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Loa loa is a neglected tropical disease endemic in Central Africa, yet little is known about its impact on children. The LoaPaed project examines over 1,200 children in Gabon to determine the prevalence of loiasis, clinical symptoms and potential cardiovascular complications using advanced echocardiography. The aim is to improve understanding of paediatric loiasis and provide evidence for better diagnosis and management.

Further information here. 

CARTESIAN is a new three-year training program at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. It prepares young doctors to unite patient care with cutting-edge research. The program focuses on cancer and age-related diseases and connects medicine closely with data science. Doctors, researchers, and IT specialists work together to develop better diagnostics, therapies, and prevention strategies. Participants alternate every six months between clinical work and research and receive structured mentoring plus courses in data science, statistics, research methods, and soft skills.

Many age-related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular or metabolic disorders develop slowly and remain unnoticed for a long time. A key driver is a chronic, low-grade inflammation in the body, similar to what is observed in chronic inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s disease or rheumatoid arthritis. In the HALT research program, the scientists investigate why this process progresses more rapidly in some individuals and how it can be slowed down. The goal is to develop new preventive and therapeutic strategies to help people maintain health and quality of life for longer.

Cancer develops through genetic changes that cause tumor cells to grow uncontrollably and spread in the body. Metabolic processes in the tumor microenvironment play a crucial role: tumor cells alter the local supply of energy and nutrients and can thereby weaken the immune defense. The THERA project investigates these interactions. Using advanced analytical technologies, the scientists make tumor cells, immune cells, and their metabolic processes visible within the tumor.

*This results in a cellular and humoral immune response.

Parkinson's disease is characterized by the aggregation of the protein α-synuclein, primarily in dopaminergic neurons. Inflammatory processes may considerably contribute to disease development and progression. The underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain poorly investigated. By using human samples, the scientists are investigating the role of a specific subset of immune cells, namely T-cells, in various disease stages.

The Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) causes severe respiratory illnesses, particularly in children under the age of two years, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals, such as those with haematological diseases. Although RSV vaccines have recently been approved, data on their efficacy in this high-risk group are still lacking. The aim of this study is to examine the immune response to RSV vaccination in patients with haematological conditions over 12 months. Both, the humoral (antibody) and cellular immune responses will be analysed.