Genomics of Retroviral Infections

The BMBF Junior Research Group Genomics of Retroviral Infections, headed by Dr. Dr. Ulrike Lange, is investigating the extent to which retroviruses such as HIV influence the function of the target genome and vice versa. They are investigating the molecular mechanisms that determine the selection of genomic HIV integration sites and the establishment and maintenance of HIV latency during chronic infection.

The aim is to identify new strategies for controlling retroviral infections. Among other things, they use experimental methods based on high-throughput sequencing that allow genome-wide analysis of epigenetic and transcriptional states. Current focal points are the investigation of aberrant gene transcripts in chronic HIV infection using various cell models and the establishment of bioinformatic methods to analyze the regulation of endogenous retroviruses in HIV target cells of the immune system.