Mechanistic insights into morbillivirus-induced immunosuppression and antiviral responses (B12*)

• Subject Area: Virology
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 197785619

This goal of this project is to characterize the interactions of morbilliviruses with immune cells, which are direct targets of infection, and to investigate the mechanisms causing immunosuppression, as well as defining antiviral programs that eventually clear the infection in vivo. We use canine distemper virus infections of ferrets as a model system, in which we observe a similar immunosuppression as with measles virus in humans. We will characterize the virus-induced changes in immune organs on a cellular and molecular level.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1021: RNA Viruses: RNA Metabolism, Host Response and Pathogenesis
• Applicant Institution: Philipps-Universität Marburg
• Co-Applicant Institution: Paul-Ehrlich-Institut; Bundesinstitut für Impfstoffe und biomedizinische Arzneimittel
• Project Heads: Dr. Christian Pfaller, until 12/2022; Bevan Sawatsky, Ph.D.