FungiNet
Collaborative Research Center/Transregio 124 – Pathogenic fungi and their human host: Networks of interaction

The yeast Candida albicans and the filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus are by far the most important causes of life-threatening invasive mycoses in Europe. Despite the increasing incidence of these infections, the current diagnosis is still difficult and often too late, and options for therapies are limited. Moreover, A. fumigatus and C. albicans have developed multiple sophisticated, specific and unique pathogenicity mechanisms. Many of these mechanisms are not well understood. Research on these microorganisms will discover and elucidate novel biological principles, including new regulatory and metabolic pathways. To obtain a comprehensive insight into these medically important fungi, scientists from Jena and Würzburg have initiated the Collaborative Research Center / Transregio 124 FungiNet. The researchers aim to identify pathogenic determinants, to investigate the role of the innate and the adaptive immune system for the pathogenesis of fungal infections, to elucidate the complex mechanisms of fungal infections and identify common principles of fungal pathogenesis, and to ultimately use this information for new therapeutic approaches.