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Prof. Dr. med. Achim Hörauf

Member, Steering-Committee Member

Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology

Medical Faculty, University of Bonn University Hospital of Bonn Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25 53127 Bonn

achim.hoerauf@ukbonn.de

Website

Prof. Hörauf is internationally renowned for his work in Tropical Medicine, in particular for pioneering new drug treatments against filariasis (a group of neglected tropical diseases). The new treatment exploits an endosymbiosis between worms and bacterial endosymbionts called Wolbachia, which are susceptible to some classes of antibiotics. Prof. Hörauf’s group was the first to characterize a TLR2 ligand from Wolbachia and established that blindness in onchocerciasis (or ‘river blindness’) is dependent on innate immune reactions against Wolbachia. They were the first to detect regulatory T cells in humans in an infection. Modulation of host’s immune responses is another focus of Prof. Hörauf’s group, demonstrating that filarial infection and filarial antigen treatment protects against type 1 diabetes onset and improves glucose tolerance during obesity. Using expression quantitative trait loci analysis, the role of genetic factors in modulating cellular responses (to filarial antigens) and eventually filariae-caused pathology devel-opment is currently investigated. Beyond immunology, Achim Hoerauf has preclinically developed 4 new drugs against human filariasis which are now in clinical phase 1 and 2 studies, together with DNDi and pharma partners such as Abbvie, Bayer, and Esai.

Achim Hörauf

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Recent publications

  • Establishing a filarial clinical research platform in a resource-limited setting: Lessons and experiences from Tanzania.

    PLoS neglected tropical diseases

    Authors: Ndekya M Oriyo, Michael A Munga, Abdallah Ngenya, John Ogondiek, Wilfred Mandara, Winfrida Shirima, Jonathan Akyoo, Ruth Laizer, Mathias Kamugisha, Hanifa Kapera, Rafikieli Ngwatu, Gracia Sanga, Jacklina Mhidze, Antelmo Haule, Anja Feichtner, Haile Mposheleye, Farida A Mwanga, Hatima A Chinguile, Alexander J Makalla, Peter Mabenga, Max Demetrius, Maureen M Mosoba, Dennis Moshi, Yusuph Mgaya, Linda Batsa Debrah, Inge Kroidl, Ute Klarmann-Schulz, Samuel Wanji, Alexander Yaw Debrah, Achim Hoerauf, Akili Kalinga, Upendo Mwingira

  • Helminth Antigens Modulate Virus-Induced Activation of CD154 (CD40L) Expression on T Cells in -Infected Individuals.

    Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)

    Authors: Brice Armel Nembot Fogang, Kathrin Arndts, Tomabu Adjobimey, Michael Owusu, Vera Serwaa Opoku, Derrick Adu Mensah, John Boateng, Jubin Osei-Mensah, Julia Meyer, Ute Klarmann-Schulz, Sacha Horn, Inge Kroidl, Alexander Y Debrah, Achim Hoerauf, Manuel Ritter, Linda B Debrah

  • Improved RNA preparation for RNA-seq of the intracellular bacterium AlbB.

    Frontiers in microbiology

    Authors: Lara V Behrmann, Theresa A Harbig, Achim Hoerauf, Kay Nieselt, Kenneth M Pfarr

All publications by Prof. Dr. med. Achim Hörauf