Plenary speakers

Short CV:
John Briggs studied natural sciences with focus on Biochemistry in Cambridge, UK. He got his doctorate from the University of Oxford, UK, in 2004. After his postdoctoral fellowship at the LMU in Munich, he became a group leader at EMBL in Heidelberg in 2006 and program leader at MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK, in 2017. Since 2021 Briggs is a director at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry and head of the department “Cell and Virus Structure”. He and his team work with a broad variety of methods, the core technique being cryo-electron tomography. Briggs studies the assembly mechanisms of pathogenic enveloped viruses and of cellular trafficking vesicles.

Abstract of the plenary talk
“New insights into enveloped viruses from cryo-electron microscopy”

Cryo-electron microscopy, cryo-electron tomography and computational image processing have become core techniques for the study of the structure and lifecycles of enveloped viruses. They can reveal the structures of proteins to high-resolution in-situ within virus particles. By doing so they shed light on how viral proteins interact with one another to assemble virus particles, and how they then rearrange to perform or to adapt their functions at different stages of the viral lifecycle. We are applying these techniques to study viruses including Ebola, influenza A, HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. With a particular focus on the structures and functions of viral matrix proteins, I will present recent data from my lab, discuss the techniques used to obtain these data, and their implications for understanding the biology of these viruses.

Short CV:
Prof. Lars Dölken, MD    *13.07.1977
Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg
Institute of Virology and Immunology

Full Professor, Chair in Virology, Institute Director 
Versbacher Str. 7, 97078 Würzburg; Tel: +49 931 3188185
E-Mail: lars.doelken@uni-wuerzburg.de

Abstract of the plenary talk
“Integrative time-resolved multiomics of virus infections”

Herpesvirus possess the largest genomes of all mammalian viruses. In recent years, systems biology approaches have revealed hundreds of novel herpesviral gene products and revolutionized our understanding of the complexity of herpesvirus-host interaction. To dissect the underlying molecular, cellular and immunological processes, time-resolved multiomics and integrative computational approaches are required.

Combining metabolic RNA labeling and ribosome profiling to study RNA synthesis, processing, translation and decay during lytic herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection of primary human fibroblasts, we revealed that HSV-1 selectively disrupts transcription termination of RNA polymerase II of cellular genes to promote host shut-off. This was accompanied by a selective increase in chromatin accessibility in the genomic regions downstream of genes mediated by the concerted actions of two HSV-1 immediate early genes.  

In recent years, advances in single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) now allow researchers to analyze the transcriptional state of thousands of genes in tens of thousands of cells. This revealed single cells to be surprisingly heterogeneous. By combining metabolic RNA labeling and chemical nucleotide conversion with scRNA-seq (scSLAM-seq), the cellular response of individual cells to infection in the time-scale of 1-2 hours can now be studied. scSLAM-seq reliably predicts the progression of SARS-CoV-2 infection of human lung epithelial cells across the first eight hours of infection. Furthermore, it may facilitate a new kind of combined gain- and loss-of-function screens that exploits the extensive intercellular heterogeneity at single cell level to decipher why some cells rapidly succumb to infection while others do not.

Short CV:
Marc Eloit
Head of “Pathogen Discovery Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Dr Roux, 75015, PARIS-F 

Marc Eloit, Veterinarian, Professor of Virology at the National Veterinary School of Alfort (ENVA), previously Director of the INRA-ANSES-ENVA Virology Unit (2002-2008), Head of the Pathogen Discovery Lab at the Pasteur Institute since 2008. Founder of PathoQuest (2010), a spin-out of Institut Pasteur and ENVA. My work focuses on the identification of new or unexpected viruses in patients and viruses circulating at the human-wildlife interface.

Abstract of the plenary talk
“Pathogen discovery: from the clinic to the human/wildlife interface”

The objectives of the laboratory are to discover, characterize and demonstrate the responsibility of new or unexpected viruses in patients, and to identify viruses at risk of emergence in wildlife. We are interested in two types of situations: 1/ seriously ill patients suspected of infection of unidentified etiology 2/ viruses originating from wildlife. I will show how these two complementary activities can contribute to epidemic preparedness by focusing on the recent discovery of new or unexpected viruses in European patients and on the discovery of SARS-CoV-2 proximal ancestors in bats in Asia.

Short CV:
Dr. Marzi received her Ph.D. in virology from the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany where she studied the glycoprotein-mediated entry of Ebola virus (EBOV) and HIV. After a postdoctoral year in Winnipeg, Canada at the National Microbiology Laboratory-Public Health Agency of Canada, Dr. Marzi moved to the NIAID Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, MT and continued her BSL4 work on vaccine development for highly pathogenic viruses using primarily the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) platform. The German Society of Virology recognized Dr. Marzi with the prestigious Löffler-Frosch Preis for her research on filoviruses and vaccine development in 2019. That same year, Dr. Marzi was selected as a tenure-track investigator in the NIAID Laboratory of Virology and as an NIH Distinguished Scholar. Her laboratory studies the host-filovirus interactions and develops animal models as well as countermeasures for these pathogens. In addition, her laboratory is expanding the use of the VSV vaccine platform to other emerging viruses like influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2.

Abstract of the plenary talk
“Live-attenuated vaccines against emerging viruses”

Emerging viruses continue to be a threat to global public health. While therapeutics are critically important to treat infected people and limit the spread of these diseases, population-based protection can easier be achieved by vaccination. We focus on live-attenuated vesicular-stomatitis virus-based vaccines against emerging viruses including highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, filoviruses and SARS-CoV-2. Our work encompasses vaccine generation and generation as well as animal model development and preclinical vaccine efficacy studies. We demonstrate that our vaccines are fast-acting and effective after single-dose administration highlighting the suitability for emergency use during outbreaks.

Short CV:
Thomas C. Mettenleiter studied biology from 1977 to 1982 and earned his doctoral degree in genetics in 1985 at the Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen for his research work on pseudorabies virus conducted at the Federal Research Centre for Virus Diseases of Animals (BFAV) in Tübingen. With a research fellowship granted by the German Research Foundation (DFG) he went for a research stay at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA, from 1986 to 1987. After returning to BFAV, he obtained his post-doctoral habilitation in virology at the University of Tübingen in 1990. From 1994 to 2019 he chaired the Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (FLI), on the island of Riems. He has been leading the FLI as director since 1996, in 1997 he was appointed President of the FLI. His main field of research is animal virus infections. He is a member of several international committees and working groups including the founding co-chair of the „One Health High Level Expert Panel” jointly initiated by WHO, OIE, FAO, and UNEP. He is a member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the Academy of Sciences in Hamburg, the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Belgian Academy of Medicine. He has been awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover and from the Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, an associate professorship from the University of Greifswald and an honorary professorship from the University of Rostock. He is also a recipient of the Robert von Ostertag Medal of the German Federal Chamber of Veterinarians.

Abstract of the plenary talk
“Pandemic Preparedness and the One Health Approach”

Seventy-five percent of newly emerging infectious diseases of humans originate from an animal reservoir. This also applies to pandemics started by either direct or indirect spill-over of pathogens from animals to humans including recent COVID-19 and mpox crises. To decrease the risk of future pandemics and to be better prepared, the triad ‘prevention – preparedness – response’ has been the focus of current activities. Whereas preparedness and response set in after an initial infection event has occurred, prevention of spillover as recently defined by the One Health High Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) tries to reduce the frequency of these events by identification and modulation of risky interfaces that provide opportunities for zoonotic pathogen transmission. ‘One Health’ recognizes the interdependence of human, animal and ecosystem health and uses a transsectoral, interdisciplinary way forward in a holistic approach. It is proactive rather than reactive by applying the HACCP concept for risk reduction. However, the plethora of initiatives often lacking inter-organizational and trans-sectoral coordination pose a challenge for focusing on those control points whose modulation could make a difference in future pandemic prevention.

Short CV:
Michel Nussenzweig was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil. During his PhD with Ralph Steinman at Rockefeller University, he discovered that dendritic cells are antigen presenting cells. He is a Howard Hughes Investigator and holds the Zanvil A. Cohn and Ralph M. Steinman Chair of Immunology at Rockefeller University. His work on adaptive immunity focuses on B lymphocytes and antibodies to HIV-1. Nusenzweig’s work led to the rapid development of new antibody-based therapies for infections by HIV and the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. He has received numerous awards and prizes including the Robert Koch Prize, and the Sanofi-Pasteur Award. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the US National Academy of Medicine and the US National Academy of Sciences.

Abstract of the plenary talk
“Memory B cell Responses to SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Vaccination”

As initially pointed out by Landsteiner in his work on haptens, immune systems are able to respond to a very diverse group of potential pathogens. Two molecular and cellular mechanisms underlie the diversity, V(D)J recombination during lymphocyte development and somatic hypermutation. This lecture will focus on how the study of human immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination revealed an additional feedback mechanism controlled by antibodies that fosters an additional layer of diversification that is protective against disease caused by SARS-CoV2 variants.

Short CV:
Erik Procko studied under the mentorship of Rachelle Gaudet at Harvard University from 2003-2009, researching the structure and molecular mechanism of a transporter associated with antigen presentation on MHC class I. During his Ph.D., he received the ABC2008 Young Investigator Award and the Merck-Wiley Fellowship. His postdoctoral research from 2009-2014 was advised by David Baker at the University of Washington, in which he applied computational prediction tools to design the first de novo protein with function. This protein bound an oncogenic factor of Epstein-Barr virus and induced apoptosis in EBV-positive cancer cells. In 2014, he was appointed as an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois, where he developed deep mutational scanning methods for complex membrane proteins that undergo conformational change. The methods were used to interrogate mechanism and structure of human and viral proteins associated with neuronal signaling, immunity, and virus infection. In 2021, he was promoted to Associate Professor and listed by the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition as one of the year's Researchers-to-Know. He is an inventor on multiple patents and founded a startup company for bringing antiviral decoys into clinical use. Today, he directs drug development at Cyrus Biotechnology and remains an Adjunct Professor at the University of Illinois.

Abstract of the plenary talk
“Engineering of soluble decoy receptors for viruses inspired by deep mutagenesis”

Virus attachment and entry may often be inhibited by soluble derivatives of host receptors, although these decoys frequently suffer from poor affinity and specificity. Deep mutagenesis guides the engineering of decoys with a minimal number of mutations that maximize affinity and specificity, and has been applied to the receptors for HCMV, HIV-1, EBV, henipaviruses, and SARS-CoV-2. Focusing on SARS-CoV-2 as an illustrative example, an ACE2 derivative was engineered with picomolar affinity for Spike and unrivaled breadth against SARS-CoV-2 variants and related betacoronaviruses. The decoy is effective by different administration routes against highly transmissible and pathogenic variants in an animal model of COVID, with ACE2 catalytic activity contributing to efficacy. Molecular attributes associated with serum stability were also identified as the decoy advances towards the clinic.

Short CV:
Kei Sato
Professor, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Japan
Founder, The Genotype to Phenotype Japan (G2P-Japan) Consortium

Professional experience

Research Interests
Systems Virology, SARS-CoV-2, HIV, evolution

Selected Publications
Kimura et al. Virological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 subvariants, including BA.4 and BA.5. Cell 185(21):3992-4007, 2022
Yamasoba et al. Neutralisation sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 omicron subvariants to therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. Lancet Infectious Diseases 22(7):942-943, 2022.
Yamasoba et al. Virological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 spike. Cell 185(12):2103-2115, 2022.
Suzuki et al. Attenuated fusogenicity and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. Nature 603(7902):700-705, 2022.
Meng et al. Altered TMPRSS2 usage by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron impacts infectivity and fusogenicity. Nature 603(7902):706-714, 2022.
Saito et al. Enhanced fusogenicity and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Delta P681R mutation. Nature 602(7896):300-306, 2022.
Uriu et al. Neutralization of the SARS-CoV-2 Mu variant by convalescent and vaccine serum. New England Journal of Medicine 385(25):2397-2399, 2021.

Abstract of the plenary talk
“Evolution of SARS-CoV-2"

At the end of 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), emerged. During the spread worldwide, SARS-CoV-2 has been diversified, and these SARS-CoV-2 variants are considered to be the potential threats to the human society. To reveal the characteristics of newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants in real-time, I launched a consortium "The Genotype to Phenotype Japan (G2P-Japan)" in January 2021. In this talk, I will introduce our scientific activity during pandemic to combat a series of SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Short CV:
Professional Experience

Education

ScientificPublications
Citations: 3213, h-index: 27(Google scholar), 51 publicationsin total (01/2023)

5 recent highlights
Acharya D, Reis R, Volcic M, Liu G, Wang MK, Chia BS, Nchioua R, Groß R, Münch J, Kirchhoff F, Sparrer KMJ*, Gack MU*. Actin cytoskeleton remodeling primesRIG-I-like receptor activation. Cell. 2022 Sep 15;185(19):3588-3602.e21.*Co-corresponding

Hayn M, Hirschenberger M, Koepke L, Nchioua R, Straub JH, Klute S, Hunszinger S, Zech F, Prelli Bozzo C, Aftab W, ChristensenMH, Conzelmann C, Müller JA, Srinivasachar Badarinarayan S, Stürzel CM, Forne I, Stenger S, Conzelmann KK, Münch J, Schmidt FI, Sauter D, Imhof A, Kirchhoff F, Sparrer KMJ.Systematic Functional Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Proteins Uncovers Viral Innate Immune Antagonists and Remaining Vulnerabilities. Cell Rep,2021, 35 (7), 109126.

Thoms M, Buschauer R, Ameismeier M, Koepke L, Denk T, Hirschenberger M, Kratzat H, Hayn M, Mackens-Kiani T, Cheng J, Straub JH, Stürzel CM, Fröhlich T, Berninghausen O, Becker T, Kirchhoff F, Sparrer KMJ*, Beckmann R*. Structural basis for translational shutdown and immune evasion by the Nsp1 protein of SARS-CoV-2. Science. 2020 Jul 17:eabc8665.*Co-corresponding

Bozzo CP, Nchioua R, Volcic M, Wettstein L, Weil T, Krüger J, Heller S, Conzelmann C, Mueller JA, Gross R, Zech F, Schütz D, Koepke L, Stuerzel CM, Schüler C, Stenzel S, Braun E, Weiß J, Sauter D, Münch J, Stenger S, Sato K, Kleger A, Goffinet C, Sparrer KMJ*, Kirchhoff F*. IFITM proteins promote SARS-CoV-2 infection in human lung cells. Nat Comm, 2021, 12 (1),1-13.*Co-corresponding

Müller JA, Groß R, Conzelmann C, Krüger J, Merle U, Steinhart J, Weil T, Koepke L, Bozzo CP, Read C, Fois G, Eiseler T, Gehrmann J, van Vuuren J, Wessbecher IM, Frick M, Costa IG, Breunig M, Grüner B, Peters L, Schuster M, Liebau S, Seufferlein T, Stenger S, Stenzinger A, MacDonald PE, Kirchhoff F, Sparrer KMJ, Walther P, Lickert H, Barth TFE, Wagner M, Münch J, Heller S, Kleger A. SARS-CoV-2 infects and replicates in cells of the human endocrine and exocrine pancreas. Nat Metab.2021 Feb;3(2):149-165.

Teaching
‘Advanced Virology’ (paper discussion), University of Chicago, 2017
Practical Course Virology for Bachelor Students Molecular Medicine, Ulm University, 2018, 2019, 2021
K1-POL: Therapy and Prevention of viral diseases, Ulm University, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
POL: Infectious diseases and Immune Defense, Ulm University, 2019, 2020, 2021
Allgemeine Virologie Bachelor, Ulm University, 2020, 2021
Tutor Physik/Mathematik für Chemiker 2008-2010
Supervision of 8 Master-and Bachelortheses & 6 (ongoing) PhD theses & 1 ongoing MD thesis

Seminars

Grants and Awards

Additional Information

Project Leader for GMOs and WT viruses up to BSL3
Regular reviewer for international Journals such as Nature Communications, Cell Reports, Plos Pathogens, Science Signalling, EMBO Journal and others
Principle Investigator in the International Graduate School for Molecular Medicine (IGradU) Ulm

Abstract of the plenary talk
“Are you friend or foe?  – Regulation of pattern recognition receptor signaling”

Activation of innate immunity is governed by a distinct set of sensors called pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) designed to recognize viruses and other pathogens. Rapid, sensitive and specific recognition of a pathogenic threat is key to successful immune defenses. However, chronic activation of innate immunity by unspecific self-recognition or prolonged signaling has to be avoided to prevent detrimental inflammation. Thus, PRR signaling has to be tightly controlled. This is achieved by complex molecular mechanisms to avoid self-recognition, detect features unique to pathogens, and control proper termination of signaling. Our recent data demonstrates that intracellular RNA sensors like RIG-I and MDA5 require priming by virus-induced cytoskeleton disturbance. This allows these PRRs to be activated by recognizing their respective ligands. Furthermore, we show that the small cellular GTPase ARF1 is central to preventing self-recognition of mitochondrial DNA by the PRR cGAS, as well as for termination of cGAS-STING dependent signaling. These novel mechanisms further highlight the astonishing complexity and control of PRR signaling that allows to discriminate between the host and pathogen – to distinguish between friend and foe.