternal inheritance of his deceased polio Son, and to the neurologist Heinrich Pette. Through him scientific concept and development of the Institute were minted until his death in 1964 and designed. Logically " his institute " renamed after the founder's death in " Heinrich Pette Institute for Experimental Virology and Immunology at the University of Hamburg ." In addition to the assessment Heinrich Pettes this name also illustrates the close connection of the Institute at the University of Hamburg, is the 1993 a cooperation agreement. Since March 2011, the Institute has been officially named the "Heinrich Pette Institute - Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology ". The Institute buildings were in 1967, 1995 and most recently renewed in 2006 and extended.

In 1996 the Institute was evaluated externally and independently by the Science, 2002 the Senate Committee of the WGL. The Science Council noted that the general government, science policy interest in the research of the HPI is recommending the continued funding as " WGL Institute ". The evaluation in 2002 confirmed the positive assessment by the Science: It was found that the quality of research at HPI regarding timeliness, relevance, and originality of the individual units of work is very good overall and outstanding in part. The HPI operates in his field nationally and internationally recognized research quality by.

Networking

The Heinrich -Pette -Institut is networked on multiple levels with other research institutions. The Heinrich -Pette - Institute is member of the Leibniz Association (WGL ).

The Heinrich -Pette - Institute is located on the campus of the University Medical Center Hamburg -Eppendorf ( UKE ) and is closely connected through a cooperative agreement with the University of Hamburg. The department head of the Heinrich -Pette - Institute are C4 and W3 professors who are appointed to common procedures with the specialist fields of medicine, chemistry or biology at the University of Hamburg.

The Heinrich -Pette -Institut is next to the Bernhard -Nocht- Institute for Tropical Medicine and the Research Center Borstel ( FZB ) founding member of the Leibniz - Centre for Infection Research, Leibniz Center Infection (LCI ). Together the three institutions employ about 1,000 people, of which approximately 400 scientists. The Leibniz - Centre for Infection Research is to promote the goal of inventive and innovative infection basic biological research in northern Germany.

The promotion of infection biology research in the entire region of North Germany is followed by the Nordverbund Infection Biology ( NORDIB ). In addition to the Heinrich -Pette -Institut is because the Hannover Medical School ( MHH), the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Institute of Microbiology, Technical University of Braunschweig, Institute for Infection Medicine, University of Hamburg, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Lübeck, the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig (formerly GBF), the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, the research Center Borstel and the Hans Knoell Institute is involved.

EV with the Promotion of Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, the Heinrich -Pette -Institut is connected in the form of a cooperation agreement. On the basis of this public- private partnership operates the Promotion of an independent research institute for pediatric hematology and oncology in the replacement and extension II of the Heinrich -Pette - Institute.

In cooperation with the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden, it was possible to demonstrate in the laboratory that it is possible for the embedded by the retrovirus HIV into human DNA genetic information of the virus using an adapted enzyme ( recombinase ) from the genome individual cells to remove. This evidence is considered an important step in basic research in the development of a treatment method for the complete cure of AIDS (hence the removal or most extensive containment of HIV infection ).