The German Research Foundation (DFG) has approved funding for a new international Research Unit in veterinary medicine with participation by Freie Universität Berlin. The aim of the Research Unit entitled “ImmunoChick – Analysis of the avian immune response in the context of infections” is to gain a better understanding of the immune system of chicks and to use this knowledge for the development of new vaccines and for the improvement of animal health. The Research Unit consists of five German research institutes and one British research institute. The researchers are scientists from the fields of immunology and infectious disease medicine who contribute their expertise in viral, bacterial, and parasitic infectious diseases in chickens. The Research Unit is being funded with more than three million euros. The first funding period will run through July 2025.