Research focus
Viruses, as microbial pathogens, are one of the major causes of infectious diseases (COVID-19). We are interested in how enveloped viruses replicate and how they interact with their host cells to do so. To visualise and measure the complex and dynamic processes of viral replication in cellular systems, we use modern methods of high-resolution light microscopy. The focus is on respiratory viruses such as coronaviruses, influenza viruses and herpesviruses. In particular, we observe how these viruses structurally modify their environment in infected cells and efficiently assemble and disseminate new virus particles. The goal is to apply our observations and developed methods to solve medically relevant problems, such as the optimisation of virus-based vaccines.
Virus-host interactions
When viruses infect their host cells, they reshape the structures in their host environment. Viruses do this primarily to be able to use the host cell structures for their replication. For different viruses, we want to find out which host cell structures are particularly responsive to infection, which structures the viruses need for efficient replication, and where virus assembly takes place. To do this, we simultaneously and systematically observe viral molecules and host cell structures during infection.
Examples of our research include:- the establishment of a fluorescent reporter virus to measure structural changes caused by herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) during the replication cycle (Scherer et al., 2021)
- the systematic study of host cell remodelling during SARS-CoV-2 infection (Scherer*, Mascheroni* et al., 2022).
Molecular mechanisms of viral replication
The assembly of virus particles in infected host cells is the crucial step in the production of new infectious material. For various viruses, we are investigating how this complicated and multistep process occurs in detail. Enveloped viruses such as corona- and herpesviruses can remodel the lipid membranes of their host cells to serve as platforms for coordinated assembly of individual molecules into functional viruses. In model lipid membranes, we plan to mimic the individual steps of virus particle assembly to understand the underlying biophysical principles and manipulate key interactions. This is useful, for example, to optimise virus-based technologies such as vaccines or to test interactions with the immune system.
High-resolution light microscopy
Using high-resolution light microscopy methods, we develop technological methods to study the dynamics of viral infections in their host cells. With confocal and wide-field microscopy, we track protein and viral movements in infected cells (e.g. for SARS-CoV-2 and HSV-1). Expansion microscopy - a new technique for preparing biological samples - allows us to image host cell structures altered by viral infection at high resolution (Mascheroni*, Scherer* et al., 2020). We are also working in collaboration with microscope developers to image many different colour channels simultaneously and thus better understand the multiple interactions during virus replication.
Available topics for lab rotations as well as Bachelor and Master projects
- Building a 3D cell culture system to study virus transmission through cell-cell contacts.
- Development of staining methods for viral and host cell proteins in living cells.
- In vitro expression and purification of viral structural proteins to study virus assembly.
If you are interested and would like to know more details, please contact Dr. Katharina Scherer.
Publications
Here you can find a list of our previously published papers.
Team
Here you can find a list of the current members of the research group.
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