Successful Fourth International CMFI Symposium in Berlin
The CMFI successfully held its fourth international symposium at the Futurium in Berlin. This year it was organised in cooperation with the Clusters of Excellence “Balance of the Microverse” (Friedrich Schiller University Jena) and “RESIST - Resolving Infection Susceptibility” (Hannover Medical School). The symposium, entitled “Microbes - Connecting Environment and Health”, took place from 1 to 2 October.
The two-day conference featured a diverse program, bringing together not only researchers from the Clusters but also professionals and interested participants focusing on topics such as antimicrobial resistance, microbial community resilience, infection susceptibility, and the significance of the microbiome for health.
A particular highlight was the public evening event, which emphasized dialogue between politics, science, media, and society. In a fishbowl discussion, researchers from the Clusters, together with invited external experts and members of the public, explored current challenges in infection research. Participants included Prof. Dr. Bodo Grimbacher (RESIST), Prof. Dr. Heike Brötz-Oesterhelt (CMFI), Prof. Dr. Ilse Jacobsen (Balance of the Microverse), Prof. Dr. Veronika von Messling (BMBF), Volker Stollorz (Science Media Center Germany), and Prof. Dr. Lothar H. Wieler (Hasso Plattner Institute), with moderation by Michael Pelzer.
The discussion began with brief introductory presentations in which the researchers shared insights into their work within the context of their respective Clusters. Heike Brötz-Oesterhelt focused on the growing issue of antibiotic resistance and innovative strategies to combat bacterial infections. Ilse Jacobsen illustrated the crucial role of microorganisms, especially fungi, in both the human body and the environment, demonstrating how microbes maintain ecological balance. Bodo Grimbacher concluded by explaining how the immune system functions and why understanding its mechanisms is vital, particularly when addressing the needs of immunocompromised individuals.
The event provided not only engaging scientific insights but also deeper understanding of the crucial role of research and interdisciplinary collaboration in tackling infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance.
Quotes from the Fishbowl Discussion
Lothar Wieler: “The main issue of antibiotic resistance, leading to human infections, does not stem from veterinary medicine [such as in factory farming]. We've found that this only accounts for about 5 to 9 percent in our societies, meaning approximately 90 percent [of the causes] arise from human medicine.”
Volker Stollorz: “We are in a collective action dilemma, similar to the climate crisis. We have a limited resource [antibiotics], but initially, we don’t consider the long-term consequences [of their use]. […] How can research be enabled so that substances not only prove effective in the lab but also succeed in clinical trials?”
Veronika von Messling: “It’s fantastic that these clusters are now coming together on this topic and facilitating such exchanges. […] Basic research generates new knowledge, which is the foundation for everything else. I’m impressed by how complementary these consortia are and how their collaboration adds a much-needed dimension across individual groups.”
Heike Brötz-Oesterhelt: “Antibiotics are fragile and worth protecting. We must use them consciously and establish new structures – also beyond pharmaceutical companies – to ensure continued supply.”
Bodo Grimbacher: “Humans are incredibly complex systems. […] The goal must be to develop personalized medicine from within these systems. We need to understand what is defective in each person’s system to treat it. This is a major challenge for modern medicine.”
Ilse Jacobsen: “We need protected basic research that is driven by curiosity to understand how things are connected so that we have the knowledge base [to, for example, create new solutions during a pandemic] and generate innovative and creative approaches.”
Text: Juliane Seeber, Antje Nieber
