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

Cunha C, Aversa F, Lacerda JF, Busca A, Kurzai O, Grube M, Löffler J, Maertens JA, Bell AS, Inforzato A, Barbati E, Almeida B, Santos e Sousa P, Barbui A, Potenza L, Caira M, Rodrigues F, Salvatori G, Pagano L, Luppi M, Mantovani A, Velardi A, Romani L, Carvalho A (2014) Genetic PTX3 deficiency and aspergillosis in stem-cell transplantation. N Engl J Med 370(5), 421-432.
Cunha C, Kurzai O, Carvalho A (2014) PTX3 deficiency and aspergillosis. N Engl J Med 370(17), 1666-1667.
Cunha C, Kurzai O, Löffler J, Aversa F, Romani L, Carvalho A (2014) Neutrophil Responses to Aspergillosis: New Roles for Old Players. Mycopathologia [Epub ahead of print]
Das Gupta M, Fliesser M, Springer J, Breitschopf T, Schlossnagel H, Schmitt AL, Kurzai O, Hünniger K, Einsele H, Löffler J (2014) Aspergillus fumigatus induces microRNA-132 in human monocytes and dendritic cells. Int J Med Microbiol 304(5-6), 592-596.
Ekaney ML, Otto GP, Sossdorf M, Sponholz C, Boehringer M, Loesche W, Rittirsch D, Wilharm A, Kurzai O, Bauer M, Claus RA (2014) Impact of plasma histones in human sepsis and their contribution to cellular injury and inflammation. Crit Care 18(5), 543.
Hentschel J, Müller U, Doht F, Fischer N, Böer K, Sonnemann J, Hipler C, Hünniger K, Kurzai O, Markert UR, Mainz JG (2014) Influences of nasal lavage collection-, processing- and storage methods on inflammatory markers--evaluation of a method for non-invasive sampling of epithelial lining fluid in cystic fibrosis and other respiratory diseases. J Immunol Methods 404, 41-51.
Hünniger K*, Lehnert T*, Bieber K, Martin R, Figge MT⁺, Kurzai O⁺ (2014) A virtual infection model quantifies innate effector mechanisms and Candida albicans immune escape in human blood. PLOS Comput Biol 10(2), e1003479, */⁺authors contributed equally.
Jacobsen ID, Lüttich A, Kurzai O, Hube B, Brock M (2014) In vivo imaging of disseminated murine Candida albicans infection reveals unexpected host sites of fungal persistence during antifungal therapy. J Antimicrob Chemother 69(10), 2785-2796.
Lother J, Breitschopf T, Krappmann S, Morton CO, Bouzani M, Kurzai O, Gunzer M, Hasenberg M, Einsele H, Loeffler J (2014) Human dendritic cell subsets display distinct interactions with the pathogenic mould Aspergillus fumigatus. Int J Med Microbiol [Epub ahead of print]
Miramón P, Dunker C, Kasper L, Jacobsen ID, Barz D, Kurzai O, Hube B (2014) A family of glutathione peroxidases contributes to oxidative stress resistance in Candida albicans. Med Mycol 52(3), 223-239.