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Scientists at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg are investigating how animal viruses repeatedly manage to infect human cells using influenza viruses / 2.5 million euros in funding from the European Union

The current corona crisis dramatically demonstrates what can happen when animal viruses are transmitted to humans. The team led by Prof. Dr. Martin Schwemmle from the Institute for Virology at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg is researching how such an infection can occur and is now receiving 2.5 million euros in funding from the European Union as part of an ERC Advanced Grant. The Freiburg scientists are investigating the transmission of animal pathogens to humans, so-called zoonoses, in particular using an influenza virus that, like the coronavirus, occurs naturally in bats. The researchers recently demonstrated that the H18N11 influenza virus discovered in bats takes a different route of infection than classic influenza viruses that normally infect humans.

"We want to better understand the mechanisms by which this bat virus can infect animal and human cells. One of our central questions is: Can the influenza virus we are investigating be used as a tool to eliminate cancer cells, for example, in the future?" says Schwemmle.

The virus attacks the immune system

The researchers have already shown that the bat virus under investigation uses a different surface receptor than all previously known human influenza viruses to penetrate the host cells: Instead of a surface receptor found on lung cells, for example, the bat influenza virus appears to use a molecule that is found almost exclusively on cells of the immune system. "This finding indicates that certain strains of influenza viruses are much more flexible and versatile than previously assumed. This could make targeted transmission to certain human cells more likely," says Schwemmle. With the research funding from the European Research Council (ERC) of the European Union, Schwemmle and his team will investigate precisely the mechanisms by which bat influenza viruses infect animal and human cells. "Should it actually be possible in the future to precisely infect only certain cells in humans, this knowledge could be an important basis for the development of therapies and vaccines," says Schwemmle.

Image: Prof. Dr. Martin Schwemmle
Image source: Medical Center - University of Freiburg

Contact:
Prof. Dr. Martin Schwemmle
Research Group Leader
Institute for Virology
Medical Center - University of Freiburg
Phone: 0761 203-6526
martin.schwemmle@uniklinik-freiburg.de