Tick-borne flaviviral sfRNA as an important factor of viral infection pathogenesis in the human host and tick vector

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Esther Schnettler
• Subject Area: Virology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 566937303

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) poses a significant public health threat, causing severe neurological diseases. Recent reports of TBEV emergence in previously unaffected regions highlight the urgent need to understand its biology. A hallmark of flavivirus infection is the production of subgenomic flaviviral RNA (sfRNA) from the 3′ untranslated region. While sfRNA plays crucial roles during the infection of mammals and arthropods, the specific interactions of TBEV-derived sfRNAs within the human host and even more in the tick vector remain poorly understood. This collaborative project aims to elucidate the role of TBEV sfRNA in modulating pathogenicity and infection outcomes in human neural cells and tick cells. By using a combination of cell cultures, cerebral organoids, -omic technology and in vitro experiments; we will investigate the interaction of sfRNA from two TBEV strains with contrasting pathogenic profiles. This project combines expertise in specific fields, which enables discoveries that would be impossible to achieve by individual efforts.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Czech Republic
• Partner Organisation: Czech Science Foundation
• Cooperation Partner: Dr. Jan Sterba