Susceptibility to infection: how do viruses manage to remain in the body?
The RESIST team is also looking for ways to protect people from herpes viruses and their consequences. These viruses are easily transmitted and persist throughout the host’s lifetime, including a dormant period during which there are no signs of illness. In susceptible individuals they may lead to serious skin conditions such as shingles or herpetic eczema, and can even damage the nervous system. They may also cause cancers such as lymphoma (affecting the lymphatic system), nasopharyngeal carcinoma and Kaposi’s sarcoma.
But how do herpes viruses manage to survive and multiply in the human body? How can new, improved drugs be developed that complement already existing medications? The RESIST team is seeking answers to these questions. Its researchers want to make herpes viruses vulnerable for attack, especially during their dormant stage. The investigated pathogens in Project Area D include the Cytomegalovirus, the Varicella Zoster Virus, the Kaposi Sarcoma Virus and the Herpes Simplex Virus. Moreover, on the site of the host RESIST investigators analye innate immunse senosrs for development of novel therapeutic approaches against infectious and inflammatory diseases.