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

Thielemann N, Herz M, Kurzai O, Martin R (2022) Analyzing the human gut mycobiome - A short guide for beginners. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 20, 608-614. (Review)
Thomas-Rüddel D, Schlattmann P, Pletz M, Kurzai O, Bloos F (2022) Risk factors for invasive Candida infection in critically ill patients - a systematic review and meta-analysis. Chest 161(2), 345. (Review)
Zoran T, Seelbinder B, White PL, Price JS, Kraus S, Kurzai O, Linde J, Häder A, Loeffler C, Grigoleit GU, Einsele H, Panagiotou G, Loeffler J, Schäuble S (2022) Molecular profiling reveals characteristic and decisive signatures in patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation suffering from invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. J Fungi (Basel) 8(2), 171.
Aldejohann AM, Herz M, Martin R, Walther G, Kurzai O (2021) Emergence of resistant Candida glabrata in Germany. JAC Antimicrob Resist 3(3), dlab122.
Aldejohann AM, Theuersbacher J, Haug L, Lamm OS, Walther G, Kurzai O, Hillenkamp J, Kampik D (2021) First case of Kluyveromyces marxianus (Candida kefyr) late onset keratitis after lamellar endothelial corneal graft. Med Mycol Case Rep 32, 21-24.
Barber AE*, Sae-Ong T*, Kang K, Seelbinder S, Li J, Walther G, Panagiotou G# & Kurzai O# (2021) Aspergillus fumigatus pan-genome analysis identifies genetic variants associated with human infection. Nat Microbiol 6(12), 1526-1536.
Eichner FA, Gelbrich G, Weißbrich B, Dölken L, Kurzai O, Deckert J, Ertl G, Barth M, Hein G, Neuhauser H, Morbach C, Störk S, Heuschmann P (2021) [Seroprevalence of COVID-19 and psychosocial effects in the general population: Results of the STAAB-COVID-one program]. Gesundheitswesen 83(12), 965-975.
Fuchs F, Hof H, Hofmann S, Kurzai O, Meis JF, Hamprecht A (2021) Antifungal activity of nitroxoline against Candida auris isolates. Clin Microbiol Infect 27(11), 1697.e7.
Groll AH, Gordon K, Buchheidt D, Willinger B, Heinz WJ, Kurzai O, Rickerts V, Cornely OA - Medical Mycology at German Academic Medical Centers (MMGAMC) Study Group (2021) State of Medical Mycology at German Academic Medical Centres: A survey of the German-Speaking Mycological Society (DMYKG) and the Paul-Ehrlich-Society for Chemotherapy (PEG). Mycoses 64(10), 1177-1182.
Jiao C, Sharma S, Dugar G, Peeck NL, Bischler T, Wimmer F, Yu Y, Barquist L, Schoen C, Kurzai O, Sharma CM, Beisel CL (2021) Noncanonical crRNAs derived from host transcripts enable multiplexable RNA detection by Cas9. Science 372(6545), 941-948.