Meet the Team
Scientific Staff

Dr. Nahla Galal Metwally
Principal Investigator
Phone: +49 40 285380-443
Email: metwally@bnitm.de
Funding:
Leibniz Center Infection (LCI)
Joint project with Research Center Borstel (Prof. Dr. Holger Heine)
Jürgen Manchot Foundation
Research Interest
"In my research, I focus on studying the role of human microRNAs in the pathogenesis of the complications during Plasmodium falciparum infection. Since altered microRNA profiles have been described for many types of infections recently, microRNAs could be an appropriate drug target for the treatment of infectious disease. The role of human microRNAs in Malaria is not yet described in the literature."
PhD/MD Students

Johannes Allweier
Contact: johannes.allweier@bnitm.de (-397)
Funding: German Research Foundation (DFG); Priority Programme “Physics of Parasitism” (SPP 2332)
Joint PhD project with Research Center Borstel (Prof. Dr. Thomas Gutsmann)

Research Project
"In my project I am investigating the invasion process of Entamoeba histolytica through the intestinal tissues. For this purpose, I have established a murine organoid-derived 2D monolayer model of the small and large intestine. Immune cells and a microbiome can be added to the system to study the effects of co-incubation. Furthermore, I am characterizing different E. histolytica transfectants, which overexpress or silence a gene that is probably involved in the pathogenicity of the parasite."

Jakob Cronshagen
jakob.cronshagen@bnitm.de (-634)
Funding: Joachim Herz Foundation
Joint PhD project with RG Malaria Cell Biology (Dr. Tobias Spielmann)

Barbara Honecker
Contact:barbara.honecker@bnitm.de (-474)
Funding:Joachim Herz Foundation
Joint PhD project with RG Molecular Infection Immunology (Prof. Dr. Hanna Lotter)
Research Project
"I investigate the interaction of the parasite 'Entamoeba histolytica' with the host immune system, more specifically the involvement of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Monocytes and neutrophils in culture as well as organoids are implemented to study the immunostimulatory properties of these EVs."

Pilar Martínez
Contact: maria-del-pilar.martinez-tauler@bnitm.de (-397)
Funding: Leibniz Center Infection (LCI)
Joint PhD project with Research Center Borstel (Prof. Dr. Holger Heine)

Research Project
"For my project I am currently investigating the cytoadhesion of transfected Plasmodium falciparum parasites to human brain endothelial cells and different endothelial receptors. Cerebral malaria is one of the severest forms of malaria infection and still costs about half a million lives per year. It is crucial therefore to understand the interaction of this parasite and the human host more thoroughly."

Research Project
"Understanding the pathogenesis of P. falciparum infection in the context of host-parasite interaction could lead to targets for adjunctive therapies. Since cytoadhesion does not provide the full explanation for the complications associated with malaria, extracellular vesicles (EVs) as cargo from cell to cell, carrying proteins and nucleic acids, are being investigated to gain a better understanding of the interaction between parasite and host. In my project, I am investigating the transcriptomes of lung endothelial cells exposed to different stimuli occurring during P. falciparum infection in order to analyze the different profiles of tissue-specific P. falciparum infected erythrocytes communication".

Research Project
"I focus on the direct way of interaction between Plasmodium falciparum and host endothelium, termed cytoadhesion. Besides, I am interested in one of secondary weapons of P. falciparum, the extracellular vesicles. Characterization of these particles may help us better understand the pathogenesis of malaria infection."
Graduate Students

David Danicic-Rauchberger
Master Student (FH Campus Wien)
Contact: David.danicicrauchberger@gmail.com (-397)

Maryéva Bessemoulin
Master Student (University of Strasbourg and CNRS)
Contact: maryevabessemoulin@gmail.com (-474)



Sara Mohamad
Bachelor Student (HAW Hamburg)
Contact: (-474)
Assistants

Wiebke Böhm
Secretariat
Telefon: +49 40 285380 270
Fax: +49 40 42818 265
Email: boehm@bnitm.de

Susann Ofori
Technical assistant
Telefon: +49 40 285380 397
Email: ofori@bnitm.de