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, 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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Aldejohann AM, Menner C, Thielemann N, Martin R, Walther G, Kurzai O (2024) In vitro activity of ibrexafungerp against clinically relevant echinocandin-resistant Candida strains. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 68(2), e0132423.

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Banz M, Stallmach A, Gaßler N, Schulze PC, Fritzenwanger M, Cornely O, Kurzai O, Pletz MW (2024) Fatal pulmonary hemorrhage, pneumothorax and skin necrosis caused by IRIS to an Aspergillus flavus infection in a young patient with metamizole associated agranulocytosis. Infection 52(2), 685-690.

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Batliner M, Schumacher F, Wigger D, Vivas W, Prell A, Fohmann I, Köhler T, Schempp R, Riedel A, Vaeth M, Fekete A, Kleuser B, Kurzai O, Nieuwenhuizen NE (2024) The Candida albicans quorum-sensing molecule farnesol alters sphingolipid metabolism in human monocyte-derived dendritic cells. mBio 15(8), e0073224.

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Brassington P, Klefisch FR, Graf B, Pfüller R, Kurzai O, Walther G, Barber AE (2024) Genomic reconstruction of an azole-resistant Candida parapsilosis outbreak and the creation of a multilocus sequence typing scheme: a retrospective observational and genomic epidemiology study. Lancet Microbe , 100949.

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Hatmaker EA, Barber AE, Drott MT, Sauters TJC, Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Garcia-Hermoso D, Kurzai O, Rokas A (2024) Pathogenicity is associated with population structure in a fungal pathogen of humans. bioRxiv [Preprint]

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Heilig L, Fariha N, Trinks N, Aimanianda V, Wong SSW, Fontaine T, Terpitz U, Strobel L, Lemauff F, Sheppard D, Schaeuble S, Kurzai O, Hünniger K, Weiss E, Vargas M, Howell PL, Panagiotou G, Wurster S, Einsele H, Löffler J (2024) CD56-mediated activation of human natural killer cells is triggered by Aspergillus fumigatus galactosaminogalactan. PLOS Pathog 20(6), e1012315.

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Jans T, Krauthausen M, Bauer C, Forster J, Engels G, Pietsch F, Wallstabe J, Rücker V, Wendel J, Weissbrich B, Heuschmann P, Härtel C, Dölken L, Kurzai O, Gágyor I, Liese JG, Romanos M, Streng A (2024) [Can SARS-CoV-2 infection status in preschool children be predicted by pandemic-related attitudes and concerns of their parents? Data from the Würzburg Daycare Centre Studies (Wü-KiTa-CoV, 2020-2022)]. Gesundheitswesen [In press]

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Krauthausen M, Gierszewski D, Streng A, Forster J, Engels G, Pietsch F, Wallstabe J, Jans T, Rücker V, Romanos M, Heuschmann P, Dölken L, Härtel C, Kurzai O, Liese J, Gágyor I (2024) [Continuous SARS-CoV-2 monitoring in day care centres: A qualitative interview study on the experiences of childcare workers and parents with different self-sampling methods in the home environment]. Z Evid Fortbild Qual Gesundhwes 189, 24-32.

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Krone M, Rauschenberger V, Blaschke V, Claus H, Kurzai O, Kampmeier S (2024) Ralstonia pickettii bloodstream infections with potential genomic link to internationally distributed contaminated saline solution, Germany, October 2023. Euro Surveill 29(3), 2400010.

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