Cellular Microbiology
Tuberculosis (TB) is the most important bacterial infectious disease in humans worldwide and tops the list of pathogens with antimicrobial resistance. Its pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a facultative intracellular pathogen that can survive and multiply in phagocytes of the host such as macrophages and neutrophils. We hypothesise that its niche in the host determines the fate of a pathogen, the immune responses against it, the pathogenesis and its transmission as well as the efficacy of antimicrobial drugs and ultimately the development of post-infectious diseases. For this reason, we are investigating host-pathogen interactions in lung infections. In this way, we aim to improve prophylaxis, develop new treatments, including nanomedicines and biomarker-based, host-targeted therapies, and prevent post-infectious diseases. In the context of lung infections, we are also investigating the function and resilience of the microbiome and the pathobiont, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in mixed fungal and bacterial biofilms.
Studies on host-pathogen interactions in lung infections with a focus on tuberculosis to better understand the pathogenesis, to develop new antimicrobial and biomarker-guided, host-orientated therapies and to prevent the long-term consequences.
Infection models
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), Mycobacterium abscessus (Mabs), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (Sm), Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp), Candida albicans (Ca), Influenza A virus, SARS-CoV
Objectives
I) New biomarkers to assess therapy success, disease status and long-term disease consequences in tuberculosis;
II) Testing and development of new drugs, nanomedicines, phages, cold plasma and host-specific therapies in tuberculosis and other drug-resistant infections;
III) Functions of the microbiomes from lung, respiratory tract and gut in pulmonary infections, and its resilience under therapy;
IV) Pathobiology of mixed biofilms (Sm, Mabs, Ca) on lung epithelia, their role in of antibiotic resistance evolution and as target for phage therapy.
- Leibniz Research Alliance INFECTIONS
InfUrb (Speaker): Spread of antimicrobial resistance, -2029 - Leibniz Research Campus EvoLung
Interaction between microbiota, host and tuberculosis,-2024 - German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) (BMBF)
TTU-TB, Neutrophil signatures in tuberculosis, -2025 - TB Sequel II (BMBF Afrika)
Post tuberculosis disease, -2027 - FLAV4AMR (JIPAMR/BMBF)
Flavodoxin inhibitors to kill resistant bacteria, -2024 - VITALITY(EDCTP)
Vitamin D for AdoLescents with HIV to reduce musculoskeletal morbidity and ImmunopaThologY, -2025 - ERA4TB (Horizon 2020; IMI)
European Regimen Accelerator for Tuberculosis, -2026 - PlasmaPlusCorona (BMBF)
Cold plasma against SARS Cov2 and biofilm forming lung pathogens, -2025 - LPI- Basic Technology 1 (BT 1)
Multi-Dimensional, multimodal, intelligent Imaging Plattforms, tuberculosis in vivo models, -2025 - Regulatory functions of oxidative/antioxidative processes during host–pathogen interactions in tuberculosis
(DFG, East Mediterranean Cooperation), -2025 - Leibniz Health Technologies
Feasibility Study - FS Advancing live cell microscopy techniques to study the growth kinetics of CF-associated mixed biofilm-forming opportunists on lung epithelial cells ni air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures, -2025 - Leibniz Lab Pandemic Preparedness
Transmission monitoring of respiratory pathogens, -2027
External Cooperations
- Thomas Amon, Tina Kabelitz, ATB, Potsdam: Transmission monitoring of respiratory pathogens
- Alexander Apt, Vladimir Yeremeev, Central Institute for Tuberculosis, Moscow, Russia; Properties on susceptibility and resistance in tuberculosis
- John Baines, MPI for Evolutionary Biology, Plön: Pulmonary microbiota in infection and immunity
- Moran Benhar, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel: Redox reactions in tuberculosis
- Lea Ann Dailey, University Vienna: Targeted nanocarrier for anti-TB drug delivery
- Claus Feldmann, KIT Karlsruhe: : Targeted nanocarrier for anti-TB drug delivery
- Ulrich Günther, University Lübeck: Metabolome of tuberculosis infected cells
- Bernhard Hube, HKI Jena: Mixed biofilms with albicans
- Paul M. Kelly, University of Lusaka, Zambia: Vitamin D in infection and immunity
- Katharina Kranzer, LSHTM, London/Harare: Vitamin D in infection and immunity
- Manfred Lutz, University of Würzburg: Myeloid derived suppressor cells in mycobacterial infections
- Esther Meyron-Holtz, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel: Iron in tuberculosis
- Jürgen Popp, IPHT, Jena, Spectral Imaging of tuberculosis
- Andrea Rachow, LMU Munich: Post Tuberculosis disease
- Frank Schmidt, Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar: Proteomics of host - pathogen interactions
- Albert Sickmann, ISAS, Dortmund: Proteomics of host - pathogen interactions
- Wolfgang Streit, University Hamburg: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia pathobiology
- Jayne Sutherland, LSHTM/The Gambia: Post Tuberculosis disease
- Thomas von Woedtke, INP, Greifswald: Cold plasma in anti-infection therapy
Infection Biology
- Safety lab to work with BSL3 microorganisms such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Aerosol infection model for tuberculosis (BSL3)
- Anti-microbial drug testing
- Microbiome analysis (16s RNA sequencing, metagenomics, bioinformatics)
- In vivo imaging (under BSL3 conditions)
- In vitro Infection models in primary cells from mouse and human (BSL3)
- In vivo infection models for Klebsiella pneumonia infection
- Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and mixed biofilm studies between bacteria and yeasts
- Air-liquid interface (ALI) lung epithelial cell model for biofilm studies
- Bacteriophage collection
Infection Immunology
- FACS (BSL2 and 3)
- Histology, Immunohistology
- Cytokine- and chemokine assays
- Quantitative Real-time PCR
- RNAseq
Cellular microbiology
- Intracellular trafficking studies of pathogens in host cells, confocal microscopy
- Live cell microscopy (BSL2 and 3)
- Primary cell cultures: human, mouse; macrophages, neutrophils, dendritic cells
- Subcellular fractionation, phagosome isolation
- Cell death assays
- Reporter strain of M. tuberculosis and S. maltophilia
Biochemistry
- SDS-PAGE, western blot
2025
Braunstein, I, Motohashi, H, Dallenga, T, Schaible, UE & Benhar, M 2025, 'Redox signaling in innate immunity and inflammation: focus on macrophages and neutrophils', Free radical biology & medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2025.06.006
2024
Blankson, HNA, Kamara, RF, Barilar, I, Andres, S, Conteh, OS, Dallenga, T, Foray, L, Maurer, F, Kranzer, K & Utpatel, C et al. 2024, 'Molecular determinants of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Sierra Leone', Microbiology spectrum, Jg. 12, Nr. 3, S. e0240523. https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02405-23
Coves, X, Mamat, U, Conchillo-Solé, O, Huedo, P, Bravo, M, Gómez, A-C, Krohn, I, Streit, WR, Schaible, UE & Gibert, I et al. 2024, 'The Mla system and its role in maintaining outer membrane barrier function in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia', Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, Jg. 14, S. 1346565. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2024.1346565
Dzavakwa, NV, Chisenga, M, McHugh, G, Filteau, S, Gregson, CL, Kasonka, L, Kranzer, K, Mabuda, HB, Mujuru, H & Redzo, N et al. 2024, 'Update: Vitamin D3 and calcium carbonate supplementation for adolescents with HIV to reduce musculoskeletal morbidity and immunopathology (VITALITY trial): study protocol for a randomised placebo-controlled trial', Trials, Jg. 25, Nr. 1, S. 499. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-024-08342-z
Dzavakwa, NV, Simms, V, Gregson, CL, Chisenga, M, Filteau, S, Kasonka, L, Kranzer, K, Banda-Mabuda, H, Mujuru, H & Redzo, N et al. 2024, 'Association Between Vitamin D Insufficiency and Impaired Bone Density Among Adolescents With Perinatally Acquired HIV Infection', Open forum infectious diseases, Jg. 11, Nr. 9, S. ofae442. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofae442
Galano-Frutos, JJ, Maity, R, Iguarbe, V, Aínsa, JA, Velázquez-Campoy, A, Schaible, UE, Mamat, U & Sancho, J 2024, 'L-Thyroxine and L-thyroxine-based antimicrobials against Streptococcus pneumoniae and other Gram-positive bacteria', Heliyon, Jg. 10, Nr. 7, S. e27982. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27982
Hauptmann, M, Kalsdorf, B, Akoh-Arrey, JE, Lange, C & Schaible, UE 2024, 'Microbiota alterations in patients treated for susceptible or drug-resistant TB', IJTLD open, Jg. 1, Nr. 8, S. 355-361. https://doi.org/10.5588/ijtldopen.24.0325
Marwitz, F, Hädrich, G, Redinger, N, Besecke, KFW, Li, F, Aboutara, N, Thomsen, S, Cohrs, M, Neumann, PR & Lucas, H et al. 2024, 'Intranasal Administration of Bedaquiline-Loaded Fucosylated Liposomes Provides Anti-Tubercular Activity while Reducing the Potential for Systemic Side Effects', ACS infectious diseases, Jg. 10, Nr. 9, S. 3222-3232. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00192
Maybin, M, Ranade, AM, Schombel, U, Gisch, N, Mamat, U & Meredith, TC 2024, 'IS1-mediated chromosomal amplification of the arn operon leads to polymyxin B resistance in Escherichia coli B strains', mBio, Jg. 15, Nr. 7, S. e0063424. https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.00634-24
Zielinski, N, Baiceanu, D, Dragomir, A, Heyckendorf, J, Ibraim, E, Köhler, N, Leschczyk, C, Popa, C, Rachow, A & Sachsenweger, J et al. 2024, 'A Transcriptomic Biomarker Predicting Linezolid-Associated Neuropathy During Treatment of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis', Pathogens and Immunity, Jg. 9, Nr. 2, S. 25-42. https://doi.org/10.20411/pai.v9i2.705
2023
Dal, N-JK, Schäfer, G, Thompson, AM, Schmitt, S, Redinger, N, Alonso-Rodriguez, N, Johann, K, Ojong, J, Wohlmann, J, Best, A, Koynov, K, Zentel, R, Schaible, UE, Griffiths, G, Barz, M & Fenaroli, F 2023, 'Π-Π interactions stabilize PeptoMicelle-based formulations of Pretomanid derivatives leading to promising therapy against tuberculosis in zebrafish and mouse models', JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE, Jg. 354, S. 851-868. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.01.037
Horch, R, Rasp, D, Dietz, A, Ebbert, R, Steinmann, J, Schaible, UE, Mamat, U & Bertram, R 2023, 'tet-Dependent Gene Expression in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia', Microbiology spectrum, Jg. 11, Nr. 4, S. e0157623. https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01576-23
Mamat, U, Hein, M, Grella, D, Taylor, CS, Scholzen, T, Alio, I, Streit, WR, Huedo, P, Coves, X, Conchillo-Solé, O, Gómez, A-C, Gibert, I, Yero, D & Schaible, UE 2023, 'Improved mini-Tn7 Delivery Plasmids for Fluorescent Labeling of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia', APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Jg. 89, Nr. 6, S. e0031723. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00317-23
Marriott, I, Khan, IA & Schaible, UE 2023, 'Insights in microbial immunology: 2022', FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY, Jg. 14, S. 1219083. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1219083
Ojong, J 2023, 'Influence of Alterations in Iron Metabolism on Anti-mycobacterial Host Defense'.
Rudolph, D, Redinger, N, Schwarz, K, Li, F, Hädrich, G, Cohrs, M, Dailey, LA, Schaible, UE & Feldmann, C 2023, 'Amorphous Drug Nanoparticles for Inhalation Therapy of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis', ACS nano, Jg. 17, Nr. 10, S. 9478-9486. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.3c01664
Rutschmann, M, Redinger, N, Schaible, UE & Feldmann, C 2023, 'Amikacin@SiO2 core@shell nanocarriers to treat pulmonal bacterial infections', Journal of materials chemistry. B, Jg. 11, Nr. 24, S. 5460-5468. https://doi.org/10.1039/d2tb02609k
Schick, J, Altunay, M, Lacorcia, M, Marschner, N, Westermann, S, Schluckebier, J, Schubart, C, Bodendorfer, B, Christensen, D, Alexander, C, Wirtz, S, Voehringer, D, da Costa, CP & Lang, R 2023, 'IL-4 and helminth infection downregulate MINCLE-dependent macrophage response to mycobacteria and Th17 adjuvanticity', eLife, Jg. 12, e72923. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.72923
2022
Behera, A, Jain, P, Ganguli, G, Biswas, M, Padhi, A, Pattanaik, KP, Nayak, B, Ergün, S, Hagens, K, Redinger, N, Saqib, M, Mishra, BB, Schaible, UE, Karnati, S & Sonawane, A 2022, 'Mycobacterium tuberculosis Acetyltransferase Suppresses Oxidative Stress by Inducing Peroxisome Formation in Macrophages', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES , Jg. 23, Nr. 5, 2584. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23052584
Brandenburg, J, Heyckendorf, J, Marwitz, F, Zehethofer, N, Linnemann, L, Gisch, N, Karaköse, H, Reimann, M, Kranzer, K, Kalsdorf, B, Sanchez-Carballo, P, Weinkauf, M, Scholz, V, Malm, S, Homolka, S, Gaede, KI, Herzmann, C, Schaible, UE, Hölscher, C, Reiling, N & Schwudke, D 2022, 'Tuberculostearic Acid-Containing Phosphatidylinositols as Markers of Bacterial Burden in Tuberculosis', ACS infectious diseases, Jg. 8, Nr. 7, S. 1303-1315. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00075
Dallenga, T, Linnemann, L & Schaible, UE 2022, 'Evaluation of Myeloperoxidase as Target for Host-Directed Therapy in Tuberculosis In Vivo', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES , Jg. 23, Nr. 5, S. 2554. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23052554
Gómez, A-C, Lyons, T, Mamat, U, Yero, D, Bravo, M, Daura, X, Elshafee, O, Brunke, S, Gahan, CGM, O'Driscoll, M, Gibert, I & O'Sullivan, TP 2022, 'Synthesis and evaluation of novel furanones as biofilm inhibitors in opportunistic human pathogens', EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY , Jg. 242, S. 114678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114678
Mrochen, DM, Miebach, L, Skowski, H, Bansemer, R, Drechsler, CA, Hofmanna, U, Hein, M, Mamat, U, Gerling, T, Schaible, U, von Woedtke, T & Bekeschus, S 2022, 'Toxicity and virucidal activity of a neon-driven micro plasma jet on eukaryotic cells and a coronavirus', Free radical biology & medicine, Jg. 191, S. 105-118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.08.026
Scior, T., Garcia-Hernandez, J.C., Abdallah H.H., Christian Alexander, C. 2022, 'QSAR Applied to 4-Chloro-3-formylcoumarin Derivatives Targeting Human Thymidine Phosphorylase: -', Clinical Complementary Medicine and Pharmacology, Jg. 2, Nr. 2, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccmp.2022.100031, S. 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccmp.2022.100031
von Woedtke, T, Gabriel, G, Schaible, UE & Bekeschus, S 2022, 'Oral SARS-CoV-2 reduction by local treatment: A plasma technology application?', Plasma processes and polymers (Print), S. e2200196. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppap.202200196
Head
Scientific staff
Technical staff
Guest Scientists
Alumni
- Dr. Jessica E. Akoh-Arrey
- Benthe Beu
- Pit Engling
- Dr. Uwe Mamat