GRK 2157:  3D Tissue Models for Studying Microbial Infections by Human Pathogens

• Subject Area: Microbiology, Virology and Immunology
• Term: since 2016
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 270563345

Infectious diseases are still one of the main causes of mortality of man. A clear limitation of studying human pathogens is the lack of a relevant infection model. This is particularly true for human pathogens for which no animal reservoir is known. Since simple cell lines, cell culture systems or animals are highly artificial models for human pathogens we develop and apply novel human 3D infection models based on organoids or engineered human tissues. In this Research Training Group (RTG), scientists from different disciplines take a novel route to investigate microbial infections under close-to-natural conditions, e.g. in human organoids and in engineered three-dimensional (3D) human tissues. The application of next generation analysis technology (e.g. single cell and dual RNA-Seq; super-resolution imaging; gene silencing in primary cells) enables us to gain unprecedented insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying human infections. Such advanced research combining complex primary infection models and next-generation technologies at the highest level requires the education of a new generation of scientists familiar with the underlying principles and applications of these techniques. Therefore, the interdisciplinary training of the PhD students in state-of-the-art and emerging technologies together with continuous scientific exchange are the key elements of this RTG. With the current proposal, we will continue to integrate the long-standing expertise in infectious diseases at the University of Würzburg and new technologies into the exciting focus on 3D human tissue models. The current repertoire of pathogens includes papilloma virus, different bacterial pathogens, trypanosomes and Leishmania. Understanding the key events of natural infections will form a basis to design new preventive and therapeutic strategies to combat infectious diseases.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Thomas Rudel
• Participating Researchers: Dr. Carmen Aguilar, since 6/2023; Professorin Dr. Sina Bartfeld; Professor Dr. Andreas Beilhack; Cindrilla Chumduri, Ph.D., until 5/2023; Professor Dr. Thomas Dandekar; Professor Dr. Markus Engstler; Dr. Florian Groeber-Becker; Professorin Dr. Vera Kozjak-Pavlovic; Privatdozent Dr. Marco Metzger, from 10/2018 until 12/2022; Professor Dr. Antoine-Emmanuel Saliba; Professor Dr. Markus Sauer; Professorin Dr. Alexandra Schubert-Unkmeir; Professorin Dr. Cynthia Mira Sharma; Dr. Maria Steinke; Professor Dr. Jörg Vogel, until 1/2024; Professor Alexander Westermann, Ph.D., since 2/2024; Daniela Zdzieblo, Ph.D., since 1/2023