Targeting the neurovascular niche in COVID-19

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Manuel A. Friese; Professor Dr. Markus Glatzel
• Subject Area: Molecular and Cellular Neurology and Neuropathology ; Pathology
• Term: from 2021 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 458698659

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) leads to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which has evolved into a global pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 primarily targets the respiratory tract, yet neurologic features are frequent in COVID-19 patients. However, the reasons why SARS-CoV-2 leads to neurologic symptoms is not well understood. Neuropathologically, COVID-19 patients show microvascular pathology in the absence of overt sings of viral encephalitis. Here we investigate neuroimmune-mediated mechanism in brains of COVID-19 patients using modern tools of morphology and transcriptional analysis with the aim to better understand the role of the neurovascular niche in the pathophysiology of COVID-19.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants