Oliver Kurzai

National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections · Head Fungal Septomics · Head +49 931 31-46161 oliver.kurzai@uni-wuerzburg.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

Hatmaker EA, Barber AE, Drott MT, Sauters TJC, Gumilang A, Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Garcia-Hermoso D, Eagan JL, Keller NP, Kontoyiannis DP, Kurzai O, Rokas A (2025) Population structure in a fungal human pathogen is potentially linked to pathogenicity. Nat Commun 16(1), 7594.

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Heilig L, Bussemer L, Strobel L, Hünniger-Ast K, Kurzai O, Grothey A, Dölken L, Laib Sampaio K, Panagiotou G, Westermann AJ, Einsele H, Wurster S, Schäuble S, Löffler J (2025) Unveiling immune interference: how the dendritic cell response to co-infection with Aspergillus fumigatus is modulated by human cytomegalovirus and its virokine CMVIL-10. mBio 16(11), e0154125.

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Kurotschka PK, Koch MJ, Bucher E, Figueiras A, Gensichen J, Hapfelmeier A, Hay AD, Kretzschmann C, Kurzai O, Lâm TT, Lasher K, Massidda O, Sanftenberg L, Schmiemann G, Schneider A, Simmenroth A, Stark S, Warkentin L, Ebell MH, Gágyor I (2025) Dipsticks and point-of-care microscopy in urinary tract infections in primary care: Results of the MicUTI pilot cluster randomised controlled trial. PLoS One 20(10), e0332390.

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Salmanton-García J, Falci DR, Cornely OA, Pasqualotto AC, IFI Diagnostic and Treatment Capacity Teams Brazil and Europe (2025) Elevating fungal care: bridging Brazil's healthcare practices to global standards. Microbiol Spectr 13(4), e0211224.

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Theuersbacher J, Haug L, Aldejohann AM, Walther G, Kurzai O, Kampik D, Hillenkamp J (2025) Localized versus diffuse corneal invasion in fungal keratitis: Histological insights from Candida albicans and Fusarium falciforme. J Fungi 11(9), 688.

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Wichmann D, Hoenigl M, Koehler P, Koenig C, Lund F, Mang S, Strauß R, Weigand M, Hohmann C, Kurzai O, Heußel C, Kochanek M (2025) [S1 guideline: diagnosis and treatment of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in critically ill/intensive care patients]. Med Klin Intensivmed Notfmed 120(4), 271-289. (Review)

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Wichmann D, Hoenigl M, Koehler P, Koenig C, Lund F, Mang S, Strauß R, Weigand MA, Hohmann C, Kurzai O, Heußel C, Kochanek M (2025) Diagnosis and treatment of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in critically ill intensive care patients: executive summary of the German national guideline (AWMF 113-005). Infection 53(4), 1299-1310. (Review)

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Wiese-Posselt M, Saydan S, Lâm TT, Rörig A, Bergmann C, Becker F, Kurzai O, Feufel MA, Gastmeier P, Schneider S (2025) Development and evaluation of a massive open online course (MOOC) to teach medical students the prudent use of antibiotics. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 14(1), 105.

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Zimmermann A, Theuersbacher J, Han H, Herzog L, Schrenker B, Lotz C, Stigloher C, Hillenkamp J, Hünniger-Ast K, Walther G, Kampik D, Kurzai O, Martin R (2025) A 3D Fusarium keratitis model reveals isolate-specific adhesion and invasion properties in the Fusarium solani species complex. mSphere 10(11), e0032825.

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Aldejohann AM, Hecht J, Martin R, Walther G, Kurzai O (2024) Zunahme von Candida auris in Deutschland im Jahr 2023. Epidemiologisches Bulletin (18), 3-7.

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