The department houses some of the best experts in the field of infectious diseases, and the researchers have different academic backgrounds such as doctors, molecular biologists, doctors of molecular medicine and nurses with expertise in contagious diseases. Q-research practice science and research at a high international level and have made sensational research results through several years.

Our research unit includes:

The International Center of HIV Cure: This center takes part in the research of finding a cure against HIV. Its’ primary focus is the HIV latency and how new methods can make HIV detectable for the immune system. This is a crucial step in finding a cure.

International Center of Immunodeficiency Diseases:
This is one of Denmark’s leading scientific centers of immunodeficiency diseases. The researchers of the center work with all kinds of congenital immunodeficiencies and complications. The goal is to develop better diagnostics and treatment of the patients.

International Center of Global Infectious Diseases:
This is the name of our international research unit. The researchers from this center work in countries, where infectious diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis kill thousands of people every year. The researchers thereby obtain important knowledge of how to develop better methods of diagnostics and treatment.

Vaccine development:
Our research unit includes a clinical research unit, where research projects with hundreds of participants are made. Thereby our research unit has the opportunity to conduct large pharmacological trials, and this is an important part in the development of better treatment methods. Many of the projects concern the development of vaccines in the prevention of infectious diseases.

Holistic treatment:

Our research unit has a holistic view of humanity, which is reflected in the research of the department. We do research in prevention and treatment of patients with chronic infections such as HIV. HIV patients have an increased risk of developing depression, which can affect their ability to follow their HIV treatment and it reduces their quality of life. Therefore the psychosocial part of the treatment is crucial in increasing the patients’ action competences and thereby their ability to follow their treatment and live the best life possible.

Other research areas:

• Infectious diseases such as hepatitis, meningitis/encephalitis and tropical diseases
• Bacteriology and how bacteria affects the immune system
• Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (how the body affects a medicament and how the medicament affects the body)

Translational research and international cooperation

Our research is closely related to the bed unit and the outpatient clinic of the department. This means that there is a short way from the patients to the laboratories. It gives us a unique opportunity to base our research on the patients’ needs, and new research results can immediately be used to treat the patients. This interaction ensures a dynamic and applicable research environment with the best treatment of the department’s patients.

Research in developing better treatment strategies for patients with infectious diseases is carried out worldwide. Therefore international cooperation is crucial in making progress. At our research unit, we have a close connection to some of leading experts in the world. Our doctors do videoconferences with specialists of infectious diseases from Melbourne, where present issues are discussed. This secures better treatment and research.

Our researchers regularly do continuing professional development, and specialists from foreign countries often visit us to exchange knowledge and experience.

All the research activities of the department have to meet very high qualification standards to secure the patients safety and the independence of the researcher – among these are the rules of ‘Good Clinical Practice’ (GCP).