Unit | Clinical Immunology

Our group focuses on systems-immunology-based approaches within the framework of Phase I to III clinical trials. We aim to identify surrogates of protection as well as host factors elicited by subunit and whole parasite vaccines against tuberculosis (TB) and malaria. Clinical trials are performed with our partners of the Ifakara Health Institute in Bagamoyo. Further, the unit develops novel diagnostic tools for paediatric clinical TB in high endemic countries.

Co-Morbidity

Co-morbidity studies analyse the impact of non-communicable diseases on immune responses against infectious diseases, particularly TB. Unit researchers also work to understand the consequences of helminth co-infections on malaria, TB and HIV pathogenesis and immunity.

Jongo S et al. Safety and protective efficacy of PfSPZ vaccine administered to HIV negative and positive Tanzanian adults. J Clin Invest. 2024(in press). DOI: 10.1172/jci169060

Ren Y et al. Predicting hosts and cross-species transmission of Streptococcus agalactiae by interpretable machine learning. Comput Biol Med. 2024;171(in press). DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108185

Thomson-Luque R, Stabler T.C, Fürle K, Silva J.C, Daubenberger C. Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 1 as asexual blood stage malaria vaccine candidate. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2024;23(1):160-173. DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2295430

Abukhattab S et al. Whole-genome sequencing for One Health surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in conflict zones: a case study of Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. in the West Bank, Palestine. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2023;89(9):e00658-23. DOI: 10.1128/aem.00658-23

Banga R et al. Lymph node dendritic cells harbor inducible replication-competent HIV despite years of suppressive ART. Cell Host Microbe. 2023;31(10):1714-1731. DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.08.020