
Research Goal
The Immune System in the Fight Against Infectious Diseases: New Therapeutic Approaches for Humans and Animals: The Infection Biochemistry working group headed by Prof. Maren von Köckritz-Blickwede deals with the mechanisms of the innate immune response against bacterial and viral diseases in humans and animals. The increased occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria or viral diseases such as COVID-19, which can be transmitted from animals to humans, are causing increasing difficulties in the health system. The aim of this study is to combine different main areas of biomedical research for the search for new therapeutic and prophylactic approaches against zoonotic infectious diseases: microbiology, cell biology, biochemistry and immunology. In the working group, the scientists investigate whether and how drugs, natural substances or feed additives can support the immune system in the fight against infectious diseases in humans and animals. A special focus is on the effect of hypoxia on the immune response in the context of infection.
These questions are also currently being used intensively in the context of COVID-19 research.
The current work on SARS-CoV-2 research is also an essential part of the COVID-19 Research Network Lower Saxony (COFONI).
Our immune system has developed various strategies to prevent pathogens from spreading in our body. Neutrophils are part of the white blood cells and are part of this system. They have developed three different strategies to fight off pathogens. Two of them have long been known: the incorporation and destruction of pathogens, known as phagocytosis, and the release of antimicrobial substances, which also ensure that pathogens are killed. A third mechanism that white blood cells use to protect the body from infectious agents was discovered in 2004: outside the cell, neutrophils produce a fibrous structure made up of DNA, antimicrobial peptides and histones. These newly discovered DNA nets are known as Neutrophil Extracellular Traps, or shortly NETs. NETs can bind pathogens and, as a physical barrier, prevent them from spreading further. In addition, numerous harmful effects are also known. Excess NET formation can lead to thrombosis or autoimmune disorders. A healthy balance of NET-formation and elimination is therefore of great importance for the immune response against infections.
In the Infection Biochemistry Research Group, the scientists are looking for ways to modulate the formation of these NETs or the other defense strategies of immune cells. The aim is to characterize new therapeutic approaches that strengthen the immune system in the fight against bacterial infections or weaken the virulence of the infectious agents.

Veterinarian Marita Meurer, PhD
Marita Meurer studied veterinary medicine at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hanover and received her license to practice medicine here in 2001.
After various research work in industry and the public sector, she returned to the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hanover in March 2017.
Until 2020 Marita was a doctoral candidate in the PhD program "Animal and Zoonotic Infections" at the Hanover Graduate School for Veterinary Pathobiology, Neuroinfectiology, and Translational Medicine (HGNI) of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Marita was supervised by Prof. Dr. Maren von Köckritz-Blickwede and Dr. Nicole de Buhr.
The aim of her work is to research the innate immune defense of pigs against the zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus suis. Their findings should contribute to a better understanding of the host-pathogen interaction during bacterial meningitis. The aim is to develop new treatment approaches for meningitis and thus to reduce the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals.