Welcome

The research training group GRK 2504 – “Novel antiviral approaches: from small molecules to immune intervention” at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) was approved by the committees of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) in May 2019. Accordingly, our training and research programme began in October 2019. While the first doctoral students are currently finishing their theses, we are now starting to recruit the 2nd cohort of doctoral candidates in natural sciences. From September/October 2022 we will accept 15 applicants that will pursue their research projects in Erlangen. Associated training members will be accepted as well. For autumn 2022, we recruit graduates from FAU’s Master programmes for cooperation projects with the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard in Boston. Doctoral candidates in human medicine and clinician scientists complete our research training group with translation to the clinics.

Our training programme in Erlangen offers structured curricula for doctorates in science and medicine and for clinician scientists pursuing an academic career. All measures intend to support profound scientific training and to familiarise with translational research.

Our research programme aims to explore novel approaches for antiviral chemotherapy and immune intervention that build upon recent developments in molecular virology and immunology. The individual research projects address antiviral small molecules (area A), immune cell-mediated antiviral effects (area B), and antibody-based approaches (area C). Altogether, we envision multimodal antiviral strategies that combine antiviral chemotherapy with immune-based interventions as the most promising path towards the control of persistent viruses.