Priority Research Area Infections
Microbial Interface Biology
Mission 
Projects Funding Techniques Publications Staff
Mission
“To get it, all you have to do is breathe”- A Tuberculosis infection is in most cases acquired through inhalation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in aerosolized respiratory secretions from a contagious person coughing, sneezing or talking. In the lung the bacteria get into contact with alveolar macrophages. Whether these cells are capable to kill the bacteria depends on various parameters and processes, which happen at the microbial interface between M. tuberculosis and its host cell, the macrophage.
This directly points towards the main focus of the Research group (RG) Microbial Interface Biology, which is the detailed characterization of the interaction between pathogenic mycobacteria of the M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and their target cells, the macrophages in order to identify of novel anti-mycobacterial pathways and compounds. To achieve our goals the RG has developed novel approaches to isolate und characterize intracellular compartments from uninfected and M. tuberculosis-infected macrophagen (phagosomes, macropinosomes and lipid droplets). In addition the RG employs has developed several test systems to identify anti-mycobacterial lead compounds. In recent years the RG has significantly contributed to several patent applications, which focus on novel anti-mycobacterial and anti-inflammatory therapeutic concepts. Thus the current and also the future work do have direct translational impact. In this context several projects focus on the analysis and the modulation of the lipid metabolism in the interaction between host cells and M. tuberculosis.