DZIF

What DZIF does

DZIF (Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung e.V.) is a German government-funded non-profit research consortium founded in 2012 and headquartered in Braunschweig. It unites over 700 scientists across 35 research institutes and eight partner-site clusters spanning Heidelberg, Munich, Gießen-Marburg-Langen, Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Bonn-Köln, Tübingen, and Hannover-Braunschweig. The organization translates basic infection research into clinical applications across nine research areas: community-acquired infections at mucosal interfaces, hepatitis, HIV, infections of the immunocompromised host, healthcare-associated infections, malaria and neglected tropical diseases, emerging infections, novel antibiotics, and tuberculosis.

DZIF operates as a translational research network rather than a commercial entity. Its core infrastructure includes the Clinical Trial Office (CTO), DZIF Central Biosample Register biobank, Transplant Cohort, Clinical Tuberculosis Center, PhageNet DZIF bacteriophage network, and the DZIF Academy training platform. Notable outputs include the open-source SORMAS epidemic management system (deployed in 130+ German public health departments and recognized as a Digital Global Good), the Hepcludex (bulevirtide) hepatitis D therapeutic licensed to Gilead, and the TherVacB therapeutic hepatitis B vaccine candidate. Recent collaborations include a strategic mRNA vaccine partnership with Ethris GmbH (Feb 2026) and an MoU with French ANRS|MIE.

Revenue derives almost entirely from public funding sources: core appropriations from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and participating federal states, supplemented by competitive grants (ERC, EU Horizon programs, BMFTR project funding) and limited industrial partnership contributions. The organization has no commercial pricing model and does not sell products directly; value flows downstream via licensing agreements (e.g., Gilead), open-source distribution (SORMAS), and clinical-trial services.

Name

DZIF

Legal name

Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung e. V.

Website

https://dzif.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

DZIF is Germany's national non-profit research consortium, uniting 700+ scientists across 35 institutes to translate infectious-disease research into vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics across nine disease areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Translational Infection Research

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Medical Laboratories (621511), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)

akta.pro primary industry

Infectious Disease & Antimicrobials Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microbiology & Infectious Disease Diagnostics (culture, rapid antigen, syndromic panels) (HLAAALAC), Disease-Specific Reference Laboratory Networks (e.g., TB, HIV, Influenza) (HLAJAIAD)

Keywords

• Infectious disease research
• Translational medicine
• Vaccine development
• Clinical trials
• Epidemic surveillance

Headquarters

HQ city

Braunschweig

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: DZIF is supported by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and participating federal states. Funding is used to advance translational infection research across multiple disease areas.
2. Research Grants: DZIF scientists receive competitive research grants from European Research Council (ERC), EU funding programs, and other international funding bodies.
3. Collaborative Research Funding: Funding from industry partnerships and collaborative projects such as the GUARDIAN project (3.5 million euros from BMFTR) for antibiotic resistance research.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DZIF is Germany's national research consortium for infectious diseases, uniting over 700 scientists from 35 research institutes to translate basic infection research into clinical applications. It operates across nine disease areas (tuberculosis, malaria, HIV, hepatitis, emerging infections, etc.) and offers translational research infrastructure, clinical trials coordination, biobanking, training programs (DZIF Academy), and the open-source SORMAS epidemic management platform.

Product overview

DZIF (German Center for Infection Research) is a national research consortium operating across 35 research institutions in Germany with approximately 796 employees. The organization focuses on translating basic infection research into clinical applications across nine research areas: Community-Acquired Infections at Mucosal Interfaces, Hepatitis, HIV, Infections of the Immunocompromised Host, Healthcare-Associated Infections, Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, Emerging Infections, Novel Antibiotics, and Tuberculosis. DZIF's offerings include the DZIF Academy training programs, the SORMAS epidemic management platform, the Central Biosample Register biobank network, and the PhageNet DZIF research network. The consortium supports clinical trials infrastructure and collaborates with industrial partners on vaccine and drug development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PhageNet DZIF: A network bringing together scientists, physicians and veterinarians interested in phages in Germany to support translational phage research and application.
• INCATE

Products and services

• DZIF Academy

Quantifiable outcome

• SORMAS epidemic management system used in over 130 German public health departments
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ethris GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2026Strategic research collaboration to develop next-generation mRNA-based vaccines for infectious diseases. Combines Ethris' SNIM®RNA and SNaP LNP® technology platforms with DZIF's translational vaccine research expertise spanning viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Goal is to shift vaccination from reactive crisis response to proactive long-term protection.
• Patheon UK LimitedminorOthersContract manufacturing partner for vaccine materials in the Ethris-DZIF collaboration.
• Evonik Operations GmbHminorOthersManufacturing partner providing vaccine materials for the Ethris-DZIF mRNA vaccine development program.
• INCATE (INCubator for Antibacterial Therapies in Europe)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDZIF co-founded this not-for-profit partnership bringing together translational and basic research, industry, entrepreneurs and investors to combat antibiotic resistance. DZIF is an academic founding member along with Leibniz:HKI, NCCR AntiResist, and University of Basel.
• DZIF AcademycoreOthersInternal training and education platform of DZIF providing programs for PhDs, PostDocs, and junior group leaders in infectious diseases and clinical microbiology. Organized translational schools and seminars.
• GUARDIAN Research ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-disciplinary consortium for AI-assisted detection and prevention of antibiotic-resistant bacteria outbreaks. Led by Prof. Keywan Sohrabi, includes researchers from human medicine, veterinary medicine, medical informatics, microbiology, bioinformatics, epidemiology, environmental sciences, and public health.
• Justus Liebig University GiessencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in GUARDIAN project with Institute of Medical Microbiology, Institute for Medical Informatics, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, and Institute for Hygiene and Infectious Diseases in Animals.
• Marburg UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in GUARDIAN project through Institute of Medical Microbiology.
• Hessian State LaboratoryminorOthersPartner in GUARDIAN project focusing on environmental and food safety testing.
• Hessian State Office for Health and CareminorOthersPartner in GUARDIAN project for public health coordination.
• University Medical Center GreifswaldminorOthersPartner in GUARDIAN project for epidemiological research.
• Technical University of Central HesseminorOthersPartner in GUARDIAN project for informatics and systems biology research.
• PhageNet DZIFcoreOthersInternal network platform for translational phage research connecting scientists, physicians, and veterinarians interested in bacteriophage therapy for treating antibiotic-resistant infections.
• QubigenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAI-driven drug discovery company collaborating with DZIF on federated AI-driven design of antiviral drugs.
• D-SOLVE AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for 'The ABC of Viral Hepatitis' seminar series bridging research and clinical practice, bringing together European experts in virology, immunology, and hepatology.
• German Centers for Health Research (DZG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDZIF is one of six German Centers for Health Research collaborating on cross-disciplinary research initiatives, shared training programs, and joint publications.
• ANRS | MIEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench National Research Agency for HIV, viral hepatitis and emerging infectious diseases. Signed MoU with DZIF to advance research in infectious diseases.
• INCATE Founding PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic founding members: Leibniz:HKI, Swiss NCCR AntiResist, University of Basel. Industry partners: Boehringer Ingelheim, Roche, Shionogi, MSD. All collaborating to fill antibiotic development pipeline.
• Gilead SciencescoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed Hepcludex (bulevirtide) - the first medication for hepatitis D developed through DZIF research at Heidelberg University.
• Christian Medical College Vellore, IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on tuberculosis diagnostic accuracy study using POCUS, supported by DZIF funding along with NIAID and DBT India.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Robert Koch Institute (RKI): Germany's federal public health institute, responsible for disease surveillance and biomedical research. Comparable as a German national authority on infectious diseases, complementing DZIF's translational research role with public-health mandate.
• NIH NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases): U.S. federal institute that conducts and supports basic and applied research on infectious diseases. Comparable in disease scope (HIV, TB, malaria, emerging infections) but vastly larger in budget and global reach.

Direct peers

• Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology: German basic research institute focused on the biology of infectious diseases. Comparable as a German infection research organization, though with a more basic-research orientation compared to DZIF's translational mandate.
• Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI): German research center focused on infection research, with DZIF's Hannover-Braunschweig partner site headquartered at HZI. Overlapping scientific agenda and shared principal investigators make it the closest institutional peer.
• London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM): U.K.-based public health and tropical medicine research and teaching institution. Comparable translational research scope across infectious diseases with global footprint in low- and middle-income countries.
• Institut Pasteur: French non-profit foundation dedicated to infectious disease research, biology, and public health. Comparable as a multi-site translational infection research organization with similar disease area breadth and basic-to-clinical pipeline.
• CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations): Global partnership that finances and coordinates the development of vaccines against epidemic threats. Highly comparable to DZIF's translational vaccine research mandate and pandemic preparedness role, with similar public-good funding model.
• FIND (Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics): Global non-profit driving development and delivery of diagnostics for infectious diseases, especially in LMICs. Directly comparable mission to DZIF's diagnostics bridging topic and TB/HIV/malaria diagnostic portfolio.
• GARDP (Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership): International non-profit developing new antibiotics to address antimicrobial resistance. Comparable to DZIF's novel antibiotics research area and shared AMR-focused mission with public-sector funding model.
• Swiss TPH (Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute): Swiss institute associated with the University of Basel that combines research, education, and services in tropical and infectious diseases. Comparable translational infection research scope and INCATE co-founding partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DZIF_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCY529mHfXgnEeWGo0gdT48A
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deutsches-zentrum-f%C3%BCr-infektionsforschung

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about DZIF