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Displaying results 81 to 88 of 88.
Experimental Immunology
Immune cell populations are characterized by a high degree of heterogeneity to enable efficient and specialized responses to the diverse set of pathogens. This is particularly true for cells of the adaptive immune system, but also innate immune cell populations are heterogeneous and can adapt to different environmental conditions. Adaptation of immune cells is often associated with epigenetic alterations that lead to the fixation of gene expression patterns, finally resulting in cells with highly specialized fates, phenotypes and functional properties.
Evolutionary Community Ecology
Humans are increasingly part of these interaction networks and pathogen transmission from animals to humans is occurring at increasing rates. Indeed, emerging zoonotic disease are an increasing threat to human health and most of these diseases have their origins in wildlife. Microorganisms and their associated diseases also influence animal populations’ persistence and conservation, with some spilling over to animals from humans as well. The research group ‘evolutionary community ecology’ explores how the changing composition of animal communities has cascading impacts on their microbial communities, diseases, and rates of transmission, including to humans. The department is located at the Helmholtz Institute for One Health .
Pathogen Evolution
Ecological interactions that underpin human life are highly dynamic, and changes in complex ecosystems can have far-reaching consequences on human health. Therefore, One Health also has a very strong evolutionary component. Over the last decades, evolutionary biology concepts have provided a major contribution towards unveiling the short- and long-term dynamics of pathogen emergence and spread. The importance of evolutionary approaches has become particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the initial emergence event and the later spread and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 have been investigated using evolutionary genomics – with the rise of variants of concern (VOC) being pointed out in the first place by observational data and inferential statistics. The Department of Pathogen Evolution studies both current and historical samples and uses them to make targeted predictions about the potential spread of important pathogens, thus providing important contributions to public health. The department is located at the Helmholtz Institute for One Health .
Experimental Virology
Viruses are tiny vehicles that transport biological information to reprogram the functions of human, animal, or plant cells in order to replicate. So-called "enveloped" viruses consist of only one layer of proteins, are filled with genetic material, and are surrounded by a thin shell of lipids in which viral proteins are embedded. Even though viruses are tiny and have a simple build, viral pathogens such as the hepatitis C virus (HCV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and SARS-CoV-2 have the potential to threaten the health of millions of people. Here at the Institute for Experimental Virology, we focus on fundamental and translational RNA virus research. Our research groups combine the expertise of molecular and cell biological approaches with computational methods to help elucidate viral replication mechanisms to develop new therapeutic and preventive strategies.
Experimental Infection Research
If we are attacked by a virus, the immune system reacts within a matter of hours. Highly specialized immune cells recognise the pathogen and release highly efficient messengers, which activate the immune system. These messengers include the interferons, which ensure that individual host cells are mildly infected . At the same time, interferons can also influence the course of the immune response and the memory of the immune system. Without these messengers virus infections - which we normally overcome almost unnoticeably - become fatal within just a few days. The group Experimental Infection Research is based at the TWINCORE in Hannover.
Genome Architecture and Evolution of RNA Viruses
RNA viruses are a major threat to human health and responsible for millions of deaths each year. Their replication is orchestrated by the RNA genome, which encodes for viral proteins needed to hijack the host cell. Traditionally, infectious disease research has focused on blocking viral replication by inhibiting these proteins. However, we now appreciate that the genomes of RNA viruses are not just passive carriers of protein coding information, but active participants in the viral infection process through the action of non-coding RNA. We study the structure and function of viral non-coding RNA, with the goal of harnessing the resulting knowledge in the design of next generation RNA-based therapies. This group is located at the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) .
Genome Mining for Secondary Metabolites
The misuse of antibiotics on a global scale has led to an ever-growing antibiotic resistance crisis. Novel antimicrobial compounds are urgently needed. Microorganisms are considered to be one of the most prolific sources for natural product drugs including antibiotics. Developing novel genome mining approaches to harness the potential of the underexplored biosynthetic gene pathways and discover novel microbial natural products, is a potential antibiotic resistance crisis mitigation path. This group is located at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) .
Human-Microbe Systems Bioinformatics
The human body encompasses fewer human cells than microbes. They constantly interact with each other and the host and greatly affect an individual's health and well-being. In our group, we develop and apply state-of-the-art bioinformatics software to study the human-microbe systems and aim to discover natural products involved in communication between the two realms. This group is located at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) .
