GRK 587:  Regulation of Genes and Pathogens, Host Response during Infectious Diseases, Detection of Substances Influencing Gene Expression and Pathogens

• Subject Area: Basic Research in Biology and Medicine
• Term: from 1999 to 2005
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 272963

The international research training group "Gene regulation in and by pathogens" is a joint project of the Universities of Würzburg and Umea (Sweden). The aim of the research group is the analysis of interactions between pathogen and host at a molecular level. Particular attention is devoted to understanding the influence of host factors in the regulation of gene expresssion in pathogenic microorganisms. An additional focus is understanding the influence of pathogenic factors on host responses. In the first period of this research training group, bacteria and viruses were the main topic of study. This work will be broadened in the second term to include pathogenic fungi as well as other parasitic microorganisms. The research training group aims to provide a broad study program for Ph.D students, in which various institutes from both biological and medical faculties are involved. In addition to learning how to pursue independent research, the students can broaden their background knowledge in this research area through a wide range of group seminars, lectures, colloquia and practical workshops. An exchange period which the students spend at the partner university, allows them to gain competence in techniques that are established there and provides an in-depth Ph.D. program for students of both universities.

• DFG Programme: International Research Training Groups
• International Connection: Sweden
• Applicant Institution: Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
• IRTG-Partner Institution: Umea University ; Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Roland Benz; Professor Dr. Sven Bergström; Professor Dr. Glenn Björk; Professor Dr. Thomas Boren; Professor Dr. Klaus Brehm; Professor Dr. Ulrich Dobrindt; Professor Dr. Matthias Frosch; Professorin Dr. Maria Fällmann; Professor Dr. Werner Goebel; Professor Dr. Roy Gross; Professor Dr. Christof Robert Hauck; Professor Dr. Thomas Herrmann; Professor Dr. Thomas Hünig; Privatdozent Dr. Thomas Kerkau; Professor Dr. Matthias Leippe; Dr. Dirk Lindemann; Professor Dr. Volker ter Meulen; Professorin Dr. Marie Norgren; Professor Dr. Jürgen Schneider-Schaulies; Professor Dr. Sebastian Suerbaum; Professor Dr. Bernt-Eric Uhlin; Professor Dr. Ulrich Vogel; Professor Dr. Göran Wadell; Professor Dr. Hans Wolf-Watz; Privatdozentin Dr. Wilma Ziebuhr; Professor Dr. John Ziebuhr
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Joachim Morschhäuser, since 7/2004