Marina

The Cluster of Excellence RESIST played a key scientific role at the 2nd International Conference on Individualised Infection Medicine in Hanover. The conference, held from March 19 to 21, 2026, at Herrenhausen Palace, brought together around 160 international experts from research and clinical practice to discuss new approaches to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases. With its own scientific session, RESIST was prominently represented in the program, underlining its key role in researching infection resistance and developing innovative therapeutic strategies. Chaired by Prof. Dr. Kathrin de la Rosa, the session provided diverse insights into the cluster’s current [...]

Since the beginning of RESIST’s second funding phase in early 2026, Prof. Dr. Thomas Skripuletz has been part of the research consortium. The neurologist has headed the Laboratory for Cerebrospinal Fluid Diagnostics and Neurochemistry at Hannover Medical School since 2021 and contributes extensive expertise in the study of neuroimmunological diseases. His work within RESIST focuses on severe virus-associated diseases of the central nervous system in immunocompromised patients, particularly progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), which results from reactivation of the JC polyomavirus. The aim of his research is to better understand why some patients benefit from virus-specific T-cell therapies while others [...]

The Europe-wide education event UniStemDay once again inspired thousands of students to engage with stem cell research on March 20, 2026, including at the Hannover Medical School (MHH). The event, held in Germany since 2016 and now organized worldwide, brought together over 35,000 participants this year across more than ten European countries and additional international locations. In Hannover, around 28 students from the city and surrounding region took part and gained an exclusive insight into current medical research and clinical practice. The day was organized by RESIST Prof. Lachmann, PD Dr. Ruth Olmer, and Dr. Sylvia Merkert, with support [...]

On March 12, 2026, the first orientation event for the YOUNG RESIST program took place in a hybrid format. The initiative brings together a total of 95 young RESIST researchers, including doctoral candidates, early-career postdocs, and clinical scientists, with the goal of strengthening networking among early-career researchers in the RESIST Cluster of Excellence, promoting their development, and creating additional opportunities for active participation. The participants were welcomed by Prof. Dr. Reinhold Förster, Head of Immunology and Spokesperson for the RESIST Cluster of Excellence. Project Coordinator Dr. Eugenia Gripp led the program. At the start of the event, the cluster’s [...]

Dr. Lennart Riemann (PhD) has been awarded the Infection Biology PhD Prize, supported by RESIST and endowed with €1,000. The prize recognizes his dissertation entitled "Systems Immunology Approaches for Human Immune Profiling in Vaccination and Aging," in which he investigated modern systems immunology methods for analyzing human immune responses. Riemann completed his medical studies in Heidelberg before moving to Hanover as part of the TITUS Clinician Scientist Program. There, he conducted research at the Clinic for Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology, and Neonatology under the direction of Prof. Dr. Gesine Hansen and at the Institute of Immunology under Prof. Dr. Reinhold [...]

RESIST Provides the Scientific Foundation for a Potential PSC Therapy The currently incurable liver disease "primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)" affects approximately one in 10,000 people in Germany. Characterized by chronic inflammation of the bile ducts, PSC frequently leads to severe complications, including the need for liver transplantation. To date, treatment options are limited to managing symptoms, often through the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, which may promote the development of antimicrobial resistance. Researchers at Hannover Medical School and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research are now developing an innovative therapeutic approach within the “StopPSC” project. The focus is on the [...]

Big data study reveals an association with a molecular state of immune cells How Long COVID develops is still poorly understood. A recent study led by Prof. Yang Li at the Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM) now provides new insights into potential molecular mechanisms underlying the condition. Yang Li is also a member of the RESIST Cluster of Excellence, as are other researchers who played a key role in the publication. Using modern single-cell analyses, the researchers identified a specific molecular state in immune cells that is associated with inflammatory processes as well as typical Long COVID symptoms [...]

At MHH, a Fulbright scholar is combining engineering and immunology to improve wound treatment. Chronic wounds often cause great distress to those affected, as they heal very poorly, are painful, and restrict movement. At Hannover Medical School (MHH), Fulbright scholar Samuel Sung from the USA is now spending a year researching new therapeutic approaches to improve the healing of chronic wounds in collaboration with the team of Prof. Dr. Nico Lachmann, who is part of the RESIST research group. To this end, he is combining engineering with immunology and focusing on the use of specialized immune cells. Macrophages (scavenger [...]