With the ceremonial inauguration of the Center for Infection Prevention (ZIP) in Freising-Weihenstephan and the opening of the Bavarian Center for Preventive Infection Medicine (BZI) in Würzburg, Bavaria is further expanding its expertise in the research, early detection, and management of infectious diseases.
On May 18, Bavarian Minister-President Dr. Markus Söder, together with Head of the Bavarian State Chancellery Dr. Florian Herrmann, officially inaugurated the new Center for Infection Prevention (ZIP) in Freising-Weihenstephan in a ceremonial event. Through the ZIP, the Technical University of Munich brings together interdisciplinary expertise in immunobiology, infectious medicine, proteomics, and animal sciences to develop new prevention strategies against infectious diseases affecting both humans and animals. The innovative research particularly focuses on multidrug-resistant bacteria and pathogens with pandemic potential. The center is integrated into the TUM School of Life Sciences and its One Health strategy at the Weihenstephan campus.
A few days earlier, Bavarian Minister of Science Markus Blume opened the Bavarian Center for Preventive Infection Medicine (BZI) in Würzburg. In this cross-location network, all six Bavarian university hospitals and medical faculties are collaborating for the first time within a shared structure to detect, manage and treat infectious diseases earlier and more efficiently. The main focus areas include modern early warning systems, vaccine research, data analysis, and the investigation of long-term effects such as Long COVID. Here at BZI too, the goal is to translate scientific findings into healthcare practice more rapidly and to better prepare Bavaria for future infectious disease risks. The BZI administrative office is based at Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, with an additional site located at Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg.
BioM is in close exchange with both centers, particularly within the framework of coordinating the Pandemic Alliance Munich (PAM) and in support of the Bavarian biotech cluster.