Impact of virus and host factors on lung epithelial cell injury and repair in severe viral pneumonia (C05)

• Subject Area: Virology
• Term: since 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 197785619

Severe influenza A virus (IAV) pneumonia is characterized by extensive distal airway and alveolar injury. Our data reveal that IAV infection and the associated inflammation of the distal stem cell niche significantly impair injury resolution and stem/progenitor cell mediated repair. In the current project, we aim to elucidate the molecular events and cross-talk signals within the stem cell niche that are activated by distinct host factors identified in the previous funding periods as crucial repair drivers that might foster host defense and drive stem cell-mediated lung regeneration following virus-induced pneumonia, with a focus on the putative GM-CSF-AMPK signaling axis.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1021: RNA Viruses: RNA Metabolism, Host Response and Pathogenesis
• Applicant Institution: Philipps-Universität Marburg
• Project Head: Professorin Susanne Valerie Herold, Ph.D.