Organ specific immunity
Immune responses are usually induced in secondary lymphoid organs, while the effector function of antigen-specific immune cells can also manifest locally within the infected tissue. Of note, tissue cells modulate the activity of locally active immune cells in order to minimize tissue damage during pathogen attacks. Although these mechanisms are of great clinical importance, they remain only partially understood.
Liver
During infections of the gastrointestinal tract and the liver, immune responses that limit the spread of the pathogen may lead to severe local inflammation and need thus to be tightly controlled. We study the underlying regulatory mechanisms in order to develop novel strategies to prevent immune pathologies.
- RG Experimental Virology - Principles of HCV assembly and entry and their role in virus persistence
- RG Experimental Virology - Determinants of protective immunity in HCV: A gold standard for vaccine development
- RG Experimental Virology - Mechanisms of HCV tissue and species tropism: A guide for development of animal models
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research - Infection-associated tissue inflammation
- RG Experimental Infection Research - HBV Impfstudie
- RG Experimental Infection Research - Towards the molecular mechanism of HBV vaccination non-responsiveness
- Guest RG Cell and Gene Therapy
Gut
Gastrointestinal infections with bacterial pathogens such as EHEC or Clostridium difficile represent a major threat to our health care system. We study the regulatory mechanisms of the intestinal immune system and try to understand how an effective immune response against intestinal pathogens can be induced without concomitantly harming the tissue.
- RG Mucosal Infection Immunology - Immune cell function in intestinal infections
Lung
Infections of the lung represent a main cause for hospitalization. We study the local immune reactions during lung infections.
- RG Biomarkers for Infectious Diseases - Predictive biomarkers for a poor immune response to influenza vaccination in elderly individuals
- RG Experimental Virology - Host and viral factors that govern susceptibility to HCV and RSV
- AG Experimentelle Virologie - HCV and RSV antivirals
- Institute for Molecular Bacteriology - Projects
- Translational case example: RSV protection for infants
- Translational case example: Biomarker für die Grippeschutzimpfung älterer Menschen
Central nervous system
So far, mechanisms of pathogen control within the central nervous system are only partially understood. Therefore, we study how pathogens are sensed within the central nervous system and we address the molecular basis of the communication between neurons, astrocytes and microglia.