Prof. Dr. Kurt-Wolfram Sühs participates in RESIST research projects A3 and A4.

My Research Interest in RESIST

In RESIST our focus is on herpes viruses in particular the varicella zoster virus (VZV) that causes the most common viral neuroinfection called herpes zoster or shingles. Upon reactivation, VZV induces painful skin lesions and can in addition lead to severe complications like central nervous system affection or chronic neuropathic pain. Since the clinical manifestation of VZV infection varies tremendously between patients we aim to identify determinants for a complicated clinical course.
We pursue this by investigating clinical and genetic determinants and by searching for biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients suffering from VZV. This information will give clues for a better understanding of the disease, for the clinical management of patients and may be the basis to identify new targets for the treatment of severe courses of VZV infections.

Prof. Sühs

Prof. Dr. Kurt-Wolfram Sühs and PD Dr. Frank Peßler

Prof. Dr. Kurt-Wolfram Sühs – Curriculum Vitae

Current Position

  • Since 2017 Consultant Neurologist, Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School (MHH)

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Training

  • 1999-2006 Medical School in Hannover, with abroad training at Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin and Mount Sinai Hospital, New York

  • 2007 Medical Doctorate (Dr. med.; Supervisor Prof. Dr. Reinhold E. Schmidt)

  • 2014 Board-certified Neurologist (Facharzt für Neurologie)

  • 2018 Habilitation in Neurology, Hannover Medical School

  • 2020 Qualification for Intensive Care Medicine (Zusatzbezeichnung Intensivmedizin)

Academic and Research Posts

  • 2006-2007 Resident in Neurology, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany; research focus Neuroimmunology (AG Prof. Dr. R. Diem)

  • 2007-2011 Resident in Neurology, University of the Saarland, Homburg, Germany; research focus Neuroimmunology (AG Prof. Dr. R. Diem)

  • 2012-2014 Resident in Neurology, Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Germany

  • 2014-2017 Acting senior practitioner (Funktionsoberarzt), Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School

  • Since 2017 Consultant (Oberarzt), Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School

  • 2022 Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School

Awards and Prizes

  • 2014 ACTRIMS Educational Grant Award

  • 2014-2016 ‘Young Scientist Academy’ funding – HZI Braunschweig/ Hannover Medical University

  • 2015-2018 Qualification in translational medicine (TRAIN Academy)

Other Scientific Roles

  • Since 2011 Member of the German Section of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (DGKN)

  • Since 2014 Member of the German Society of Neurology (DGN)

  • Since 2014 Founding member of the German Network for Research on Autoimmune Encephalitis e.V. (GENERATE)

10 Selected Publications

Schwenkenbecher P, Skripuletz T, Lange P, Durr M, Konen FF, Mohn N, Ringelstein M, Menge T, Friese MA, Melzer N, Malter MP, Hausler M, Thaler FS, Stangel M, Lewerenz J, Suhs KW. Intrathecal Antibody Production Against Epstein-Barr, Herpes Simplex, and Other Neurotropic Viruses in Autoimmune Encephalitis. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm 2021 November;8(6).

Mohn N, Grote-Levi L, Hopfner F, Eiz-Vesper B, Maecker-Kolhoff B, Warnke C, Suhs KW, Wattjes MP, Hoglinger GU, Skripuletz T. Innovative therapeutic concepts of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. J Neurol 2022 May;269(5):2403-13.

Al-Mekhlafi A*, Suhs KW*, Schuchardt S, Kuhn M, Muller-Vahl K, Trebst C, Skripuletz T, Klawonn F, Stangel M, Pessler F. Elevated Free Phosphatidylcholine Levels in Cerebrospinal Fluid Distinguish Bacterial from Viral CNS Infections. Cells 2021 May 6;10(5). *gleicher Beitrag

Muller-Vahl KR, Bindila L, Lutz B, Musshoff F, Skripuletz T, Baumgaertel C, Suhs KW. Cerebrospinal fluid endocannabinoid levels in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020 July;45(8):1323-9.

Suhs KW, Novoselova N, Kuhn M, Seegers L, Kaever V, Muller-Vahl K, Trebst C, Skripuletz T, Stangel M, Pessler F. Kynurenine Is a Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarker for Bacterial and Viral Central Nervous System Infections. J Infect Dis 2019 June 5;220(1):127-38.

Schwenkenbecher P, Wurster U, Suhs KW, Stangel M, Skripuletz T. Applying the 2017 McDonald diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis. Lancet Neurol 2018 June;17(6):498.

Kuhn M*, Suhs KW*, Akmatov MK, Klawonn F, Wang J, Skripuletz T, Kaever V, Stangel M, Pessler F. Mass-spectrometric profiling of cerebrospinal fluid reveals metabolite biomarkers for CNS involvement in varicella zoster virus reactivation. J Neuroinflammation 2018 January 17;15(1):20. *gleicher Beitrag

Suhs KW, Skripuletz T, Pul R, Alvermann S, Schwenkenbecher P, Stangel M, Muller-Vahl K. Gilles de la Tourette syndrome is not linked to contactin-associated protein receptor 2 antibodies. Mol Brain 2015 October 13;8(1):62.

Suhs KW, Fairless R, Williams SK, Heine K, Cavalie A, Diem R. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor blockade is neuroprotective in experimental autoimmune optic neuritis. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2014 June;73(6):507-18.

Suhs KW, Hein K, Sattler MB, Gorlitz A, Ciupka C, Scholz K, Kasmann-Kellner B, Papanagiotou P, Schaffler N, Restemeyer C, Bittersohl D, Hassenstein A, Seitz B, Reith W, Fassbender K, Hilgers R, Heesen C, Bahr M, Diem R. A randomized, double-blind, phase 2 study of erythropoietin in optic neuritis. Ann Neurol 2012 August;72(2):199-210.

Contact

  Prof. Dr. med. KW. Sühs
  Oberarzt

Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Klinik für Neurologie

  Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1
30625 Hannover
  +49 511-532-3577
  suehs.kurt-wolfram@mh-hannover.de