Research foci Experimental Virology

Our institute explores basic replication principles of human pathogenic RNA viruses with a strong focus on translating our knowledge into improvements to prevent or treat RNA viral infectious diseases. Our fundamental research ranges from the analysis of early infection steps (viral cell entry) to the late phases of the viral replication cycle, including virus assembly and release.

One of our translational approaches utilizes compound library screening to discover antiviral molecules. Another is to investigate how antibodies inhibit viral cell entry or how viruses evade them. By doing so, we aim to identify leading molecules that merit further development as antivirals and to provide knowledge that facilitates the development of novel vaccines.

By combining “wet lab” with computational approaches, we study how the interplay between viral and host factors determines host susceptibility to infection and disease and how it causes viral tissue and species tropism. Thus, our goal is to understand viral pathogenesis and transmission across species (e.g. from animals to humans) to determine risk factors of infection.

To learn more about our research areas, please refer to the pages of our respective research groups:  

• Pietschmann Lab – RG “Experimental Virology” 

• Behrendt Lab – RG “Translational Virology“
   
• Lauber Lab – RG “Computational Virology”