Veterinary Virology

Due to new detection technologies, such as next generation sequencing (NGS), many new viruses have recently emerged in Veterinary Medicine, but the clinical significance of these has not yet been clearly elucidated. The main focus of this research group is the discovery and characterization of new and/or not well characterized viruses with potential relevance to Veterinary Medicine. This includes on one hand the clinical characterization regarding prevalence, disease association, and transmission in sample material from patients in vivo and, on the other hand, the modelling of viral infections in three-dimensional (3D) cell culture models (such as skin rafts and organoids) to study the pathomechanisms of these viruses in vitro. The long-term goal is to use this information to develop new diagnostic tools and treatment options for affected patients.