Doktorand ­­/­­ PhD Student (gn*) Molecular Virology and Cell Biology

Our research focuses on investigating host-pathogen interactions with a strong emphasis on cell biological mechanisms. Viruses as simple, obligatory, intracellular parasites depend on the host cell for their life cycle. For initial infection and cell entry, viruses hijack cellular processes such as signaling, membrane trafficking, intra- and intercellular transport, nuclear import and export, and mitosis. Following viruses, thus, provides a unique opportunity to analyze these cellular mechanisms. Hence, our research on virus-host interactions of small DNA tumor viruses during cell entry in the Schelhaas laboratory focusses as much on the understanding of the basic cellular biology as it does help to fight viral diseases (for recent insights into our work please refer to Brinkert et al., EMBO Rep., 2025, Bano et al., Sci. Adv., 2024, Feng et al., Nat. Commun. 2024, Rizzato et al., 2024). Using cellular and molecular techniques in combination with super-resolution microscopy, systems biology approaches, and advanced imaging techniques in live cells, organoids, and organisms, the laboratory continues to identify and elucidate basic mechanisms of tumor virus infections in cells. Moreover, making exciting new strides into uncharted territories, we investigate how cell differentiation, pre-existing immune conditions, superinfections, aging, etc. affect the infection outcome using model systems that mimic such conditions. Part of Research Innovation