SFB 544:  Control of Tropical Infectious Diseases

• Subject Area: Medicine ; Biology
• Term: from 1999 to 2011
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5483726

First, the close collaboration of epidemiologists, molecular biologists, parasitologists, economists and public health specialists can effectively further our understanding of the complex interaction between biology and society in controlling tropical infectious diseases (TIDs). This is why we attach importance to an interdisciplinary approach bringing together scientists from the biomedical and social sciences. Second, we focus on functions and mechanisms rather than on micro-organisms. The example of strain variability, antimicrobial resistance, host immunity or vector refractoriness is cases in point. In a similar vein, health system improvement will not and cannot efficiently be limited to one intervention against one disease alone. Third, we concentrate on strategic research, but cooperate closely with those who can implement the fruits of our research: on the one hand the pharmaceutical industry, on the other hand national or multilateral political bodies whose policies we try to influence and guide, based on scientific evidence. Fourth, we believe that research on TIDs can best be carried out in long-term partnership with a centre of research excellence in the south. To our knowledge, this collaborative research centre embodies these four prerequisites for optimal research on the control of tropical infectious disease in a unique way.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• International Connection: Burkina Faso, United Kingdom

Completed projects

• A01 - Das Merozoitenoberflächenprotein 1 (MSP-1), ein Kandidat für einen Impfstoff gegen P.falciparum-Infektionen: Untersuchungen zur zellulären Immunantwort des Menschen (Project Head Bujard, Hermann )
• A2 - In search of mlecular motors for invasion of host cells by Plasmodium falciparum (Project Head Soldati-Favre, Ph.D., Dominique )
• A4 - Development of a DNA vaccine against Schistosoma japonicum (Project Heads Ruppel, Andreas ;  Schirrmacher, Volker )
• A06 - Viral, immunological and public-health associated factors in transmission and therapy of human immunoderficiency virus infection in Burkina Faso (Project Head Kräusslich, Hans-Georg )
• A07 - Study of the effect of artemisinin-based combination chemotherapy (ACT) on the development of phenotypic and genotypic markers of resistance of Plasmodium falciparum at the parasite population level (NWG) (Project Head Borrmann, Steffen )
• A08 - Evaluation of alternative malaria first-line combination therapies in young children of Nouna/Burkina Faso (Project Heads Meißner, Peter Erwin ;  Müller, Olaf )
• B1 - Zellulärer Tedoxmetabolismus bei Malaria tropica (Project Head Becker, Katja )
• B02 - Thiol-dependent redox networks as targets of antimalarial agents (Project Heads Dandekar, Thomas ;  Schirmer, Heiner )
• B03 - Structural and functional analysis of thiol redox proteins in trypanosomes (Project Head Krauth-Siegel, R. Luise )
• B4 - Untersuchungen zum eisenstoffwechsel von Trypanosoma brucei (Project Head Steverding, Dietmar )
• B5 - Trypanosoma brucei: neue und alte Ziele für die Chemotherapie (Project Head Clayton, Christine Elizabeth )
• B6 - Untersuchungen zur Expression und Funktion von var-Genen bei Plasmodium falciparum (Project Head Lanzer, Michael )
• B7 - Adhäsionsprozesse Plasmodien-infizierter Erythrozyten während der maternalen Malaria und Entwicklung von Adhäsionsinhibitoren auf der Basis chemisch definierter Oligo- und Polysaccharide (Project Heads Andrews, Katherine ;  Schwartz-Albiez, Reinhard )
• B8 - Der Shikimatweg von Plasmodium falciparum als Zielscheibe für die Entwicklung von neuen Antimalariamitteln (Project Head Kappes, Barbara )
• B10 - Pharmacologically induced liver stage arrest - a potential new malaria control intervention? (Project Heads Borrmann, Steffen ;  Matuschewski, Kai )
• B11 - HIV assembly and maturation as novel targets for the development of antiviral agents (Project Head Kräusslich, Hans-Georg )
• B12 - Biochemical and genetic analysis of quinine resistant malaria (Project Head Lanzer, Michael )
• B13 - RNA binding proteins in gene regulation and survival (Project Head Clayton, Christine Elizabeth )
• B14 - Design and synthesis of mechanism-based inhibitors of disulfide reductases as new antiparasitic drug-candidates (Project Head Davioud-Charvet, Elisabeth )
• B15 - Plasmamembran-Transport und Externalisierung von Leishmania HASPB: ein Zelloberflächenfaktor mit unmittelbarer Bedeutung für Wirtszellinfektion und die intrazelluläre Überlebensfähigkeit von Leishmania Parasiten (Project Head Nickel, Walter )
• B16 - Identification and characterisation of new drug targets in apicomplexan parasites (Project Head Meißner, Markus )
• B17 - Bestimmung des Pathogenitätspotentials und der Empfindlichkeit gegenüber neuen antiviralen Substanzen primärer HIV-1 und HIV-2 Isolate aus Zentral- und Westafrika (Project Head Keppler, Oliver Till )
• B18 - Analysis of Plasmodium sporozoite adhesion and gliding (Project Head Frischknecht, Friedrich )
• B19 - Dengue virus - host cell interaction as a new target for antiviral therapy (Project Head Bartenschlager, Ralf Friedrich Wilhelm )
• C1 - Immunität des Moskitos gegen Plasmodium: Genetische und molekulare Analyse (Project Heads Kafatos, Fotis C. ;  Müller, Hans-Michael )
• D01 - An extended evaluation of malaria morbidity and mortality estimates in selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa (Project Head Becher, Heiko )
• D02 - Community-based insurance: the effect of targeted subsidies and other policies on different scenarios for long-term sustainability (Project Head Sauerborn, Ph.D., Rainer )
• D04 - Community-effectiveness of the distribution of insecticide- treated bed nets through antenatal care services in malaria control in rural Burkina Faso (Project Heads Jahn, Albrecht ;  Müller, Olaf )
• D5 - Die Evaluierung der Effekte und Kosten von Kontrollmaßnahmen für tropische Infektionskrankheiten (Project Heads Baltussen, Robert ;  Sauerborn, Ph.D., Rainer ;  Schmidt, Christoph M. )
• D7 - Tangible Cost-of-Illness as Basis of Cost-Effective Interventions Against Infectious Diseases in Developing Countries, Exemplified by the Nouna Health District (Project Head Fleßa, Steffen )
• Z - Zentrale Aufgaben des SFB (Project Head Sauerborn, Ph.D., Rainer )
• Z01 - Central tasks of the Collaborative Research Centre (Project Head Kräusslich, Hans-Georg )
• Z02 - Data management and data analysis of the database from the CRSN in Nouna, Burkina Faso, and Statistical collaborations with research groups within the SFB (Project Head Becher, Heiko )
• Z03 - Clinical Research at the district hospital Nouna in cooperation with the Nouna Health Research Centre (CRSN) and clinical support for the SFB 544 (Project Heads Junghanss, Thomas ;  Sié, Ph.D., Ali )

• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Participating Institution: Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna (CRSN); European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL)
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Hans-Georg Kräusslich