Molecular Microbiology (Virology)
Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene
University Regensburg
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Molecular Microbiology (Virology)
Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene
University Regensburg
Funding: The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Title: HIV Vaccine Targeting via DNA Origami Nanoparticles to lymph nodes to promote Germinal Center formation
HIV has so far defied all attempts to develop an effective vaccine against it. Nine efficacy trials testing several vaccine candidates have been conducted in the last 25 years, with only one of them resulting in very modest, insufficient protection. One trial, PrEPVacc is still ongoing.
Yet, in the 40 years since HIV’s discovery, a lot has been learned about the virus and the reaction of the human immune system, as well as the means how HIV escapes the immune response.
Project partners:
Molecular Microbiology (Virology), Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Regensburg – Project co-ordinator,
Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Regensburg,
Technical University of Munich (TUM),
Helmholtz Zentrum München,
Tilibit nanosystems GmbH,
2bind GmbH
Further information:
HIVacToGC Project site
Pressemitteilung
Funding: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)
Neutralizing antibodies provide suitable protection against either infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus or at least protection against severe illness e.g. corona virus induced disease 19 (COVID19) and death.
To achieve the desired project aims, different competences are required. Therefore, the project brings together experts from the fields of analytical chemistry, molecular immunology, and virology collaboration with biotech industry to generate a product ready to enter the market. Moreover, this platform can be used in the future to provide a chassis for test assays to detected potent immunity against new emerging virus that might come.
Within the NanoNeutVir consortium, the Wagner Lab is involved in the evolution of those components that provide the liposomes specificity, especially to provide recombinant proteins of RBD variants and ACE2. Moreover, the team will test the efficacy of the established assay with qualified patient sera and benchmark the liposome-based assay against conventional neutralization assays.
Project partners:
University of Regensburg, Institute for Analytical Chemistry – project coordinator
University of Regensburg, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology (Virology)
University of Marburg
Microcoat Biotechnology GmbH, Bernried
Further information:
https://www.microcoat.de
Funding: European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme
The European HIV Vaccine Alliance (EHVA) – funded by the European Union’s H2020 Program – aims at discovering and evaluating new prophylactic and therapeutic HIV-1 vaccine candidates. The program is coordinated by Prof. Yves Lévy (INSERM, Paris) and Prof. Giuseppe Pantaleo (CHUV, Lausanne) and comprises 39 partners from 15 countries.
Within the alliance, the University of Regensburg coordinates the Vaccine-Discovery- Workpackage for novel antigen candidates, delivery systems and formulations.
Further information:
Project website: http://www.ehv-a.eu/
FactSheet: http://www.ehv-a.eu/EHVApdf.pdf
EC project webpage: http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/news/european-alliance-accelerate-new-concepts-hiv-vaccine-research
Funding: Innovate UK
Title: Clinical trial of a DIOS Trivalent Haemorrhagic Fever Vaccine
The HFVac3-project is based on the predecessor projects EVAC and Tri-LEMvac that also were funded by Innovate UK. Within the EVAC project, a streamlined process for vaccine generation starting with in silico design of antigen sequences, over the generation of delivery vectors (DNA, adenovirus, vaccinia virus) and rapid testing for immunogenicity in small animal models (mice and guinea pigs) – all steps to be completed within one year – had been developed.
Project partners:
Prof. Jonathan Heeney (University of Cambridge) – project co-ordinator,
Prof. Ralf Wagner (University of Regensburg, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology (Virology),
DIOSynVax Ltd.
Funding: BMBF VIP+
Full title: Ultrasensitive Magnetresonanz für die in vitro Biomarkerquantifizierung in Diagnostik und Therapie
Disease-related proteins and cells play a major role in biomedical research and clinical care. Although the quantitative detection of these biomarkers is becoming increasingly important, there are deficits due to the large variability and the low comparability of the results. The BMBF-funded project MR-BioQuant is intended to set the stage for the use of an innovative technology for precise and reproducible biomarker quantification with a sensitivity in the nanomolar concentration range.
Project partners:
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Braunschweig und Berlin (PTB) – Coordinator
Universität Regensburg, Institut für Mikrobiologie und Hygiene, Molekulare Mikrobiologie (Virologie) (UR-MED)
Universität Regensburg, Institut für Biophysik und Physikalische Biochemie (UR-BIO)
Funding: EU – Horizon 2020
Full title: European Consortium for the Development of Novel Therapies against Viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, HIV, Influenza or Hepatitis
Current antiviral drugs constitute small molecules that target and inactivate typical proteins or enzymes of selected viruses. Within the EU-funded Virofight project (coordinated by the Technical University of Munich), nanometer sized shells shall be developed that enclose viruses, thus neutralizing them. This new approach might allow targeting of diverse viruses by employing the same method.
Project partners:
Technical University Munich (TUM; Germany) – project coordinator
Molecular Microbiology (Virology), Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Regensburg (Germany)
Aarhus University (Denmark)
ARTTIC S.A.S. (France)
National Institute of Chemistry (Slovenia)
Further information:
Virofight Website
EU Cordis portal
Our press release on VIROFIGHT project
Assembly and functionalization schematic of DNA-Origami nanoshells as published in Monferrer et al, Science physical reports, 2023 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2022.101237
Funding: Eurostars
Full title: Treating cancer by targeting endogenous retroviral fossils within the human genome
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are transposable retroviral elements accounting for about 8 % of the human genome. They are ancient relicts acquired through multiple infections of the germ line by now extinct exogenous retroviruses.
Project partners:
Hervolution ApS (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Molecular Microbiology (Virology), Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Regensburg (Germany)
University of Copenhagen (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Sirion-Biotech (Munich, Germany)
Further information:
https://hervolutiontx.com
https://www.sirion-biotech.com/
Funding: EU – Horizon 2020
Full title: Diagnostic, therapy and prevention before cytomegaloviral infection
The human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most important pathogens in humans and triggers as an opportunistic pathogen in certain high-risk situations, e.g. under drug-induced immunosuppression, after bone marrow or organ transplantation and during pregnancy, it causes severe, sometimes life-threatening infections. CMV infection is the most common infection-related risk for neonatal defects today. Currently, there is no vaccine available and decades of experience with anti-herpesviral therapies have not been able to solve the problems of low tolerability and viral resistance.
Project partners:
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU, Germany) – project coordinator
Molecular Microbiology (Virology), Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Regensburg (Germany)
Virion/Serion (Würzburg, Germany)
Mikrogen GmbH (Germany)
Sirion Biotech GmbH (Germany)
Lead Discovery Center (LDC, Germany)
Further information:
Bavarian Research Foundation
Sirion Biotech GmbH
University Witten/Herdecke
The aim of this project is to identify active substances that specifically prevent the packaging of the SARS-CoV-2 genome into the viral particle and thus inhibiting its replication. Packaging of the viral genome into the virus is an essential process in the viral life cycle whereby the nucleocapsid protein (N) specifically binds to the RNA genome and organizes its packaging in the virus. In particular, SARS N undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) with RNA, which contributes to viral transcription, replication and ultimately virion assembly.
Partner:
AG Längst, Fraunhoferinstitut (Germany)
Molecular Microbiology (Virology), Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Regensburg (Germany)
Funding: Bavarian State Ministry of Science and Arts (StMWK) and National Research Network of the University Medicine (NUM; applied surveillance and testing; B-FAST)
Full title:Tirschenreuth-Kohorte-Covid-19 study
The Bavarian county of Tirschenreuth was one of the first “Corona hot-spot” areas in Germany, as it was hit by a severe outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 connected to a beer-festival in March 2020, which lead to a high incidence of (PCR-positive) cases and a remarkably high case fatality rate (CFR) of 11.5%. As it was unclear at this point of time if the CFR is based on insufficient identification of cases or on other unknown effects, the Tirschenreuth-Kohorte-Covid-19 (TiKoCo19) study was started to determine the actual seroprevalence in the county in collaboration with the FAU Erlangen and the LMU Munich.
Publications:
Wagner R, Peterhoff D, Beileke S, Günther F, Berr M, Einhauser S, Schütz A, Niller HH, Steininger P, Knöll A, Tenbusch M, Maier C, Korn K, Stark KJ, Gessner A, Burkhardt R, Kabesch M, Schedl H, Küchenhoff H, Pfahlberg AB, Heid IM, Gefeller O, Überla K. Estimates and Determinants of SARS-Cov-2 Seroprevalence and Infection Fatality Ratio Using Latent Class Analysis: The Population-Based Tirschenreuth Study in the Hardest-Hit German County in Spring 2020. Viruses. 2021 Jun 10;13(6):1118.
Einhauser S, Peterhoff D, Niller HH, Beileke S, Günther F, Steininger P, Burkhardt R, Heid IM, Pfahlberg AB, Überla K, et al. Spectrum Bias and Individual Strengths of SARS-CoV-2 Serological Tests—A Population-Based Evaluation. Diagnostics. 2021; 11(10):1843.
Peterhoff D, Einhauser S, Beileke S, Niller HH, Günther F, Schachtner M, Asbach B, Steininger P, Tenbusch M, Peter AS, Gessner A, Burkhardt R, Heid IM, Wagner R, Überla K. Comparative Immunogenicity of COVID-19 Vaccines in a Population-Based Cohort Study with SARS-CoV-2-Infected and Uninfected Participants. Vaccines (Basel). 2022 Feb 18;10(2):324.
Einhauser S, Peterhoff D, Beileke S, Günther F, Niller H-H, Steininger P, Knöll A, Korn K, Berr M, Schütz A, et al. Time Trend in SARS-CoV-2 Seropositivity, Surveillance Detection- and Infection Fatality Ratio until Spring 2021 in the Tirschenreuth County—Results from a Population-Based Longitudinal Study in Germany. Viruses. 2022; 14(6):1168.
Partners:
Molecular Microbiology (Virology), Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Regensburg
Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital Regensburg
Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, University Hospital Erlangen
Statistical Consulting Unit StaBLab, Department of Statistics, LMU Munich
Department of Genetic Epidemiology, University of Regensburg
Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg
University Children’s Hospital Regensburg (KUNO) at the Hospital St. Hedwig of the Order of St. John, University of Regensburg
Bayerisches Rotes Kreuz, Kreisverband Tirschenreuth
Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)
Full title: Course of COVID-19 in vaccinated and non-vaccinated people
The COVID-19 vaccines approved in Germany show a high effectiveness against laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diseases. Although the vaccines are highly effective in the pivotal studies, it can be assumed that there will a significant number of breakthrough infections due to the large number of those who will be vaccinated in a short time and emerging new virus variants. The focus of the project is the clinical, immunological and virological investigation of SARS-CoV-2 infections in COVID-19 vaccinated people compared to unvaccinated people. For this purpose, a multi-center prospective cohort study in people with newly diagnosed SARS-CoV- 2 infections is planned.
Project partners:
University Hospital Erlangen (Germany) – study coordinator
Molecular Microbiology (Virology), Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Regensburg (Germany)
University Hospital Augsburg (Germany)
Hospital of the University of Munich (LMU; Germany)
Klinikum rechts der Isar of the Technical University of Munich (TUM; Germany)
University Hospital Würzburg (Germany)
Further information:
https://www.virologie.uk-erlangen.de/covako/
Our press release on the CoVaCo project