The aim of INFRALINK is the establishment of an integrated study platform for infectious diseases to enable and promote collaborative scientific work for participants from academic, non-academic, governmental and non-governmental institutions in infectious disease epidemiology and population medicine. This is intended to enhance the excellence of infection research in Germany and contribute to an improved response to epidemics and pandemics in terms of pandemic resilience. The basis for this is the establishment of new and the expansion of existing research networks, for example, on population cohorts, modeling consortia, clinical infectiology, and virological laboratories.

Through established collaborations, this enables the direct and timely implementation of valid nationwide studies on infection dynamics and the accompanied introduction of population based health measures. Additionally, it can be utilized in the future for other areas (e.g., health service research, psychiatric research, population medicine).

After mapping existing collaborations between authorities and academic institutions, selected scientific consortia will initially be connected with additional public health institutions for a pilot project to investigate and optimize the principles of cooperation.

The final goal is the establishment of a transregional, open study platform and preparation of projects on epidemic infectious diseases and population based questions. The platform will be designed to be integrative and open so that a necessary, adaptive and powerful research infrastructure can be sustainably established in the Germany.