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Our research focuses on the pathogenesis of the globally most prevalent mosquito-borne viral infections. These include infections triggered by positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses of the family Flaviviridae such as dengue virus (DENV) and West Nile virus (WNV), and Zika virus (ZIKV), and a member of family Togaviridae - chikungunya virus (CHIKV).

The incidence and disease burden of all three viral infections have dramatically increased during the last decades due to major societal, ecological and economical changes, including massive urbanization, travel, lack of mosquito control, climate change and international trade.

  • Dengue is currently the most common mosquito-borne viral disease worldwide, with an estimated 390 million infections annually.
  • CHIKV re-emerged explosively in 2005-2006 afflicting millions of people in the Indian Ocean areas and ever since continues its rapid expansion.

There are no specific treatments available to prevent or treat the diseases caused by ZIKV, WNV and CHIKV and no prognostic markers that would predict the development of severe or chronic manifestations of these infections.

Note for students

Our viruses are categorized as Biosafety Level (BSL) 3 pathogens and thus much of our research is conducted at the BSL3 laboratory. Therefore, if you are willing to do an internship with us, it is essential you have previous working experience within BSL2 environment.
Relevance

How our research benefits to society

The overarching aim of our research is to unravel processes that lead to disease and thereby identify biomarkers preceding severe disease development as well as therapeutic targets. We do so by focusing on:

  • Principal Investigator: Jolanda Smit

    This research line aims at unravelling the molecular interactions between the virus and the host in order to guide the development of safe and efficacious vaccines and anti-viral drugs.

    Our efforts focus on

    • The cell entry processes of virus particles
    • Mechanisms involved in antibody-mediated neutralization and enhancement of infection
    • molecular mechanisms, by which viruses hijack or counteract host cell defense mechanisms eg. stress granules and autophagy.​

  • Principal Investigator: Izabela Rodenhuis-Zybert

    This research line focuses on understanding the mechanisms initiating and contracting inflammatory responses in course of viral infections. Our objective is not only to delineate the immune-mechanisms initiated by the mono-infections but also these triggered by the epidemiologically and clinically relevant, yet understudied, co-infections.

    Our efforts focus on:

    1. the role of immune cells in controlling and exacerbating DENV pathogenesis
    2. the molecular immune-pathogenesis of CHIKV-mediated arthritis, and
    3. the interplay of innate immune responses elicited during co-infections.

Contact

Small profile picture of I. Rodenhuis-Zybert
Izabela Rodenhuis-Zybert Assistant professor / Principal Investigator Mechanisms of virus-induced inflammation Team
Jolanda Smit
Jolanda Smit Professor / Principal Investigator Molecular interactions between the virus and the host / Team and Experimental Virology Group Leader

University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)
Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention
P.O. Box 30.001
9700 RB Groningen
The Netherlands

Visiting address
University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)
Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention
Hanzeplein 1
9713 GZ Groningen
The Netherlands