Role and Contribution
As the most prominent German center for tropical medicine, the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute is dedicated to research of human infectious diseases which are of particular relevance to the tropics. It is the mission of the Institute to develop means for the control of these diseases in endemic countries. It also has the responsibility to provide expertise to national authorities and to improve health care at the national level with regard to diseases of the tropics.
Research of the Department of Virology, which has biosafety level (BSL)-3 and BSL-4 facilities, is focussed on molecular aspects of the life cycle, the virus-host cell interaction, and the pathogenesis of highly pathogenic tropical viruses such as Lassa fever virus and Ebola virus.
Final aim of the work is the translation of basic research results into novel strategies for prevention, control, diagnostics, and treatment of tropical virus infections. To facilitate the translation of research results and transfer of technology to the endemic countries, the department closely cooperates with scientists in Africa and Asia.
BNI (Bernhard-Nocht-Institute )
