***NEWS***

Save the Date: 30.6. – 2.7.2025, Hamminkeln 
Joint Meeting of the Special Groups Microbial Pathogenicity and Gastrointestinal Infections.
In the „Klausenhof-Dingden“ in Hamminkeln near Wesel, Nordrhein-Westfalen. The „Haus auf der Alb“ in Bad Urach, will not be able to host us next year due to fire safety refurbishment work.
Further information will follow.

Save the Date: Mikrobiologische Richt- und Warnwerte der DGHM in Wissenschaft und Praxis" 03.07.2025, Fachhochschule Südwestfalen, Campus Soest.

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The Division of Microbial Pathogenicity, which currently has around 480 members, was the first Joint Special Group of VAAM and DGHM in 2014 with a joint executive board.

The special group  forms a platform for pathogen-orientated bacterial infection research in Germany. The scientific interest is focussed on the molecular understanding of microbial virulence factors. In addition to classical topics of microbial pathogenicity such as toxin functions, adhesion or regulation of virulence genes, cellular microbiology is a new important direction within the special group. Here, the effects of the interaction between microbial pathogens and eukaryotic host cells are analysed on a cellular and molecular level.

Questions on the influence of bacterial components on host cell signalling cascades are also at the centre of attention. There are close links with the special groups ‘Eukaryotic Infectious Agents’ and ‘Gastrointestinal Infections’, which lead to joint events during the DGHM annual meetings.

Of central importance is the three-day mini-symposium ‘Microbial Pathogenicity’, which usually takes place every two years at the "Haus auf der Alb" in Bad Urach. Over 60 members regularly take part in this special group symposium, which is organised jointly with the special group ‘Gastrointestinal Infections’ . The focus here is on interactive discussion with younger scientists. In recent years, the special group has supported various more specific pathogen-orientated national and international conferences.