The mutual objective of the research activities is to discover new approaches for improved treatment strategies of viral diseases and virus-associated tumor diseases. The discovery process is based on innovative basic research and its translation into preclinical therapy concepts. This approach is applied not only to the most important, worldwide, viral diseases, such as AIDS, influenza and hepatitis, but also for infections caused by herpes virus, polyomavirus and other DNA viruses that are a health threat for the human population.
The LIV has several highly modern and advanced Technology Platforms, including systemic cryo- and environmental electron microscopes (EM), fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis, high-throughput deep sequencing and high-security BSL3 laboratories.
Furthermore the LIV is particularly active in promoting the talents and the education of young scientists: Three junior research groups have been established for junior scientists; scholarships and prizes are awarded each year to acknowledge excellence. Additionally an innovative doctoral program exists within the Leibniz Graduate School Infection – an initiative of the „Leibniz Center Infection“ (LCI), a research alliance of the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute, Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), and the Research Center Borstel.
