Elucidating host-microbe interactions

Titel

The mission within this research theme focuses on dissecting the complex interactions between host and pathogen at a molecular level to innovate therapeutic strategies. It contributes significantly to enhancing patient health by deepening our understanding of how bacteria and viruses interact with the human immune system. Key research areas include:

• Immune evasion: Investigating how bacteria and viruses develop sophisticated mechanisms to evade the immune system, avoiding destruction. Understanding these mechanisms at the molecular level is crucial for developing new, intelligent therapeutic approaches, as these evasion tactics are central to their virulence.
• Immune pathology of infections: Exploring how pathogens induce disease or specific disease states is fundamental for creating effective therapeutic strategies. This area focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind the collateral damage to host tissues caused during the process of pathogen elimination.
• Microbiomics: Examining the critical role of the microbiome, the community of bacteria living on the skin, in the gut, or in the airways, in health and disease. This research aims to understand how the composition of the microbiome influences diseases and their progression.

Through internationally acclaimed research that is well-integrated into societal health concerns, this theme aims to foster the development of novel therapies by leveraging a better understanding of bacterial and viral interactions with the immune system.