German National Reference Centre for Retroviruses at the LMU
The Max von Pettenkofer Institute of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) has been appointed German National Reference Centre for Retroviruses. With this, it assumes central networking tasks, predominantly in the fight against the AIDS pathogen HIV. The LMU is a DZIF member establishment.
Sophisticated specialised diagnostics, research on epidemiology questions and new diagnostic procedures, as well as consultation services for health authorities, hospitals and other treatment centres: the German National Reference Centre for Retroviruses assumes a key position between science, hospitals and public health services for questions about diagnoses and the spread of pathogenic retroviruses. HIV, the AIDS pathogen, is in the central focus. Director of the establishment is Prof Oliver T. Keppler, Chair of Virology at the LMU.
As the National Reference Centre (NRC) for Retroviruses, the Munich Institute has become the German Reference Laboratory for routine and specialised retrovirus diagnostics. The range of services includes a broad spectrum of different serological and molecular biology methods which, for example, can be used for reliable confirmation of infections, determination of viral loads, testing resistance and elucidating chains of HIV infection. Nationwide, experts from the NRC advise clinicians with special questions, and are involved in public relations work revolving around HIV infection and AIDS. They assume coordinating roles in quality assurance for diagnostics, for example round robin tests. The spectrum of the Max von Pettenkofer Institute’s activities is augmented by projects in basic, translational and clinical research.
to the LMU press release (in German only)
