Laboratory for Comparative Immunology
Institute of Immunology
The Laboratory for Comparative Immunology analyzes basic mechanisms of the immune response against bacterial or viral pathogens in different animal models (rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, European bats, Eptesicus spec; and raccoon Pyrocor lutor) with the focus on functions of different leukocyte populations. We establish monoclonal antibodies specific for activation and differentiation markers expressed on leukocytes (so called CD molecules) and develop different functional assays. The transcriptome of different leukocyte populations of bats and raccoon will be analyzed using deep sequencing.
Moreover we develop monoclonal antibodies specific for different viral and cellular antigens for other research projects.
- Research projects
- T-cell dependent immune reactions in bony fish – investigations in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
- Different resistant rainbow trout - model for genetic and immunological analysis of host pathogen interaction and recourses of regional adapted production conditions
- Humoral and cellular adaptive immune reactions of European bats against „emerging viruses“– Molecular and functional characterization of immunoglobulines, cellular receptors and immunoregulatory factors
- Pathogen- und cell type specific activation of Toll-like-receptors (TLR) and factors of intra cellular signaling pathways in salmonids
- Overview of Methods
Research projects
T-cell dependent immune reactions in bony fish – investigations in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
(funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; PhD student)
- Development of monoclonal antibodies specific for activation and differentiation markers expressed on leukocytes of rainbow trout
- Characterization of function related expression of those markers in the immune response against bacterial and viral pathogens
Different resistant rainbow trout - model for genetic and immunological analysis of host pathogen interaction and recourses of regional adapted production conditions
(collaborative project with FBN Dummerstorf; funded by Excellence initiative Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, PhD student Tomas Korytar)
- Investigation of the immune response of rainbow trout against Aeromonas salmonicida
- Characterization of different gene expression profiles in two different resistant trout lines after intraperitoneal infection
Humoral and cellular adaptive immune reactions of European bats against „emerging viruses“– Molecular and functional characterization of immunoglobulines, cellular receptors and immunoregulatory factors
(funded by BMBF, 2 PhD student, start Nov. 2010)
- Characterization of immunoglobulines of European and African bat species, raccoon and skunk and establishment of serological
- Characterization if immunoregulatory molecules and and leukocyte populations of Eptesicus-bats and raccoons in the anti-Lyssavirus immune response
Pathogen- und cell type specific activation of Toll-like-receptors (TLR) and factors of intra cellular signaling pathways in salmonids
(funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, PhD student Joanna Jaros)
- Molecular characterization of new TLR’s and factors of TLR signaling
- Investigation of functional interaction in salmonid cell lines after activation by pathogen specific TLR-ligands in vitro
- Analysis of the pathogen specific activation of effector cells of the innate immune system, their interaction with effector cells of the adaptive immune system and the influence of virulence factors on the immune response in vitro and in vivo
Overview of Methods
- Cell culture
- Flow cytometry
- Immunofluorescense
- Westernblot and immunoprecipitation
- Immunomagnetic sorting of leukocyte subpopulations
- Functional analysis of anti-pathogen immune mechanisms
- PCR, RT-PCR and real-time-PCR
- 454-Sequencing