Graphic with the London Underground logo and a Culex mosquito on a white background©BNITM
Publication

"Underground mosquito" older than believed

A new study debunks the legend of the “London Underground Mosquito”. The urban mosquito Culex pipiens molestus did not emerge in London’s tube system in the mid-20th century, but more than 1,000 years ago in the ancient Middle East. This is shown by genomic analyses from an international research team with contributions from BNITM. The findings have been published in the journal Science.

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Photo of a young blond researcher in a blue T-shirt, crouching down, harvesting a plant and looking cheerfully at the camera.©Schultz | Pérez Villacampa
Honour

From plants to new drug candidates: Fabien Schultz appointed to Academy

Schultz searches for substances with medical potential in plants, insects and fungi. He draws on the knowledge of traditional healers and animal observations in Africa. In the laboratory, his team has already shown that extracts from medicinal plants can inhibit the growth of certain pathogens. For his research, the BNITM scientist has been appointed as a Young Academy Fellow of the Akademie der Wissenschaften in Hamburg.

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Six mosquito wings are depicted, coloured red, yellow and blue.©2025 Nolte et al.
Publication

Artificial intelligence identifies mosquito species by their wings

Researchers at the BNITM have developed an AI-based system that automatically identifies mosquito species based on their unique wing patterns with an accuracy of over 98%. This allows for faster and better monitoring of mosquito populations which is important for issuing early warnings and preventing or containing outbreaks of mosquito-borne pathogens.

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Dark blue graphic with the words ‘125 years of the Tropical Institute in the heart of Hamburg’ and a QR code for the events©BNITM | FHH
Event

125 years of global infection research - in the heart of Hamburg

On 1 October 2025, the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) celebrated its 125th anniversary. In the course of its chequered history, the institute has made a significant contribution to the fight against diseases such as Malaria, Ebola and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). Visit our exhibition in the town hall foyer until October 20 and our anniversary information event on hemorrhagic fever viruses on November 11.

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Photo of the Grand Hall of Hamburg City Hall with two chandeliers on the ceiling, elegant parquet flooring, richly decorated seating on the left and right, and historic murals.©BNITM | Mira Lynne
Event

Anniversary week

During its anniversary week, the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) welcomed more than 1,000 guests from Germany and abroad to the European Congress of Tropical Medicine and International Health (ECTMIH), the anniversary concert in the Recital Hall of the Elbphilharmonie, and the Senate reception at Hamburg City Hall. Read here, among other things, congratulations from politicians and donors.

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Spatial transcriptomics of a mouse lymph node with cell-type labels©Thomas Otto
Data Science Centre

Using AI to combat infectious diseases

Modern infection research generates huge amounts of data – from genome sequences to epidemiological and clinical data. The new Data Science Centre at BNITM creates the structures to bring together this data from all research sections, evaluate it using AI and bioinformatics, and make it accessible. In this way, the diversity of data becomes a driving force that connects research and accelerates the fight against infectious diseases.

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News

Map: Inferred evolutionary history of molestus
Press releases

Ancient mosquito, new story

An international research consortium, including scientists from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM), has solved the…

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Group photo with the new Young Academy Fellows
Announcements

Dr Fabien Schultz is Young Academy Fellow of Akademie der Wissenschaften in Hamburg

Recognition for pioneering research on natural remedies: The Akademie der Wissenschaften in Hamburg (AdW) has admitted Dr Fabien Schultz,…

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Events

Professional Events
08.-09.11.2025

Auffrischkursus Aktuelle Tropenmedizin II 2025

Aktuelle Entwicklungen in der Tropenmedizin, neue interessante Arbeiten von Forschenden des BNITM, Mikroskopierkenntnisse trainieren: All…

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Professional Events
10th to 28th November 2025

Epidemiology & Control of Diseases in Outbreak Settings (EPICID)

This is a 3-week intensive course on the principles and methods of epidemiology and the way these inform the control of infectious diseases…

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Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine
Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 74
D-20359 Hamburg

Tel.: +49 40 285380-0
(Switchboard of the Institute)

E-Mail: bni@bnitm.de

Tel.: +49 40 285380-219
(for patients)

E-Mail: bni-ambulanz@uke.de

 

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