Worldwide more than 300 million people are chronically infected with the hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV) virus. Every year approximately 2 million new infections occur with either of these two viruses. Chronic HBV and HCV infection can lead to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. HBV infection can be prevented by vaccination, but with the currently available medication an infection can only be controlled and not eliminated. While a chronic HCV infection can now be effectively treated, a vaccine to prevent infection is not yet available. This is an important limitation as currently more new individuals are being infected with this virus than patients are being cured.

During this project we will develop new strategies to prevent and/or treat viral hepatitis infections.