Helmholtz Institute Researchers Establish Wax Moth Larvae as Standardized Model for Bacterial Virulence Studies

Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH) in Greifswald, Germany, have established the greater wax moth larva (*Galleria mellonella*) as a standardized model for studying bacterial virulence in infectious disease research. This development offers a scalable and ethically focused alternative to traditional animal testing methods, providing scientists with a new tool to observe how pathogens interact with living organisms.

The research team developed this model to address the need for more efficient testing protocols in laboratory settings. By utilizing the larvae, scientists can conduct large-scale experiments that require fewer resources than mammalian models while maintaining biological relevance. The *Galleria mellonella* larvae possess an innate immune system that shares functional similarities with the immune responses of vertebrates, allowing researchers to gather data on bacterial behavior and host-pathogen interactions. This transition to an invertebrate model aligns with broader efforts in the scientific community to refine and reduce the use of higher-order animals in experimental research.

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Date: June 8, 2026

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GOAI