Postdoctoral fellowship of the Ernst & Margarete Wagemann Foundation awarded to Aurélie Ducroux

Aurélie Ducroux, postdoctoral fellow in Prof. Christine Goffinet´s group “Innate Immunity and Viral Evasion“ receives financial support for her research during the next ten months from the French Ernst & Margarete Wagemann Foundation.  She is interested in elucidating mechanisms of innate immunity against HIV-1.

HIV-1, the causative agent of AIDS, is thought to efficiently evade cell-intrinsic alarm systems that normally alert the cells and mount an antiviral state. However, the majority of knowledge on HIV-1-mediated counteraction of cellular antiviral responses has been obtained in experiments using purified, cell-free virus particles. In vivo, the virus probably spreads more efficiently via cell-to-cell transfer, and the efficacy of cell-intrinsic antiviral programs has not yet been fully elucidated in this context. Using coculture cell models based on blood-derived human cells, Aurélie Ducroux will investigate the contribution of known antiviral proteins to defend cells from being infected, specifically when the virus is transferred from cell-to-cell. In addition, she will define the efficacy of clinical antiretroviral drugs and neutralizing antibodies during cell-to-cell infection. Her studies will provide a better understanding on the functional interplay of immune cells and viruses and might help to prioritize novel therapeutic drugs against HIV-1/AIDS.

Starting 2014, the Ernst & Margarete Wagemann Foundation awards selected French postdocs who wish to conduct their research at renowned German research institutions. “I am very pleased to have been selected for this fellowship, since it allows me to conduct my research in a stimulating environment at TWINCORE”, says Aurélie Ducroux. 

Figure: Aurélie Ducroux