Volker Lohmann

Volker Lohmann serves as Professor and Deputy Head of the Department of Molecular Virology at the University of Heidelberg's Faculty of Medicine, leading the "Virus-host interactions" section within the Center for Infectious Diseases. His research centers on positive strand RNA virus replication mechanisms, particularly Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and norovirus, with emphasis on viral replication organelle biogenesis and host innate immune recognition.

Lohmann's work investigates critical virus-host interfaces including PI4KA kinase-mediated lipid remodeling during HCV replication, microRNA-122's RNA chaperone function in viral translation, and differential Toll-like receptor 3 responses explaining HCV persistence versus hepatitis A virus clearance. His team employs advanced methodologies spanning cell culture models, animal studies, and structural analysis to dissect how viruses manipulate host machinery for replication while evading immune detection.

Analysis of recent publications reveals consistent focus on lipid metabolism in viral pathogenesis, RNA-protein interactions, and immune evasion strategies across HCV and norovirus systems. This work bridges virology, cell biology, and immunology with translational implications for antiviral development and understanding viral persistence mechanisms.

Lohmann mentors an eleven-member research team comprising PhD candidates and postdoctoral scientists. His laboratory receives active funding for projects investigating HCV replication organelles, miR-122 functionality, TLR3 signaling pathways, and norovirus nonstructural protein mechanisms.

The Molecular Virology department operates within Heidelberg University Hospital's Center for Infectious Diseases, utilizing specialized infrastructure for molecular virology, live-cell imaging, and biochemical analysis to study virus-host dynamics in clinically relevant models.