Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich

In vivo models of EBV infection and prodromal MS

Zurich, Switzerland

Posted on May 12, 2024  •  2 minutes  • 286 words
Table of contents

Contribution to the project

Mice with reconstituted human immune systems (Humanized Mice) are used to model EBV infection and how it influences CNS infiltration as well as neuroaxonal damage, prodromal signs of MS.

Team Members

UZH Team

Christian Münz, PhD – Professor and Co-Director of the Institute of Experimental Immunology

Christian Münz has been trained in immunology at the German Cancer Research Institute in Heidelberg, Germany, the University of Tübingen, Germany, and the Rockefeller University in New York, USA. He became Assistant Professor and Head of Laboratory at the Rockefeller University in 2003. In 2008 he was recruited as Associate Professor and Co-Director of the Institute of Experimental Immunology to the University of Zürich, Switzerland, and became Full Professor in 2015. Since 2010 he is also Visiting Professor at the Imperial College in London, UK. In 2006 he received the Burroughs Welcome Fund Investigators in Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease Award for his studies on antigen processing via macroautophagy, and in 2012 the Sobek Award for his studies on the association of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) infection with multiple sclerosis (MS). He is an expert in EBV specific immune control and humanized mice as preclinical models for human oncogenic gamma-herpesvirus infections, and has published more than 300 peer reviewed papers and review articles on these topics.

Fabienne Läderach – PhD Student

Fabienne Läderach received her Bachelor in Biology and Master in Immunology degrees from the University of Zurich, Switzerland.

Ioannis Piteros – PhD Student

Ioannis Piteros received his Bachelor in Biology degree from the University of Athens, Greece, and his Master in Immunology degree from the University of Zurich, Switzerland.

Elena Bremer – Master Student

Elena Bremer received her Bachelor in Biology degree from the University of Zurich, Switzerland.