Thomas F Baumert. Professor of Medicine and Director of the Institute of Viral and Liver Disease 
University of Strasbourg. Website
Institute for Viral and Liver Disease, Inserm Research Unit UMR_S1110.3 rue Koeberlé, 67000 Strasbourg, France
Reseach subject
Human Viral and Liver Disease
Summary
At Institute of Viral and Liver Disease, we are studying the hepatitis C virus (HCV), the hepatitis B virus (HBV), the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), all with major repercussions on public health worldwide. Major unmet medical needs include the related complications of chronic infection, the absent/limited strategies to prevent/treat advanced liver disease and liver cancer, the limitations of current treatments against HBV-induced chronic hepatitis and the lack of vaccines for prevention of HIV and HCV infection. We are also interested in studying virus-host interactions of emerging viruses such as Dengue virus and Zika virus.
Using innovative approaches we are dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying virus-host interactions including early stages of viral infection, genome replication and the assembly of viral particles. Furthermore, were are uncovering cell circuits that drive and maintain HCV/HBV infection and cause liver disease and cancer. Interactions of viruses with the immune system are also under investigation for vaccine development. In a joint program with the University of Strasbourg and the Strasbourg University Hospitals, we achieve unique synergies allowing ultimately the identification of novel targets for preventive and therapeutic strategies against viral infection and liver disease including liver cancer.
Publications
- Mailly L, Xiao F*, Lupberger J*, Wilson GK, Leboeuf C, Aubert P, Duong FHT, Fofana I, Thumann C, Bandiera S, Lutgehetmann M, Volz T, Davis C, Harris HJ, Girardi E, Chane-Woon-Ming B, Fletcher N, Bartenschlager R, Pessaux P, Meuleman P, Villa P, Pfeffer S, Heim MH, Zeisel MB, Neunlist M, Dandri M, McKeating JA, Robinet E#, Baumert TF#. Clearance of persistent hepatitis C virus infection using a monoclonal antibody specific for tight junction protein claudin-1. Nat. Biotechnol., 2015, 33(5), 549-54.*Authors contributed equally, #Authors contributed equally. (IF=41.51)
- Chung RT, Baumert TF. Curing Chronic Hepatitis C — The Arc of a Medical Triumph. N. Engl. J. Med., 2014, 370, 1576-8. (IF=54.42)
- Majzoub K, Hafirassou ML, Meignin C, Goto A., Marzi S., Fedorova A., Verdier Y, Vinh J., Hoffmann JA, Martin F., Baumert TF#, Schuster C*#, Imler JL*#. RACK1 Controls IRES-Mediated Translation of Viruses. Cell, 2014, 159(5),1086-95. *Corresponding authors, #co-senior authors. (IF=33.11)
- Zona L*, Lupberger J*, Sidahmed-Adrar N#, Thumann C#, Harris HJ, Barnes A, Florentin J, Tawar RG, Xiao F, Turek M, Durand SC, Duong FHT, Heim MH, Cosset FL, Hirsch I, Samuel D, Brino L, Zeisel MB, Le Naour F, McKeating JA, Baumert TF. HRas signal transduction promotes hepatitis C virus cell entry by triggering assembly of the host tetraspanin receptor complex. Cell Host Microbe, 2013, 13, 302-13.*Authors contributed equally, #authors contributed equally. (IF=12.19)
- Lupberger J*, Zeisel MB*, Xiao F, Thumann C, Fofana I, Zona L, Davis C, Mee CJ, Turek M, Gorke S, Royer C, Fischer B, Zahid MN, Lavilette D, Fresquet J, Cosset FL, Rothenberg SM, Pietschmann T, Patel AH, Pessaux P, Doffoel M, Raffelsberger W, Poch O, Mckeating JA, Brino L, Baumert TF. EGFR and EphA2 are host factors for hepatitis C virus entry and targets for antiviral therapy. Nat. Med., 2011, 17, 589-95. *Authors contributed equally. (IF=28.05)