A5005043574- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
- HIV Research and Treatment
- Animal Virus Infections Studies
- Immunotherapy and Immune Responses
- Biosensors and Analytical Detection
- Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- vaccines and immunoinformatics approaches
- Respiratory viral infections research
- Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- Monoclonal and Polyclonal Antibodies Research
- Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
- Parvovirus B19 Infection Studies
- Influenza Virus Research Studies
- Viral Infections and Immunology Research
- Immune Cell Function and Interaction
- HIV/AIDS drug development and treatment
- Immune Response and Inflammation
- Molecular Biology Techniques and Applications
- Virus-based gene therapy research
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
German Center for Infection Research
2020-2025
University Hospital Cologne
2019-2025
University of Cologne
2019-2025
Institute of Virology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
2021-2023
Cologne Business School
2021
University of Münster
2020
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has unprecedented implications for public health, social life, and the world economy. Because approved drugs vaccines are limited or not available, new options COVID-19 treatment prevention in high demand. To identify SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies, we analyzed antibody response of 12 patients from 8 to 69 days after diagnosis. By screening 4,313 SARS-CoV-2-reactive B cells, isolated 255 antibodies different time points as early Of these, 27 potently neutralized...
The identification and isolation of highly infectious SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals is an important public health strategy. Rapid antigen detection tests (RADT) are promising tools for large-scale screenings due to timely results feasibility on-site testing. Nonetheless, the diagnostic performance RADT in detecting not yet fully determined. In this study, RT-qPCR virus culture RT-qPCR-positive samples were used evaluate compare Standard Q COVID-19 Ag test possibly individuals. To end, two...
The human immune response must continuously adapt to newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. To investigate how B cells respond repeated antigen exposure by Wu01 booster vaccination and Omicron breakthrough infection, we performed a molecular longitudinal analysis of the memory cell pool. We demonstrate that subsequent infection substantially increases frequency encoding SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies. However, this is not primarily attributable maturation, but selection preexisting clones....
Understanding the specificities of human serum antibodies that broadly neutralize HIV can inform prevention and treatment strategies. Here, we describe a deep mutational scanning system measure effects combinations mutations to envelope (Env) on neutralization by polyclonal serum. We first show this accurately map how all functionally tolerated Env affect monoclonal antibodies. then comprehensively set sera diverse strains target site engaging host receptor CD4. The neutralizing activities...
To study the diversity of immune receptors and pathogens, multiplex PCR has become a central approach in research diagnostics. However, insufficient primer design against highly diverse templates often prevents amplification therefore limits correct understanding biological processes. Here, we present openPrimeR, an R-based tool for evaluating designing primers. openPrimeR provides functional intuitive interface uses either greedy algorithm or integer linear program to compute minimal set...
The current Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern. Sensitive and precise diagnostic tools are urgently needed. In this study, we developed SARS-CoV-2 spike (S1) protein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. S1 ELISA was found be specific [97.8% (95% CI, 96.7% - 98.5%)], reproducible (intra-assay coefficient variability (CV) 5.3%, inter-assay CV 7.9%). A...
Introduction Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in humans is associated with a wide range of diseases including malignancies different origins, most prominently B cells. Several EBV latent genes are thought to act together cell immortalization, but minimal set sufficient for transformation remains be identified. Methods Here, we addressed this question by transducing human peripheral cells from EBV-negative donors retrovirus expressing the encoding Latent Membrane Protein (LMP) 1 and 2A...
Background: The investigation of the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 represents a key aspect in facing COVID-19 pandemic. In present study, we compared new Immundiagnostik IDK® anti-SARS-CoV-2 S1 IgG assay with four widely-used commercial serological assays for detection antibodies targeting S (spike) and NC (nucleocapsid) proteins. Methods: Serum samples were taken from an unbiased group convalescent patients negative control group. Sample simultaneously analyzed by assay, DiaSorin LIAISON®...
Objective The level of neutralising capacity against Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 after third COVID-19 vaccination in patients on paused or continuous methotrexate (MTX) therapy is unclear. Methods In this observational cohort study, serum activity SARS-CoV-2 wild-type (Wu01) variant concern were assessed by pseudovirus neutralisation assay before, 4 12 weeks mRNA booster immunisation 50 rheumatic MTX, 26 whom the medication. 44 non-immunosuppressed persons (NIP) served as control group. Results...
Abstract The novel coronavirus pandemic, first reported in December 2019, was caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to a strong immune response and activation of antigen-presenting cells, which can elicit distress (ARDS) characterized rapid onset widespread inflammation, so-called cytokine storm. In viral infections, monocytes are recruited into lung subsequently differentiate dendritic cells (DCs). DCs critical players development...
Abstract HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) are able to suppress viremia and prevent infection. Their induction by vaccination is therefore a major goal. However, in contrast that neutralize other pathogens, HIV-1-specific bNAbs frequently carry uncommon molecular characteristics might their induction. Here, we perform unbiased sequence analyses of B cell receptor repertoires from 57 uninfected 46 chronically HIV-1- or HCV-infected individuals learn probabilistic models predict...
The repeated spill-over of Influenza A virus H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b from cattle to humans highlights the risk a human pandemic. Given impact pre-existing immunity on course and severity viral infections, we assessed in detail humoral against A/Texas/37/2024 isolate H5N1-naive individuals. To this end, performed complementary binding neutralization assays 66 subjects ranked activities among panel 76 influenza isolates. We detected low but distinct cross-neutralizing titers with 3.9 15.6-fold...
Abstract Introduction COVID-19 remains a major threat to immunocompromised individuals. The determination of circulating SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patients at high risk for severe course infection is important estimating the vaccine-induced humoral immune response. Therefore, we assessed status quo after winter analyze need booster vaccinations. Methods Anti-spike IgG levels 46 hospitalized with hematological and oncological diseases, measured between 21th December 2023 8th February 2024,...
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) causes serious complications to immune compromised hosts. Dendritic cells (iDCgB) expressing granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interferon-alpha and HCMV-gB were developed promote de novo antiviral adaptive responses. Mice reconstituted with a human system (HIS) immunized iDCgB challenged HCMV, resulting into 93% protection. Immunization stimulated the expansion of functional effector memory CD8+ CD4+ T recognizing gB. Machine learning analyses...
SUMMARY The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has unprecedented implications for public health, social life, and world economy. Since approved drugs vaccines are not available, new options COVID-19 treatment prevention highly demanded. To identify neutralizing antibodies, we analysed the antibody response of 12 patients from 8 to 69 days post diagnosis. By screening 4,313 SARS-CoV-2-reactive B cells, isolated 255 antibodies different time points as early Among these, 28 potently neutralized authentic (IC...
Preexisting immunity against SARS-CoV-2 may have critical implications for our understanding of COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. The presence clinical relevance a preexisting B cell remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we provide detailed analysis the in unexposed individuals. To this end, extensively investigated humoral 150 adults sampled pre-pandemically. Comprehensive screening donor plasma purified IgG samples binding neutralization various functional assays revealed no substantial...
Abstract HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) are able to suppress viremia and prevent infection. Their induction by vaccination is therefore a major goal. However, in contrast that neutralize other pathogens, HIV-1-specific bNAbs frequently carry uncommon molecular characteristics might their induction. Here, we performed unbiased sequence analyses of B cell receptor repertoires from 57 healthy 46 chronically HIV-1- or HCV-infected individuals learned probabilistic models predict...