Oliver Kurzai

National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections · Head Fungal Septomics · Head +49 3641 532-1347 oliver.kurzai@leibniz-hki.de

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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)

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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.

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Papan C, Geipel M, Heidtmann S, Müller R, Praschmo D, Meier CM, Walther G, Kurzai O, Groll AH, Zemlin M, Simon A (2023) A mould in the fold should never grow old: cutaneous aspergillosis in a preterm neonate. Clin Microbiol Infect 29(3), 338-339.

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Reusch J, Wagenhäuser I, Gabel A, Eggestein A, Höhn A, Lâm TT, Frey A, Schubert-Unkmeir A, Dölken L, Frantz S, Kurzai O, Vogel U, Krone M, Petri N (2023) Influencing factors of anti-SARS-CoV-2-spike-IgG antibody titers in healthcare workers: A cross-section study. J Med Virol 95(1), e28300.

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Reusch J, Wagenhäuser I, Gabel A, Höhn A, Lâm TT, Krone LB, Frey A, Schubert-Unkmeir A, Dölken L, Frantz S, Kurzai O, Vogel U, Krone M, Petri N (2023) Inability to work following COVID-19 vaccination-a relevant aspect for future booster vaccinations. Public Health 222, 186-195.

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