Prof. Dr. Reinhold Förster participates in RESIST research projects B5, B9 and C2.

My Research Interest in RESIST

My research interest in RESIST covers various topics: For example, my team is working on a vaccine against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 based on a smallpox virus. We also want to develop an antibody test that will also help to find out how well these antibodies protect against re-infection. Another topic is biofilms – accumulations of microorganisms embedded in self-produced matrices. They represent a major challenge in the treatment of patients – for example, when they grow on implants. I am interested in which factors of the immune system favour the formation of biofilms. I am also interested in how it is that some people are not protected against hepatitis B despite being vaccinated. And we are investigating to what extent advanced age contributes to the reactivation of herpes viruses.

Contact

Prof. Förster about his scientific work

Prof. Dr. Reinhold Förster – Curriculum Vitae

Current Position

  • Since 2001 Full (C4) Professor of Immunology and Director, Institute of Immunology, MHH 

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Training

  • 1981 – 1982 University of Erlangen; Electronic Engineering, Germany

  • 1982 – 1988 Veterinary School, University of Munich; University of Cambridge, UK

  • 1991 Veterinary Doctorate (Dr. med. vet.; Supervisor Prof. Dr. met vet Anton Mayr)

  • 1998 Habilitation (Supervisor Prof. Dr. rer. Nat. Michael Schmidt; Dr. rer. nat. Martin Lipp) 

Academic and Research Posts

  • 1991 – 1993 Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute for Biochemistry, University of Munich, Germany 

  • 1994 – 2000 Research Associate at the Max-Delbruck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany

  • 2000 – 2001 Associate Professor for Experimental Surgery and Immunology, University of Erlangen, Germany 

  • Since 2001 Full (C4) Professor of Immunology and Director, Institute of Immunology, MHH, Germany

  • 2016 Full Professor (W3) of Immunology and Head of Max-Plank Research Group, University of Würzburg (declined), Germany 

Other Scientific Roles

  • 1995 – 1997 Member of the Scientific Council of the Max-Delbruck-Center, Berlin, Germany 

  • 1997 – 2000 Member of the Board of Trustees of the Max-Delbruck-Center, Berlin, Germany 

  • 2004 – 2011 Board member of the SFB 566 

  • 2002 – 2013 Board member of the SFB 587

  • 2003 – 2013 Spokesperson of the Collaborative Research Centre (SFB 621),

  • Since 2003 Spokesperson of the international PhD-Programme “Infection Biology”

  • Since 2005 Spokesperson of the medical thesis programme “StrucMed”

  • 2007 – 2014 Board member of “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Immunologie“

  • 2008 – 2016 Fachkollegiat (panel member) of the German Research Foundation (DFG)

  • 2009 – 2013 Member of the Executive Committee European Journal of Immunology

  • Since 2010 Board member of the SFB 900

  • 2010 Spokesperson of the PhD program “Dynamic of Host Pathogen-Interactions – DEWIN” at the Center for Infection Biology (ZIB) Hannover/Braunschweig

  • Since 2011 Board member of the SFB 738

  • Since 2014 Deputy spokesperson of the Excellence Cluster Rebirth 

Awards and Prizes

  • 1985 – 1991 Scholar of the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation

  • 2000 The Stifterverband Science Award, Erwin Schrödinger-Preis

  • 2001 Langener Wissenschaftspreis

  • 2003 Schunk Preis; Veterinary School; University of Giessen 

  • 2012 ERC-Advanced grant 

Recommended Links

For further information about Prof. Förster’s scientific work please check the following links:

10 Selected Publications (of > 177 original publications)

Halle S, Keyser KA, Stahl FR, Busche A, Marquardt A, Zheng X, Galla M, Heissmeyer V, Heller K, Boelter J, Wagner K, Bischoff Y, Schwegmann R, Braun A, Werth K, Uvarovskii A, Kempf H, Meyer- Hermann M, Arens R, Kremer M, Sutter G, Messerle M, and Förster R. In vivo killing capacity of cytotoxic T cells is limited and involves dynamic interactions and T cell cooperativity. Immunity. 2016; 44: 233-45. 

Ulvmar MH*, Werth K*, Braun A, Kelay P, Hub E, Eller K, Chan L, Lucas B, Novitzky-Basso I, Nakamura K, Rulicke T, Nibbs RJ, Worbs T, Forster R**, and Rot A.** The atypical chemokine receptor CCRL1 shapes functional CCL21 gradients in lymph nodes. Nat Immunol. 2014; 15: 623-30. *,** Equal contribution of the Förster and Rot lab, Joint first and senior authors, cover story 

Fleige H, Ravens S, Moschovakis GL, Bolter J, Willenzon S, Sutter G, Haussler S, Kalinke U, Prinz I, Forster R. IL- 17-induced CXCL12 recruits B cells and induces follicle formation in BALT in the absence of differentiated FDCs. J Exp Med. 2014; 211: 643-51. 

Stahl FR, Heller K, Halle S, Keyser KA, Busche A, Marquardt A, Wagner K, Boelter J, Bischoff Y, Kremmer E, Arens R, Messerle M, Forster R. Nodular inflammatory foci are sites of T cell priming and control of murine cytomegalovirus infection in the neonatal lung. PLoS Pathog. 2013; 9: e1003828. 

Wendland M, Willenzon S, Kocks J, Davalos-Misslitz AC, Hammerschmidt SI, Schumann K, Kremmer E, Sixt M, Hoffmeyer A, Pabst O, Forster R. Lymph node T cell homeostasis relies on steady state homing of dendritic cells. Immunity. 2011; 35: 945-57. 

Hammerschmidt SI, Friedrichsen M, Boelter J, Kremmer E, Pabst O, Forster R. Retinoic acid as dominant gut- homing navigator confers intestinal protection following subcutaneous immunization. J Clin Invest. 2011; 121: 3051-61. 

Braun A, Worbs T, Moschovakis GL, Halle S, Hoffmann K, Boelter J, Munk A, Forster R. Afferent lymph-derived T cells and dendritic cells use different CCR7-dependent routes for lymph node entry and intranodal migration. Nat Immunol. 2011; 12: 879-87. cover story 

Halle S, Dujardin HC, Bakocevic N, Fleige H, Danzer H, Willenzon S, Suezer Y, Hammerling G, Garbi N, Sutter G, Worbs T, Forster R. Induced bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue serves as a general priming site for T cells and is maintained by dendritic cells. J Exp Med. 2009; 206: 2593-601. 

Forster R*, Schubel A, Breitfeld D, Kremmer E, Renner-Muller I, Wolf E, Lipp M. CCR7 coordinates the primary immune response by establishing functional microenvironments in secondary lymphoid organs. Cell. 1999; 99: 23-33. * corresponding author 

Forster R, Mattis AE, Kremmer E, Wolf E, Brem G, Lipp M. A putative chemokine receptor, BLR1, directs B cell migration to defined lymphoid organs and specific anatomic compartments of the spleen. Cell. 1996; 87: 1037- 47. cover story 

Contact

  Prof. Dr. med. Reinhold Förster
  Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School (MHH)
  Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1
30625 Hannover
  +49 511 532-9721
  Foerster.Reinhold@
mh-hannover.de