Partner
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research - Prof. Christian Sieben
Our group at HZI Braunschweig investigates how respiratory RNA viruses interact with host cells, using advanced high- and super-resolution microscopy to study infection at the level of individual viruses, cellular structures and proteins. We are particularly interested in the plasma membrane, which acts both as a communication interface and as a protective barrier against invading pathogens. Respiratory viruses exploit and remodel this membrane during cell entry and the assembly of new infectious particles. By visualizing these processes at the nanoscopic scale, we aim to understand how viruses engage host-cell proteins, how these interactions trigger cellular signals, and how cells interpret and respond to infection.
Role in ONEMUC
In ONEMUC, our group will investigate how influenza A viruses interact with respiratory mucus using advanced microscopy and complementary biophysical techniques. We will analyse how viruses bind to, move through, or are retained by mucus, and how mucus properties influence these processes. In addition, we will study viral stability and infectious potential after mucus passage to better understand how mucus shapes virus transmission and host adaptation.
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research – Dr Julia Port
Our group at HZI Braunschweig investigates how airborne respiratory RNA viruses transmit between hosts, using an integrative, multidisciplinary approach that bridges immunology with aerobiology and environmental virology to study transmission at the level of individual immune responses, exhaled droplets, and virus–host interactions. We are particularly interested in the mucosal interface of the respiratory tract, which acts both as the primary site of viral replication and as the first line of immunological defense against inhaled pathogens. Respiratory viruses exploit and remodel this mucosal environment during infection, shaping the composition and physicochemical properties of the secretions and aerosol particles in which they are ultimately exhaled. By characterizing these processes from the molecular to the organismal scale, we aim to understand what mechanistically distinguishes a highly transmissible virus from a closely related, self-limiting one — and how the immune status of the host shapes the window of successful onward transmission.
Role in ONEMUC
In ONEMUC, our group will investigate how influenza viruses from avian, pig and human hosts behave in respiratory mucus under different environmental conditions, using complementary virological, immunological and biophysical approaches. We will analyze how mucus from different species influences viral stability, persistence and infectious potential, and how external factors such as temperature, humidity and air pollutants modify these processes. In addition, we will study how mucus and environmental contaminants shape immune responses after aerosol inhalation to better understand how host factors and changing environmental conditions affect influenza transmission, cross-species adaptation and airborne risk.
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute– PD Dr El-Sayed M. Abdel-Whab
The research group of PD Dr. Abdel-Whab at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health) focuses on the molecular biology, evolution, host adaptation, and interspecies transmission of zoonotic animal influenza viruses. The group investigates viral pathogenicity, virus–host interactions, the emergence of highly pathogenic variants, and vaccine efficacy using molecular virology, reverse genetics, cell culture, and animal models. A major objective is to protect animals and improve preparedness for emerging zoonotic viruses with pandemic potential.
Role in ONEMUC
Contribution to ONEMUC through expertise in zoonotic animal influenza viruses, viral evolution, host adaptation, and pandemic preparedness. The group supports collaborative research on emerging viruses, One Health approaches, molecular characterization, and translational virology.
Robert Koch Institute – Dr Nils Körber
The Image Analysis Research Group employs a multidisciplinary approach, focusing its work on developing and applying algorithms to analyze image data in the context of public health-related topics. The group develops algorithms designed to extract specific information from biomedical data. It also adapts and applies existing algorithms to investigate infectious and non-communicable diseases.
Role in ONEMUC
The group's contribution will involve identifying mucus-related risk factors and developing a rapid testing platform for quickly evaluating the mucus-interacting properties of emerging viruses. This platform will complement other ONEMUC subprojects by including mucus samples from multiple species and incorporating identified environmental factors.
Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) at GFZ – Prof. Erika von Schneidemesser
The Air Quality, Mobility, and Health research group at the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) at GFZ has research activities that focus on a range of issues relating to air quality in urban areas and explore the connections between air pollution, climate change, and mobility. The research team uses innovative methods to measure emissions and the factors that influence exposure, as well as methods for e.g., quantifying the effectiveness of mobility policy options.
Role in ONEMUC
The role of the RIFS in ONEMUC is to conduct and evaluate personal environmental exposure measurements and to contextualize them within the One Health framework. In the ONEMUC project we will use wearable sensors to monitor individual environmental exposures and link them to the properties of respiratory mucus. The anonymized data is analyzed in accordance with quality assurance standards to create exposure profiles and better understand the impact of air pollutants on the mucus barrier and the potential transmission of influenza A viruses.
Free University of Berlin – Prof Dr Daniel Lauster
Our research group investigates how biomacromolecular interactions at mucosal interfaces influence infection, transport, and drug delivery. We focus particularly on respiratory mucus as a dynamic biological barrier and study how viruses, proteins, and therapeutic molecules interact with its complex macromolecular network. Using biophysical, biochemical, and cell-based approaches, we develop new strategies to modulate these interactions, including antiviral biomaterials, mucus-targeting therapeutics, and mucolytic peptides. Our research bridges fundamental molecular understanding with translational concepts for the prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases.
Role in ONEMUC
Within ONEMUC, our group investigates how the molecular composition of respiratory mucus determines its function as a host barrier. We characterize binding interactions between viruses, mucins, and mucus-associated glycans using biophysical methods such as microscale thermophoresis (MST) and complementary binding assays. In parallel, we perform mass spectrometry-based glycomic analyses to define mucus glycosylation patterns and identify molecular determinants of pathogen recognition. By comparing mucins and mucus derived from different animal species, we further investigate how species-specific differences in mucin structure and glycosylation contribute to host barriers, viral binding, and susceptibility to infection.
