Helmholtz Center for Infection Research and University of Würzburg (Bavaria) to establish new institute for RNA-based infection research

The Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Braunschweig and the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg are going to jointly establish a new Helmholtz Institute headquartered in Würzburg, Bavaria to address a new research field aiming for novel therapeutic approaches. The new Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research will focus on so-called ribonucleic acids (RNAs) and their role in infection processes. RNAs are thought to have enormous potential as target for medications and as therapeutic agents as well. This potential is to be tapped now by new technologies.

The German State of Bavaria already promised significant financial support: “We ear-marked €46 million in funding for the establishment phase of the institute in the Bavarian budget, because we are absolutely confident in the project”, says Ilse Aigner, the Bavarian Minister of Economy and Technology.