Infektionsepidemiologie

Since the establishment of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Bielefeld University, the Department of Public Health Medicine, has been substantially contributing to the academic development and research productivity. Over the years, a Department’s core research theme has been retrovirus infections and related diseases. The prominent projects were sponsored by the German Research Foundation [DFG] on topics like epidemiology of HTLV-1 and epidemiological models for the spread of HIV. Keeping in view the emerging global challenges of infectious diseases, the department has expanded its research operations and included different infectious diseases like Hepatitis B and C, Chlamydia, Helicobacter, nosocomial infections, malaria, and influenza into its research agenda.

The department has carried out a wide range of research activities from basic research in epidemiology to clinical epidemiology. Thus far, the department has done extensive research work in the areas of mathematical modeling to analyze the distributions of infectious diseases, drug consumption patterns, and effectiveness of preventive strategies. The department is embedded in both wide national (for example, HepNet for hepatitis research) and international academic networks. The prominent collaborating research institutions include the Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, Center for Infectious Disease Control, Netherlands, WHO Geneva, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh to name a few.

In the face of increasing global migration and transnational mobility, the department has been involved in conducting investigations for the improvement of surveillance of infectious diseases among migrant populations (e.g. Migrant and Ethnic Health Observatory). In 2008, we have successfully completed a project on intervention strategies for the control of infectious diseases (POLYMOD). Furthermore, we have been actively planning German-Russian collaborations for conducting research on the distribution of multi-resistant tuberculoses, hepatitis and HIV under the framework of Koch-Metschnikow-Forum.

International Summer School

Modern Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Since 1999, the department has organized annual summer schools on Infectious Disease Epidemiology. The aim of the summer school is to provide professional grooming to new generations of academics and researchers. The summer school is an international educational activity which attracts participants around the world. In addition to providing state-of-the-art learning opportunities, the summer school increases the international visibility of the Bielefeld School of Public Health and expands our global networking and academic capital. The cross-cultural engagements of participating scientists and the visiting experts create a vibrant intellectual environment. The discourse has stimulated scientific productivity in the shape of a book titled Modern Infectious Disease Epidemiology published by Springer International
http://www.uni-bielefeld.de/gesundhw/ag2/summerschoolide/index.html