Coordination Funds

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Sabrina Schreiner
• Subject Area: Virology ; Structural Biology ; Cell Biology
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 548065690

Human adenoviruses (HAdV) comprise more than 110 types grouped into species A-G, alongside over 200 non-human AdV. These highly diverse pathogens cause a broad spectrum of diseases and have recently gained growing clinical and technological attention. In particular, immunocompromised patients are at high risk of severe or even fatal HAdV infections. Despite their medical importance, many pathogenic HAdV types remain poorly characterized, primarily due to the lack of suitable infection models for the increasing number of newly identified AdV variants. This situation creates a fundamental paradox: while HAdV are underrecognized and incompletely understood pathogens, certain AdV types represent the most widely used vectors in gene therapy, vaccine development, and oncolytic treatment. Their exceptional amenability to genetic modification and efficiency in gene delivery have enabled major biomedical advances. However, these same properties can also result in unforeseen adverse effects, such as prothrombotic immune reactions observed in some vector-based vaccines. There is, therefore, an urgent need to better understand the AdV biology and to develop specific antiviral strategies, which are currently unavailable. Access to the natural diversity of AdV offers unique opportunities to elucidate determinants of organ and tissue tropism, replication mechanisms, and virus-host interactions. These insights will be essential for designing next-generation AdV vectors that combine improved safety with high efficacy. We hypothesize that a comprehensive understanding of AdV as infectious agents constitutes the foundation for the rational and safe development of advanced vectors and for innovative therapeutic applications. To address this challenge, we propose the establishment of an interdisciplinary DFG RU that will bring together national experts in molecular virology, immunology, cell biology, and translational medicine. We will investigate molecular characteristics, replication strategies, and immune responses to wild-type and vector-derived AdV, including T-cell and antibody reactions, as well as interactions with blood components. These studies will provide essential knowledge of viral recombination, integration potential, and immune modulation processes. State-of-the-art genetic and biochemical methods, complemented by advanced 3D organoid culture systems, will be employed to bridge cellular and tissue-level analyses and to perform preclinical testing. The consortium’s joint expertise will enable the identification of novel host determinants, clarification of immune-related safety issues, and mechanistic insight into vector-associated adverse events. AdB-Health will open new perspectives on AdV diversity, improve the safety and precision of vector applications, and advance therapeutic strategies against severe AdV infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 5898: AdBHealth: Raising Knowledge & Boosting Technology - Advancing Adenovirus Biology for a Healthy Future
• Co-Investigator: Professorin Anja Ehrhardt, Ph.D.