Virus-based technologies

Our research

The focus of this innovation field is on concepts and solutions for the use of viruses and phages for the targeted medical (prevention, therapy, diagnostics) or biotechnological application and biointelligent use. The services offer a range from genome engineering to process development for the production of viral agents in lab-scale.

One focus is the development of viruses into therapeutic agents. Oncolytic viruses, for example, represent promising and innovative cancer therapies. In the innovation field, a viral platform based on Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) has already been developed. The ability of viruses/viral vectors to transport genetic information into cells and anchor it there can be used in diverse ways, e.g. for cell and gene therapy.

Bacteriophages are attractive alternatives for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria and can be used in a variety of technological ways, for example for the production of antibodies, as biointelligent actuators and sensors in fermentation or for the degradation of biofilms. In addition, within the innovation field we are developing virus-like particles as vaccines and for targeted drug delivery.

Fields of activity and technologies

Engineering of therapeutic viruses
Oncolytic viruses
Viral vectors (Cell and gene therapy)
Phage technology
Virus-like particles

Therapeutic viruses

Understanding infection mechanisms of viruses, diagnosing them and developping approaches for targeted prevention (vaccines) and therapy (oncolytic viruses) are our central concerns.

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Virus-like particles

The research group develops virus-based therapies. We provide virus-like particles with antigens for use as vaccines or develop them as vehicles for targeted drug delivery.

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Bakteriophages

Bacteriophages are viruses that specifically and exclusively destroy bacteria. They can be used for therapeutic purposes, for bacterial diagnostics and to break down biofilms. We are dealing with the groundbreaking topic of their application-related use for targeted germ reduction.

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Molecular diagnostics

Culture and detection of viruses

With our experience and infrastructure we offer the cultivation and production of selected viruses. For characterization and further investigation a number of assays are available.

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PCR technologies

PCR-based technologies form the basis for rapid identification and quantification of pathogens. In particular, we develop multiplex PCR systems for the highly parallel detection of pathogens. On their basis, methods for the diagnosis of viruses, fungi and bacteria can be developed for customers from companies, hospitals and research institutions.

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Array technologies

With many years of experience we develop microarrays based on nucleic acids or proteins as effective detection systems for pathogens of sepsis or skin infections, the detection of resistances or the diagnosis of respiratory diseases: from probe design to immobilization with contact printing methods.

Infectious biology and array technologies

Production, culture and characterization of human pathogenic viruses

Viruses are minute pathogens that threaten humans and animals in great diversity and can lead to diseases. Understanding their infection mechanisms, detecting them diagnostically, and developing approaches for targeted prevention (vaccines) and therapy (antiviral molecules) are central concerns of Prof. Bailer's research group.

With our virological, cell biological and molecular biological experience and infrastructure we offer the cultivation, production and detection of selected human pathogenic viruses. Direct and indirect detection methods are available for characterization and further investigation.

Range of services

Virus culture (quantification, purification, characterization of viruses)
Testing of antiviral molecules and characterization of their mode of action
Analysis of virus-virus and virus-host protein interactions
2D infection systems
Virus diagnostics by bioanalyzer, PCR, RT-qPCR, microarray and ELISA
Differentiation of bacterial, viral and fungal diseases
Virus engineering (herpes viruses)

Viruses: Herpes viruses (HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV, EBV), polio viruses, influenza viruses can be produced, concentrated and purified in the L2/S2 range.

Diagnostics

A number of virologic assays are available to characterize the viruses:

Viral plaque assay
TCID50 assay
Growth kinetics analysis
ELISA

Molecular biological assays are available for the detection of pathogen genomes:

Bioanalyzer
PCR
RT-qPCR

For the analysis of protein interactions (also in high throughput) the yeast-2-hybrid system, the Lumier and the BRET assay are used. Indirect immunofluorescence analysis by confocal microscopy is one of the standard methods.

publications

Selected publications

Heese, R.; Wetschky, J.; Rohmer, C.; Bailer, S.M.; Bortz, M. Fast and Non-Invasive Evaluation of Yeast Viability in Fermentation Processes Using Raman Spectroscopy and Machine Learning. Beverages 2023, 9, 68. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/beverages9030068

Bailer, S. M.; Rohmer, C.; Rother, D.; Epting, K. Potenzialanalyse Virus-basierte Therapien - Neue Therapieformen und deren Translation in die Klinik : Abschlussbericht. (2023). Fraunhofer-Institut für Grenzflächen- und Bioverfahrenstechnik IGB.

Lieber, D.; Bailer S. M. (2013)
Determination of HSV-1 infectivity by plaque assay and a luciferase reporter cell line
Methods Mol Biol. 1064: 171-181. doi: 10.1007/978-1-62703-601-6_12.

Striebinger, H.; Koegl, M.; Bailer, S. M. (2013)
A high-throughput yeast two-hybrid protocol to determine virus-host protein interactions
Methods Mol Biol. 1064: 1-15. doi: 10.1007/978-1-62703-601-6_1.

Lenac Roviš, T.; Bailer, S. M.; Pothineni, V. R.; Ouwendijk, W. J.; Šimić, H., Babić, M.; Miklić, K.; Malić, S.; Verweij, M. C.; Baiker, A.; Gonzalez, O.; von Brunn, A.; Zimmer, R.; Früh, K.; Verjans, G. M., Jonjić, S; Haas, J. (2013)
Comprehensive analysis of varicella-zoster virus proteins using a new monoclonal antibody collection
J Virol. 87(12): 6943-6954. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00407-13.

Scientific publications

Jahr Year	Titel/Autor:in Title/Author	Publikationstyp Publication Type
2024	TheraVision: Engineering platform technology for the development of oncolytic viruses based on herpes simplex virus type 1 Funk, Christina; Uhlig, Nadja; Ruzsics, Zsolt; Baur, Florentin; Peindl, Matthias; Nietzer, Sarah; Epting, Karina; Vacun, Gabriele; Dandekar, Gudrun; Botteron, Catherine; Werno, Christian; Grunwald, Thomas; Bailer, Susanne	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2023	Fast and Non-Invasive Evaluation of Yeast Viability in Fermentation Processes Using Raman Spectroscopy and Machine Learning Heese, Raoul; Wetschky, Jens; Rohmer, Carina; Bailer, Susanne; Bortz, Michael	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2022	Thermal inactivation of the corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) in air volumes Schlott, André; Hutsch, Thomas; Sauer, Eileen; Wetschky, Jens; Hessel, Jana; Bailer, Susanne; Laubert, John; Lösch, Stefan	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2022	Peptides from the sequence of the complement factor d for medical use, especially for the treatment of ebv-associated diseases Bailer, Susanne; Sauer, Eileen	Patent
2022	Platform vector for modular and simplified insertion of transgenes into Alphaherpesvirinae Bailer, Susanne; Funk, Christina	Patent
2021	Impfstoffe günstig herstellen - Neues Verfahren zur Inaktivierung von Erregern in Flüssigkeiten Thoma, Martin; Fertey, Jasmin; Gotzmann, Gaby; Bailer, Susann	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2021	An AZT Analog with Strongly Pairing Ethynylpyridone Nucleobase and Its Antiviral Activity against HSV1 Han, J.; Funk, C.; Eyberg, J.; Bailer, S.; Richert, C.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2021	The HSV1 Tail-Anchored Membrane Protein pUL34 Contains a Basic Motif That Supports Active Transport to the Inner Nuclear Membrane Prior to Formation of the Nuclear Egress Complex Funk, Christina; Marques, Debora; Ott, M.; Raschbichler, V.; Bailer, Susanne	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2020	Patterns of autologous and nonautologous interactions between core nuclear egress complex (NEC) proteins of a-, v- and g-herpesviruses Häge, S.; Sonntag, E.; Borst, E.M.; Tannig, P.; Seyler, L.; Bäuerle, T.; Bailer, S.; Lee, C.-P.; Müller, R.; Wangen, C.; Milbradt, J.; Marschall, M.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2020	Cold atmospheric plasma as antiviral therapy - effect on human herpes simplex virus type 1 Bunz, O.; Mese, K.; Funk, C.; Wulf, M.; Bailer, S.; Piwowarczyk, A.; Ehrhardt, A.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2019	Comprehensive analysis of nuclear export of herpes simplex virus type 1 tegument proteins and their Epstein-Barr virus orthologs Funk, Christina; Raschbichler, Verena; Lieber, Diana; Wetschky, Jens; Arnold, Eileen; Leimser, Jacqueline; Biggel, Michael; Friedel, Caroline C.; Ruzsics, Zsolt; Bailer, Susanne	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2018	Nuclear egress of TDP-43 and FUS occurs independently of Exportin-1/CRM1 Ederle, Helena; Funk, Christina; Abou-Ajram, Claudia; Hutten, Saskia; Funk, Eva B.E.; Kehlenbach, Ralph H.; Bailer, Susanne; Dormann, Dorothee	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2017	Herpesviral vectors and their application in oncolytic therapy, vaccination, and gene transfer Bailer, S.; Funk, C.; Riedl, A.; Ruzsics, Z.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2017	Begomoviral Movement Protein Effects in Human and Plant Cells Krapp, S.; Schuy, C.; Greiner, E.; Stephan, I.; Alberter, B.; Funk, C.; Marschall, M.; Wege, C.; Bailer, S.; Kleinow, T.; Krenz, B.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2017	Venture from the Interior-Herpesvirus pUL31 Escorts Capsids from Nucleoplasmic Replication Compartments to Sites of Primary Envelopment at the Inner Nuclear Membrane Bailer, S.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2016	Subcellular trafficking and functional relationship of the HSV-1 glycoproteins N and M Striebinger, Hannah; Funk, Christina; Raschbichler, Verena; Bailer, Susanne M.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2016	Asna1/TRC40 that mediates membrane insertion of tail-anchored proteins is required for efficient release of Herpes simplex virus 1 virions Ott, Melanie; Marques, Débora; Funk, Christina; Bailer, Susanne M.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2016	Pathogens inactivated by low-energy-electron irradiation maintain antigenic properties and induce protective immune responses Fertey, Jasmin; Bayer, Lea; Grunwald, Thomas; Pohl, Alexandra; Beckmann, Jana; Gotzmann, Gaby; Portillo Casado, Javier; Schönfelder, Jessy; Rögner, Frank-Holm; Wetzel, Christiane; Thoma, Martin; Bailer, Susanne M.; Hiller, Ekkehard; Rupp, Steffen; Ulbert, Sebastian	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2016	Genusstauglich? - Hygienische Wasseruntersuchung per Schnelltest Bailer, Susanne	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2015	The herpes simplex virus protein pUL31 escorts nucleocapsids to sites of nuclear egress, a process coordinated by its N-terminal domain Funk, C.; Ott, M.; Raschbichler, V.; Nagel, C.H.; Binz, A.; Sodeik, B.; Bauerfeind, R.; Bailer, S.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2015	Subcellular trafficking and functional importance of Herpes simplex virus type 1 Glycoprotein M domains Striebinger, Hannah; Zhang, Jie; Ott, Melanie; Funk, Christina; Radtke, Kerstin; Duron, Johanne; Ruzsics, Zsolt; Haas, Jürgen; Lippé, Roger; Bailer, Susanne	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2014	Identification of human pathogenic fungi via DNA-Microarray analysis for clinical applications Mayer, L.S.L.; Hartmann, S.C.; Cavalar, M.; Weile, J.; Rothacher, P.; Boven, K.-H.; Bailer, S.; Rupp, S.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2014	Single-stranded DNA catalyzes hybridization of PCR-products to microarray capture probes Dally, S.; Rupp, S.; Lemuth, Karin; Hartmann, S.C.; Hiller, Ekkehard; Bailer, S.; Knabbe, C.; Weile, J.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2013	Identification of human pathogenic fungi via DNA-Microarray analysis for clinical applications Mayer, L.S.L.; Hartmann, S.C.; Cavalar, M.; Weile, J.; Rothacher, P.; Boven, K.-H.; Lemuth, Karin; Bailer, S.M.; Rupp, S.	Konferenzbeitrag Conference Paper
2013	Mouse cytomegalovirus egress protein pM50 interacts with cellular endophilin-A2 Lemnitzer, Frederic; Raschbichler, Verena; Kolodziejczak, Dominika; Israel, Lars; Imhof, Axel; Bailer, Susanne M.; Koszinowski, Ulrich; Ruzsics, Zsolt	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2013	A high-throughput yeast two-hybrid protocol to determine virus-host protein interactions Striebinger, H.; Koegl, M.; Bailer, S.	Aufsatz in Buch Book Article
2013	Comprehensive analysis of varicella-zoster virus proteins using a new monoclonal antibody collection Rovis, T.L.; Bailer, S.; Pothineni, V.R.; Ouwendijk, W.J.D.; Simic, H.; Babic, M.; Miklic, K.; Malic, S.; Verweij, M.C.; Baiker, A.; Gonzalez, O.; Brunn, A. von; Zimmer, R.; Früh, K.; Verjans, G.M.G.M.; Jonjic, S.; Haas, J.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2013	Determination of HSV-1 infectivity by plaque assay and a luciferase reporter cell line Lieber, D.; Bailer, S.	Aufsatz in Buch Book Article
2013	DNA-Microarrays in der Diagnostik Dally, S.; Hartmann, S.C.; Rupp, S.; Bailer, S.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2012	Cross-presentation and genome-wide screening reveal candidate T cells antigens for a herpes simplex virus type 1 vaccine Jing, L.; Haas, J.; Chong, T.M.; Bruckner, J.J.; Dann, G.C.; Dong, L.; Marshak, J.O.; McClurkan, C.L.; Yamamoto, T.N.; Bailer, S.; Laing, K.J.; Wald, A.; Verjans, G.M.; Koelle, D.M.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2012	NEX-TRAP, a novel method for in vivo analysis of nuclear export of proteins Raschbichler, V.; Lieber, D.; Bailer, S.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2012	10th anniversary of the GfV workshop "Cell Biology of viral infections" Bailer, S.; Wodrich, H.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article
2012	Identification of human pathogenic moulds and yeasts via Lab-on-a-chip system Mayer, L.S.L.; Hartmann, S.C.; Boven, K.H.; Cavalar, M.; Rothacher, P.; Weile, J.; Bailer, S.M.; Rupp, S.	Konferenzbeitrag Conference Paper
2007	A novel conserved nuclear localization signal is recognized by a group of yeast importins Fries, T.; Betz, C.; Sohn, K.; Caesar, S.; Schlenstedt, G.; Bailer, S.	Zeitschriftenaufsatz Journal Article

Diese Liste ist ein Auszug aus der Publikationsplattform Fraunhofer-Publica

This list has been generated from the publication platform Fraunhofer-Publica

projects

Anti-Corona Projects

Prevention

CoroVacc – Attenuated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine

Development of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine based on attenuated carrier viruses.

Due to a modular approach by the Fraunhofer Institutes IGB and IZI, the carrier virus can be developed with SARS-CoV-2 specific antigens at short notice and tested with regard to its vaccination effect.

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Prevention

ViProTeFa – Development and establishment of a virus protection test facility

The Fraunhofer Institutes IPA and IGB want to establish a worldwide unique test facility for the qualification of protection devices and measures. The aim is the standardized testing of protective equipment and cleaning processes and the development of a widely applicable standard or norm.

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Prevention

AVATOR

Thermal inactivation of aerosol-borne viruses

Aerosols pose an increased risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2. This is where the "Virus Grill" project comes in: By inactivating viruses through heating the air, the probability of infection via droplets suspended in the ambient air is to be reduced.

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Virus detection

Healthy Air Initiative

The »Healthy Air Initiative« is a network of Fraunhofer institutes and other partners that pursues an integrated concept of research, knowledge transfer and networking. The new advisory center serves as a contact point for small and medium-sized companies with questions about ventilation concepts and air cleaning technologies. Within the framework of the initiative, manufacturers have the opportunity to use test environments and to carry out tests to assess the effectiveness of air cleaning technologies.

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Therapeutic viruses

Bacteriophages

Virus-like particles

Virus culture and virus detection

PCR technologies

Array technologies

Virus-based technologies

Tabbed contents

Our research

Fields of activity and technologies

NALFA – Rapid diagnosis of pathogenic viruses