AG Schwarzer — Research Focus (Overview)
Research Focus
From HIV Latency to Host–Pathogen Interfaces
HIV Reservoir & Cure overview
HIV • Latency

HIV Reservoir and Cure Research

ART transformed HIV into a manageable condition but spares latently infected cells that form long-lived reservoirs and fuel rebound. We use systems virology, CRISPR, and patient-derived models to define and target these reservoirs.

HIV infection outcome & pyroptosis schematic
Pathogenesis

Inflammatory Circuits and Pyroptosis

Abortive HIV in tissue CD4⁺ T cells triggers inflammasome–caspase-1 pyroptosis, amplifying inflammation. We map extrinsic and host drivers in tonsil and cell-line models to guide targeted anti-inflammatory strategies.

Antivirals research composite: nanoparticles, proteins, dose–response
Therapeutics

Antivirals Discovery

From pan-antiviral candidates to delivery, we probe mechanisms, resistance, and host-dependent therapy failure with collaborative screens.

Immunometabolic virology: environment, sex, metabolism & infection
Metabolism and Omics

Immunometabolic Virology

Viruses reprogram cellular metabolism, while host metabolic state and microenvironment shape infection outcome. We use single-cell profiling, Seahorse/MS and CRISPR to map metabolic dependencies and identify therapeutic targets.

Orthohantavirus project pipeline and microscopy panels
Hantaviruses

Cytoskeleton and Orthohantavirus Dynamics

Orthohantaviruses are zoonotic, tri-segmented negative-sense RNA viruses that can cause severe human disease. We map host–virus interfaces—including glycoprotein entry, cytoskeletal remodeling and P-body interactions—using interactomics, CRISPR and quantitative microscopy to identify host-directed antiviral targets.