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Chromatin Modification and miRNAs in Lung Inflammation

We study lung inflammation in infection, allergy, and smoking related diseases, with special focus on microRNA and chromatin modifications. For that we make use of cell- and animal models, Next Generation-Sequencing, as well as state-of-the-art immunology and molecular biology techniques.

microRNA in the pathogenesis of Legionella pneumonia

SFB/Transregio 84: Innate Immunity of the Lung: Mechanisms of Pathogen Attack and Host Defence in Pneumonia

Legionella pneumophila is a common cause of severe pneumonia. It specifically manipulates host cell biology and gene transcription, enabling its efficient replication and survival.

New molecular techniques enabled the discovery of microRNAs as an important layer of cellular gene regulation, which is exploited by viral and possibly bacterial pathogens. Therefore, we aim to characterize expression and regulation of microRNAs in L. pneumophila infection, their functional consequences on bacterial replication, and potential bacterial interventions in microRNA  mechanisms of the host cell. This will deepen our insight in molecular pathogenesis of L. pneumophila and help to establish novel targets for diagnosis and therapy.

Cooperation partner: Prof. Dr. rer.nat. Martin Vingron, Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin

Cooperation partner’s group website and Website of the SFB/TR84