A major step for HCV research
Research team from Hannover adapts hepatitis C virus to infect mouse liver cells
Read moreVirology
Pietschmann Lab
Research focus
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Research
According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), around 58 million people are chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). As a result of the chronic infection, many patients develop inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), which can damage the function of the organ and lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Fortunately, chronic hepatitis C is now very treatable with combination therapy. However, major challenges remain: The vast majority of HCV-infected individuals are undiagnosed and remain undetected due to the usually slow progression of the disease. In addition, a drug cure does not protect against re-infection with HCV. Up to 1.5 million people become newly infected with the virus every year. Therefore, developing a prophylactic vaccine to limit viral transmission and ensure treatment success remains crucial.
We investigate the principles responsible for immune protection against HCV, concentrating primarily on antibody-mediated mechanisms. We examine the strategies used by viruses to evade the immune response and develop cell culture and animal models to test the efficacy of vaccine candidates. These systems are used to source proprietary vaccine candidates for clinical development.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) research
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), like HCV, has a worldwide distribution. In healthy adults, an RSV infection usually presents as a mild cold. However, RSV can also cause severe lower respiratory tract infections. Young children and immunocompromised patients, such as transplant recipients, are particularly at risk. Worldwide, RSV causes 33.4 million cases of acute lower respiratory tract infections in young children alone and between 53,000 and 199,000 associated deaths per year. Why some children develop particularly severe courses of disease is not well understood. Currently, only a few treatment options are available. Recently a vaccine was approved for individuals aged 60 and older for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV.
Our research focuses on the principles responsible for severe RSV infections in young children in order to develop long-term diagnostic methods to better protect these particularly susceptible children. In addition, we investigate direct antiviral inhibitors against RSV.
Pandemic Preparedness
Up until mid-2023, the pandemic COVID-19 agent, SARS-CoV-2, had killed almost 7 million people worldwide. Though several vaccines are available, only a few treatment options for treating SARS-CoV-2 infections are available. In light of pandemic preparedness, we anticipate other coronaviruses will transmit to humans in the future. Therefore, we are developing direct antiviral molecules that are effective against a plethora of various coronaviruses.
Posts
New research group “Computational Virology” at TWINCORE
Group leader Chris Lauber funded by RESIST
Read moreSearching for drugs against SARS-CoV-2
RESIST-Scientist Professor Pietschmann, head of the TWINCORE Insitute for Experimental Virology, leads the German part of an international consortium of scientists. This research network is searching for substances that act against SARS-CoV-2 in the world's largest substance repurposing bank "ReFrame".
Read more25 September 2013 HAI at TWINCORE
Read more20. August 2013 Becton-Dickinson Biosciences PhD prize for Kathrin Hüging
Read more5 July 2013 Specific characteristics of hepatitis C virus - a first step towards individualized HCV therapy
Read more
Thomas Pietschmann elected to the Executive Board of the DZIF
DZIF Press Release
Read more
Volkswagen Stiftung funds research on antiviral agents
Team led by TWINCORE virologist Pietschmann receives around 700,000 euros for RSV project
Read more
New hope in the fight against RSV
TWINCORE researchers discover promising drug candidate
Read more
Bacterial weapons against viral diseases
Discovery of two novel classes of natural products with activity against RNA viruses
Read moreLipid-lowering drugs not a risk factor in COVID-19.
Statins do not increase infectivity or viral replication of SARS-CoV-2
Read moreA precise measure of protective immunity
New tool aims to make HCV vaccine search easier
Read moreTwo murine restriction factors limiting hepatitis C infection described
Research team at TWINCORE, with international collaborators, clarifies why mice are not susceptible to infection with hepatitis C virus
Read moreEliminating hepatitis C viruses effectively
Read moreProtein complex for hepatitis C-virus entry in liver cells is characterised
Read moreNew treatment approach for hepatitis E infections in pregnant women
Read moreNew perspectives for research on hepatitis C virus
Read moreWHO handrub formulations are effective against emerging viruses
Read moreCombined strength – immune cells cooperate in HIV defence
Read moreHepatitis C virus hijacks the host's fat metabolism
Read moreMigränetabletten gegen Hepatitis C – Flunarizin hemmt den Viruseintritt in die Leberzellen
Read moreNeuer antiviraler Mechanismus gegen Hepatitis C-Viren entdeckt
Read moreBionorica Phytoneering Award 2015 for Eike Steinmann and Anggakusuma
Read moreSnapshot of a hepatitis C virus attack - new analysis method deciphers the molecular mechanism of infection
Read moreDoctoral award of the MHH for Anggakusuma
Read more27 October 2014 Virologists want to learn from horses: horses sucessfully fend off the non-primate hepacivirus
Read more28 October 2013 As strong as a disinfectant: breast milk inactivates hepatitis C viruses
Read more27 August 2013 Kitchen spice against hepatitis-C - curcumin from turmeric spice prevents hepatitis C viruses to enter liver cells
Read more7 November 2012 Hepatitis C virus infections in the drug scene - The transmission pathways of the virus
Read more30 July 2012 Neues Schlüsselenzym für die Virusvermehrung entdeckt
Wissenschaftler des TWINCORE stören die Infektionskette des Hepatitis-C-Virus
Read more
