معرفی
Jun. Prof. Dr. Niels Lemmermann is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Virology, University of Bonn. His research focuses on the molecular and immunological mechanisms governing acute and latent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections, particularly the interplay between host immune responses and viral immune evasion strategies. His work utilizes mouse models to investigate CMV pathogenesis, including latency establishment, T cell therapy efficacy, and viral reactivation risks in immunocompromised hosts.
Research interests include adoptive T cell therapy, viral latency dynamics, and the role of immune evasion proteins in CMV persistence. He explores how CMV manipulates antigen presentation pathways to avoid immune detection, with implications for clinical scenarios such as hematopoietic cell transplantation. Recent studies address SARS-CoV-2 surveillance, antiviral CD8 T cell priming, and mechanisms of immune evasion in viral infections.
Key contributions include identifying direct antigen presentation as the primary pathway for CD8 T cell priming during immune reconstitution and elucidating how stochastic CMV transcription episodes drive 'memory inflation' in T cells. His lab also investigates mast cell contributions to antiviral immunity and the impact of comorbidities (e.g., obesity) on T cell functionality.
Publications highlight advancements in CMV vector engineering for immunotherapy, NKG2D-mediated T cell survival pathways, and the molecular basis of viral immune evasion. His work bridges fundamental virology with translational medicine to improve antiviral strategies and combat CMV-associated complications in immunosuppressed patients.
