Research Topics

Our focus is the performance of studies on human communicable diseases (of humans). The concept includes the planning, preparation, supervision, performance and analysis of observational studies and clinical trials, combining classical, molecular and clinical epidemiology. Focus diseases are malaria, salmonellosis, cryptosporidiosis, sepsis, neglected tropical diseases (NTD) and co-infections in resource-poor settings. The group is interested in the development, evaluation and application of advanced diagnostics of infectious diseases, integration of electronic surveillance, definition of health priorities, and the analysis of the pathogens and their transmission conditions. The latter includes the analysis of genetic, environmental, socio-economic, demographic, and spatio-temporal risk factors on the host site as well as influence factors of the pathogens and vectors. The superior aim is the translation of results to implementation of diagnostics, treatment, prevention and capacity building in endemic countries. The studies are mainly performed together with the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research (KCCR), the Ghana School of Public Health of the University of Ghana and different hospitals and communities in the Ashanti Region. Other cooperation partners are in many other African countries as well as in Vietnam and Laos.

Efforts to control and eliminate malaria in endemic areas over the past decade have produced promising results, with some countries reaching pre-elimination phase. However, several countries continue to experience high levels of morbidity and mortality from the disease, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, with vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and young children, being disproportionately affected. Understanding the complex dynamics of malaria transmission, its genetic diversity, the parasite's biology, drug resistance mechanisms, and the various factors influencing its spread is crucial in developing effective prevention and control strategies.

Associated projects and activities:

ASAAP
Clinical evaluation of AntimalarialS tri-therapy with AtovAquone Proguanil for malaria treatment in African children

Biomarker l Malaria Assay
Development of a biomarker-based POC test for improved differentiation of malaria and bacterial bloodstream infections

DELGEME
Training Leaders for a Malaria-free World

MBC
Analysis of anti-malarial immunity development in early life in a prospective birth cohort in Agogo, Ghana

Respiratory infectious diseases pose a significant global health burden, including in sub-Saharan Africa. Diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus are major causes of illness and death, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and individuals with co-morbidities. Factors such as high humidity, crowded living conditions, poor ventilation, and co-infections with other tropical diseases can contribute to increased disease burden and unique challenges in control and prevention. Conducting research in this area is crucial to understand the epidemiology, transmission dynamics, and risk factors associated with the diseases, enabling the development of targeted prevention, differential diagnostics, surveillance, preparedness, and response strategies.

Associated projects and actitivies:

ACHES
African COVID -19 Vaccine Hesitancy

ANTICOV
Identification of early treatments to prevent progression of COVID-19 to severe disease and limit disease transmission

CLAARITY
Clinical Assessment of the effect of Near Point-of-Care diagnostic strategy in patients with Acute Respiratory Infections for guiding adequate Therapy in Ghana

CLEAR
Covid-Like Illness and Respiratory Pathogens Diagnostic Response in Ghana

CoBoGo
COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the Boeny region of Madagascar

IBBM
Improving biosafety and biosecurity measures for the COVID-19 diagnostic in Madagascar

SeroCov
SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence study in three African countries

SToP-CoV
Strengthening COVID-19 Response on the Islands of São Tomé and Príncipe

Research on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) holds crucial significance, with NTDs affecting millions of individuals, particularly in impoverished communities with limited access to clean water and sanitation. Our work focuses on operational and implementation research studies aimed at identifying solutions for the prevention and management of diseases of poverty, with an emphasis on schistosomiasis. By advancing our understanding of disease transmission, developing targeted interventions, addressing co-infections, and fostering local capacity, our research strives to reduce the burden of disease in the region. The majority of our studies is conducted in Madagascar, where a high burden of schistosomiasis exists. Additional studies take place in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a major focus on francophone-Africa.

Visit our Lab Group dedicated to Schistosomiasis and NTDs research

Associated projects and activities:

ABCdM
Reinforcement of decentralised health system in Madagascar through the control of schistosomiasis (coming soon)

AFES
Assessing awareness, knowledge and practices of Female Genital Schistosomiasis in multisectoral health care professionals in Europe: a cross-sectional survey

CHASE
Chagas Hamburg Screening

EduMad Global Health and NTDs - an innovative educational approach to meet the endgame target in Madagascar

FIRM-UP
Female Genital Schistosomiasis in rural Madagascar: improving community understanding and promoting integration into primary health care services

freeBILy
Fast and reliable easy-to-use-diagnostics for eliminating Bilharzia in young children and mothers

NAMASTE
Novel approaches for the management of chronic forms of schistosomiasis: the identification of adapted tools through the Madagascan example

NTD Expertise
An assessment of German institution's contribution to Research on Neglected Tropical Diseases

nutriMAD
Association between Schistosome infection and malnutrition in Madagascar

PREPRAMA
Paving the way for pediatric praziquantel accessibility in Madagascar

RESAMP
Reducing schistosomiasis through aquaculture interventions in Madagascar: a pilot study

SCHISDIMA
Improved diagnostics for schistosomiasis and epidemiology

Salmonellosis is a significant public health concern worldwide, including in tropical regions. It is caused by the Salmonella bacterium and can lead to gastroenteritis, septicemia and other serious complications. In addition to being associated with the consumption of contaminated food (particularly poultry, eggs, meat, and dairy products), Salmonella is also a zoonotic pathogen, signifying transmission between animals and humans. Research on salmonellosis is, therefore, essential for understanding the disease burden, identifying transmission routes, addressing zoonotic potential, monitoring antimicrobial resistance, and assessing the impact of environmental changes to safeguard public health in tropical regions. The findings can guide evidence-based interventions and strategies to prevent and control salmonellosis and reduce its impact.

Visit our collaborating Research Group dedicated to Salmonellosis research

Associated projects and activities:

DECCASS
Bacterial subtypes and their association with diarrhoea

PEDVAC
Paediatric Phase I/II study of a vaccine against invasive non-typhoidal salmonellosis in sub-Saharan Africa

SASSA
Genetic adaptation of Salmonella enterica in human & animal reservoirs in sub-Saharan Africa

Stand-AMR
Development of standardized AMR laboratories for AMR surveillance in sub-Saharan Africa

Cryptosporidiosis is a common cause of diarrhea in tropical regions, particularly in areas with inadequate sanitation and poor water quality. The disease is caused by the parasite Cryptosporidium, which can infect both humans and animals. In tropical regions, where malnutrition and co-infections are more prevalent, the impact of cryptosporidiosis can be even more severe. The importance of Cryptosporidium infection as a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in infants and young children in the developing world has only been firmly established in the last few years. Against this background, our research aims to understand the genomic epidemiology of different cryptosporidium species and the transmission dynamics among human and animal reservoirs in sub-Sahara Africa in order to identify more effective prevention strategies.

Associated projects and activities:

Genomic epidemiology of Cryptosporidium species and transmission dynamics among human and animal reservoirs

Buruli ulcer (BU) is a chronic, necrotizing disease of the skin and subcutaneous tissue caused by the environmental bacterium Mycobacterium ulcerans. It predominantly affects children in rural areas of tropical countries with a focus on West Africa. The route of transmission is still unclear, but it appears to be connected to contacts with stagnant water. The disease typically begins with the formation of nodules or patchy skin lesions often on the lower limbs. If left untreated, large areas of the skin are affected by extended lesions. In advanced stages, the disease can cause disfigurement and permanent disability. The recommended treatment involves a combination of antibiotics, specifically rifampicin and clarithromycin, along with surgical removal of infected tissue. Given these circumstances, our research aims to investigate the role of the microbiome of BU skin lesions in wound healing and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains.

Associated projects and activities:

BURURLIRES
Microbiome and Resistome of Mycobacterium ulcerans lesions

Tropical regions often face a higher burden of infectious diseases compared to other parts of the world, many of them caused by bacteria, parasites, and viruses. In some cases, these pathogens have developed resistance to commonly used antimicrobial drugs, making treatment more challenging. Antimicrobial resistance can also spread between humans, animals, and the environment, amplifying the challenges of disease control. Research on antimicrobial resistance and One Health in the context of tropical diseases is, therefore, vital for addressing the unique challenges posed by infectious diseases in tropical regions, protecting human and animal health, and mitigating the global threat of antimicrobial resistance.

Associated projects and activities:

B_CHANGE
One Health: AMR in environmental reservoirs and colonizing antibiotic resistant bacteria

EAC Mobile Labs (Phase II)
East African Community Regional Network of Public Health Reference Laboratories for Communicable Diseases for antimicrobial resistance surveillance

GC-ADAPT
German-Costa Rican Center for Climate Adaptation and Infectious Diseases

TRINEO
Transmission reservoirs and acquisition of multidrug resistant bacteria

Stand-AMR
Development of standardized AMR laboratories for AMR surveillance in sub-Saharan Africa

Expand-AMR
Development of standardized AMR laboratories for AMR surveillance in sub-Saharan Africa

Infectious diseases, including tropical diseases, often exhibit rapid and dynamic transmission patterns. In turn, conventional surveillance systems may have delays in data collection, analysis, and reporting, which can hinder timely response efforts. Innovative and collaborative surveillance approaches hold great potential to capture and analyze real-time data, leveraging digital technologies and integrated information systems. By harmonizing versatile data from various domains and sources, researchers can identify and monitor signals or patterns that indicate the emergence or spread of infectious diseases. These evidence-based findings are valuable for public health authorities, helping them make informed decisions, allocate resources, respond quickly, and minimize the impact of outbreaks, ultimately improving the effectiveness of disease control measures.

Associated projects and activities:

Data Snack
Crunching Digital Resources to Strengthen Global Health Research and Action

EAC Mobile Labs (Phase I)
East African Community Regional Network of Public Health Reference Laboratories for Communicable Diseases for pathogens of biosafety levels 3 and 4

EAC Mobile Labs (Phase II)
East African Community Regional Network of Public Health Reference Laboratories for Communicable Diseases for antimicrobial resistance surveillance

eHISS
A mobile-phone based Electronic Health Information and Surveillance System for Africa: concept and pilot study

ESIDA
Enhancing Epidemiological Surveillance for Infectious Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa through Digital Technologies and Computational Methods

GC-ADAPT
German-Costa Rican Center for Climate Adaptation and Infectious Diseases

MOBILISE
A novel and green mobile One Health laboratory for (re-)emerging infectious disease outbreaks

Stand-AMR
Development of standardized AMR laboratories for AMR surveillance in sub-Saharan Africa

SURVIN-STP
Molecular Surveillance of Infectious diseases in São Tomé and Príncipe

Genetic epidemiology focuses on investigating the role of genetic factors in the occurrence and distribution of diseases within populations. It combines principles from genetics and epidemiology to understand how genetic variations contribute to disease risk, progression, and response to treatment. To identify such factors our group conducted several large-scale screens with human and bacterial samples. Studies on human populations were done with the aim to screen for risk or protective variants in the genomes of people who are continuously exposed to infectious pathogens in sub-Saharan Africa. High-throughput screens with several thousand patients and healthy controls have allowed to identify genetic variants that confer resistance or susceptibility to malaria and tuberculosis.

Our group was the first to identify new resistance marker by a genome wide association analysis (GWAS) for severe malaria by comparing 1400 cases and 800 controls. Protective variants were found in the genes of the erythrocyte calcium pump ATP2B4 and MARVELD3. For tuberculosis, our analyses yielded the first significant results for tuberculosis with 2000 cases and 3000 controls. Risk variants of this analysis were mainly found in intergenic regions, as were most variants identified by GWAS analyses. With the advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS), the field of genetic epidemiology received a new boost, allowing for human genetic screens with unprecedented depth. With this technology, study groups of malaria and tuberculosis will be re-analysed and screened for rare population-specific variants in addition to larger structural variants associated with the phenotype. In particular populations in malaria endemic region are suitable for application of NGS analyses as the disease still exerts a high evolutionary selection pressure, driving the development of new protective variants mainly in genes of erythrocyte specific proteins. Whole exome or whole genome analyses of exposed individuals will uncover new population specific, protective variants, not seen in GWAS screens.

Genetic analyses of bacterial samples are mainly based on NGS sequencing of whole genomes. Several studies in Ghana and Tanzania are currently underway analysing a diverse set of bacterial species comprising E. coli, Salmonella, Klebsiella, Campylobacter, M. ulcerans and others. Rising levels of infections with bacteria resistant to growing number of antimicrobial agents represent a global health crisis. Thus, the aim of these studies is to track transmission patterns, to identify the sources of infection, and to analyse and evaluate new and existing resistance and virulence markers, in collaboration with the Research Group One Health Bacteriology.

Associated projects and activities:

Microbiome and Resistome of Mycobacterium ulcerans lesions
(coming soon)

EAC Mobile Labs (Phase II)
East African Community Regional Network of Public Health Reference Laboratories for Communicable Diseases for antimicrobial resistance surveillance

MBC
Analysis of anti-malarial immunity development in early life in a prospective birth cohort in Agogo, Ghana

SASSA
Genetic adaptation of Salmonella enterica in human & animal reservoirs in sub-Saharan Africa

SEEG
The German Epidemic Preparedness Team (Schnell Einsatzbare Expertengruppe Gesundheit)

Stand-AMR
Development of standardized AMR laboratories for AMR surveillance in sub-Saharan Africa

SToP-CoV
Strengthening COVID-19 Response on the Islands of São Tomé and Príncipe

SURVIN-STP
Molecular Surveillance of Infectious diseases in São Tomé and Príncipe

TRINEO
Transmission reservoirs and acquisition of multidrug resistant bacteria

Bioinformatics encompasses the use of computational tools and methods to analyze genomic data, understand disease transmission patterns, facilitate vaccine development, support drug discovery, and integrate diverse biological data sets, among others. By leveraging bioinformatics approaches, researchers can accelerate the understanding, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases, ultimately contributing to improved public health outcomes in tropical regions. Our unit aims to provide expert consulting, and analysis for high-throughput data. We have established modern, standardized workflows for several tasks in the field of next generation sequencing (NGS), including analysis of eukaryotes, prokaryotes and viruses.

Visit our Unit dedicated to Bioinformatics

Associated projects and activities:

Buruli Mircobiome
(coming soon)