Welcome to the Parasitology Unit at the Centre for Infectious Diseases
Parasitology is a science at the heart of clinical medicine, epidemiology, immunology, molecular biology and biochemistry.
It deals with some of the most important infectious diseases of mankind.
Parasitology has the potential to help us understand questions regarding the complexity of life and the interactions between different species.
Parasitology may provide the tools to alleviate the suffering of millions of people stricken by parasites.
Prof. Michael Lanzer, Ph. D.
Current Highlights
World Malaria Day: 25 April
ADVANCE EQUITY. BUILD RESILIENCE. END MALARIA.
World Malaria Day, which takes place on 25 April each year, is an internationally recognized day, highlighting the global efforts to control malaria and celebrating the gains that have been made. Since 2000, the world has made historic progress against malaria, saving millions of lives. However, half the world still lives at risk from this preventable, treatable disease, which costs a child’s life every two minutes.
BioMalPar XVIII
(23-25 May, EMBL, Heidelberg)
The conference series brings malaria researchers from around the world to present and share recent ground-breaking findings on fundamental malaria research in an integrated and highly collaborative environment. BioMalPar XVIII will showcase the multidisciplinary nature of malaria research with a programme that welcomes clinical malaria, epidemiological studies, immunology, and evolution and ecology alongside core BioMalPar topics. The programme focuses on early-mid career researchers to help mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which have been particularly acute for these stages. The conference will take place at EMBL Heidelberg, with the option to attend virtually.
Paper by Ganter lab
BECAUSE IT HAS TO HAPPEN FAST - THE UNUSUAL MULTIPLICATION OF MALARIA PATHOGENS
In their newest paper (first author: PhD student Severina Klaus) published in “Science Advances” our colleagues of the Ganter lab and their collaborators show how the malaria pathogen Plasmodium manages to multiply rapidly in nutrient-poor blood cells. The project is being funded by the DFG as part of the Collaborative Research Centre 1129.