The persistent infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a deadly disease that can only be controlled by life-long antiretroviral therapy. The immune system fails to eliminate the infection with HIV due to the multitude of viral strategies to evade the innate and cellular host responses. Several immune evasion strategies of HIV are directly linked to the viral envelope protein. The viral envelope protein mediates the fusion of the virus with uninfected cells and thereby is essential for establishing and sustaining an infection with HIV. With the envelope protein being the only viral protein on the surface of HIV, it is the single point of attack for the immune system. However, only small numbers of envelope proteins are integrated into the viral membrane, the sequence of the envelope protein is highly variable, and the envelope protein is hidden under a dense coat of host-derived sugars (=glycans) of varying composition.

In the Karsten Lab, we try to understand why in rare cases infected individuals develop an antibody response capable of overcoming the glycan coat of HIV and other viruses. We investigate in detail the qualitative properties of antibody responses capable of controlling or limiting viral infections with particular focus on non-neutralizing antibody mediated immune functions. The results of these studies are applied to develop new HIV vaccine candidates with glycan coats optimized for the induction of protective antibodies.

Assistant Professor Dr. Christina B. Karsten

IG1, Room 2.050

Tel. 0201/723-4205

Fax 0201/723-5543

christina.karsten@uk-essen.de