Curriculum vitae

Main Research Areas
  • Infection biology of human pathogenic fungi (especially Candida albicans)
  • Infection biology of Neisseria meningitidis
Professional Career
Since 2017 Chair of Medical Microbiology and Mycology, Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, Julius Maximilians University Würzburg and head of the research group Fungal Septomics at Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans-Knöll-Institute Jena
2009-2016 Professor (W2) for Fungal Septomics, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena
2008 Habilitation in medical microbiology, University Würzburg
2006 Medical specialist in microbiology, virology and infection epidemiology (Bayerische Landesärztekammer)
2003 Head of a working group, Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie, University Würzburg
2001-2002 Doctor in practical training (AiP), Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie, University Würzburg
2002 Dr. med., “summa cum laude” University Würzburg
2001 Staatsexamen (state examination) in human medicine, University Würzburg
Awards · Appointments · Scientific Activities
Since 2014 Head of the Nationales Referenzzentrums für invasive Pilzinfektionen (NRZMyk)
Since 2013 Board member of the Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum “Center for Sepsis Control and Care” (CSCC) at the University Hospital Jena
Since 2012 Scientific Manager of the consortium “InfectControl 2020 – New Antiinfection Strategies – Science • Society • Economy” within the BMBF-Programme “Zwanzig 20 – Partnership for Innovation” (Head: Prof. A. Brakhage)
Since 2012 Editor-in-chief, Medical Mycology Case Reports, member (ex officio) of the executive board of the International Society for Human & Animal Mycology (ISHAM)
Since 2011 Elected note taker at the Deutschsprachige Mykologische Gesellschaft DMykG
2015-2016 Speaker of the ZIK Septomics
2011-2013 Editor, Journal of Basic Microbiology
2009 Hans-Rieth-poster prize from the Deutschsprachige Mykologische Gesellschaft (DMykG)
2008 Award from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie
2003 Science award from the Unterfränkische Gedenkjahrstiftung
2003 Dissertation award from the medical faculty of the University Würzburg
2002 Becton-Dickinson PhD award from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie

Publications

Aldejohann AM, Martin R, Hecht J, Haller S, Rickerts V, Walther G, Eckmanns T, Kurzai O (2023) Rise in Candida Auris cases and first nosocomial transmissions in Germany. Dtsch Arztebl Int 120(27-28), 447-478.
Banz M, Stallmach A, Gaßler N, Schulze PC, Fritzenwanger M, Cornely O, Kurzai O, Pletz MW (2023) Fatal pulmonary hemorrhage, pneumothorax and skin necrosis caused by IRIS to an Aspergillus flavus infection in a young patient with metamizole associated agranulocytosis. Infection [Accepted]
Cordeiro TRL, Walther G, Lee HB, et al (2023) A polyphasic approach to the taxonomy of Backusella reveals two new species. Mycological Progress 22,
Engels G, Oechsle AL, Schlegtendal A, Maier C, Holzwarth S, Streng A, Lange B, Karch A, Petersmann A, Streeck H, Blaschke-Steinbrecher S, Härtel C, Schroten H, von Kries R, Berner R, Liese J, Brinkmann F, Toepfner N (2023) SARS-CoV-2 sero-immunity and quality of life in children and adolescents in relation to infections and vaccinations: the IMMUNEBRIDGE KIDS cross-sectional study, 2022. Infection 51(5), 1531-1539.
Garbe E, Thielemann N, Hohner S, Kumar A, Vylkova S, Kurzai O, Martin R (2023) Functional analysis of the Candida albicans ECE1 Promoter. Microbiol Spectr 11(2), e0025323.
Häder A#, Schäuble S#, Gehlen J, Thielemann N, Buerfent BC, Schüller V, Hess T, Wolf T, Schröder J, Weber M, Hünniger K, Löffler J, Vylkova S, Panagiotou G, Schumacher J, Kurzai O (2023) Pathogen-specific innate immune response patterns are distinctly affected by genetic diversity. Nat Commun 14(1), 3239.
Knies K, Wagenhäuser I, Hofmann D, Rauschenberger V, Eisenmann M, Reusch J, Flemming S, Andres O, Petri N, Topp MS, Papsdorf M, McDonogh M, Verma-Führing R, Scherzad A, Zeller D, Böhm H, Gesierich A, Seitz AK, Kiderlen M, Gawlik M, Taurines R, Wurmb T, Ernestus RI, Forster J, Weismann D, Weißbrich B, Liese J, Vogel U, Kurzai O, Dölken L, Gabel A, Krone M (2023) The sensitivity of rapid tests for SARS-CoV-2 antigen. Dtsch Arztebl Int 120(45), 763-764.
Krone M, Wagenhäuser I, Knies K, Hofmann D, Engels G, Taurines R, McDonogh M, Flemming S, Meyer T, Böhm H, Scherzad A, Eisenmann M, Rauschenberger V, Gabel A, Petri N, Reusch J, Forster J, Weißbrich B, Dölken L, Kurzai O, Vogel U, Härtel C, Liese J, Andres O (2023) Clinical accuracy of SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen testing in screening children and adolescents. J Infect 86(3), 256-308.
Kurzai O, Claus H, Lâm TT (2023) Obituary Prof. Ulrich Vogel, MD 1964-2022: a scientific mentor and expert in infection prevention and control. Med Microbiol Immunol 212(1), 1-2. (Review)
Mirhakkak MH*, Chen X*, Heinekamp T, Sae-Ong T, Xu LL, Ni Y, Kurzai O, Barber AE, Brakhage AA, Boutin S, Schäuble S#, Panagiotou G# (2023) Genome-scale Metabolic modeling of Aspergillus fumigatus strains reveals growth dependencies on the lung microbiome. Nat Commun 14(1), 4369.