Are archaea unknown drivers of human diseases?

Project summary

Next to the domain of bacteria and eukaryota, archaea represent one of the three main branches in the tree of life. Interestingly, in contrast to bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microorganisms, pathogenic archaea have not been described yet; an unexpected observation that still lacks mechanistic explanations. In this project, the researchers combine immunological experiments with specific knowledge in the field of archaea microbiology to uncover novel host-pathogen interactions in the context of human diseases. If successful, this project might establish a new research line uncovering the mechanisms of archaea-specific immune recognition and previously unknown disease-associated archaea infections.