(2016)
C-Terminal Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Peptide: A New Sepsis Biomarker with Immunomodulatory Function.
Mediators Inflamm 2016,
6129437.

Oliver Kurzai
National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections · Head Fungal Septomics · Head +49 3641 532-1347 oliver.kurzai@leibniz-hki.deCurriculum 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
(2016)
Candida albicans infection leads to barrier breakdown and a MAPK/NF-κB mediated stress response in the intestinal epithelial cell line C2BBe1.
Cellular Microbiology 18(7),
889-904.
(2016)
Krüppel-like Factor 4 modulates interleukin-6 release in human dendritic cells after in vitro stimulation with Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans
Sci Rep 6,
27990.
(2016)
Hypoxia attenuates anti-Aspergillus fumigatus immune responses initiated by human dendritic cells.
Mycoses 59(8),
503-508.
(2016)
Candida albicans induces metabolic reprogramming in human NK cells and responds to perforin with a Zinc depletion response.
Front Microbiol 7,
750.
(2016)
Colonization of CF patients' upper airways with S. aureus contributes more decisively to upper airway inflammation than P. aeruginosa.
Med Microbiol Immunol 205(5),
485-500.
(2016)
Candidalysin is a fungal peptide toxin critical for mucosal infection.
Nature 532(7597),
64-68.
(2016)
Genetic Factors of the Disease Course after Sepsis: A Genome-Wide Study for 28Day Mortality.
EBioMedicine 12,
239-246.
(2016)
Genetic Factors of the Disease Course After Sepsis: Rare Deleterious Variants Are Predictive.
EBioMedicine 12,
227-238.
(2015)
Automated segmentation and tracking of non-rigid objects in time-lapse microscopy videos of polymorphonuclear neutrophils.
Medical Image Analysis 20(1),
34-51.