New viruses that jump from animals to humans can cause severe diseases. We study how these viruses interact with host cells and trigger disease, focusing on novel coronaviruses. To protect against new viruses with pandemic potential, we are researching how to disrupt the activation of emerging viruses by host cell enzymes, with the goal of developing new broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. Additionally, we aim to understand why the Herpes B virus, harmless in its natural host, macaques, causes severe disease in humans.
Karin Tilch Recent Publications
- von der Schulenburg P, Behrens GMN, Hoffmann M, Linke A, Nehlmeier I, Kempf AM, Stankov M, Lütgehetmann M, Jahnke-Triankowski J, Addo MM, Fischer L, Lohse AW, Pöhlmann S, Schulze Zur Wiesch J, Sterneck M
Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2 XBB.1.5 and JN.1 Variants Following XBB.1.5 Booster Vaccination in Liver Transplant Recipients
Viruses. 2024 Dec 19;16(12):1942 - DOI - - Mazigi O, Langley DB, Henry JY, Burnett DL, Sobti M, Walker GJ, Rouet R, Balachandran H, Lenthall H, Jackson J, Ubiparipovic S, Schofield P, Brown SHJ, Schulz SR, Hoffmann M, Pöhlmann S, Post J, Martinello M, Ahlenstiel G, Kelleher A, Rawlinson WD, Turville SG, Bull RA, Stewart AG, Jäck HM, Goodnow CC, Christ D
Affinity maturation endows potent activity onto class 6 SARS-CoV-2 broadly neutralizing antibodies.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 Jan 7;122(1):e2417544121 - DOI - - Chen N, Decker KE, Schulz SR, Kempf A, Nehlmeier I, Moldenhauer AS, Dopfer-Jablonka A, Behrens GMN, Stankov MV, Manthey L, Jäck HM, Hoffmann M, Pöhlmann S, Arora P
Comparative Analysis of Host Cell Entry Efficiency and Neutralization Sensitivity of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Lineages KP.2, KP.2.3, KP.3, and LB.1
Vaccines (Basel). 2024 Oct 30;12(11):1236 - DOI - - Arora P, Happle C, Kempf A, Nehlmeier I, Stankov MV, Dopfer-Jablonka A, Behrens GMN, Pöhlmann S, Hoffmann M
Impact of JN.1 booster vaccination on neutralisation of SARS-CoV-2 variants KP.3.1.1 and XEC
Lancet Infect Dis. 2024 Dec;24(12):e732-e733 - DOI - - Zhang L, Cheng HH, Krüger N, Hörnich B, Graichen L, Hahn AS, Schulz SR, Jäck HM, Stankov MV, Behrens GMN, Müller MA, Drosten C, Mörer O, Winkler MS, Qian Z, Pöhlmann S, Hoffmann M
ACE2-independent sarbecovirus cell entry can be supported by TMPRSS2-related enzymes and can reduce sensitivity to antibody-mediated neutralization
PLoS Pathog. 2024 Nov 13;20(11):e1012653 - DOI - - Hoffmann M, Kleine-Weber H, Graichen L, Nehlmeier I, Kempf A, Moldenhauer A-S, Braun E, Assiri AM, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D, Alkharsah KR, Pöhlmann S. (2024)
Acquisition of a multibasic cleavage site does not increase MERS-CoV entry into Calu-3 human lung cells
J Virol. 2024 Oct 29:e0130524. - DOI - - Stein SC, Hansen G, Ssebyatika G, Ströh LJ, Ochulor O, Herold E, Schwarzloh B, Mutschall D, Zischke J, Cordes AK, Schneider T, Hinrichs I, Blasczyk R, Kleine-Weber H, Hoffmann M, Klein F, Kaiser FK, Gonzalez-Hernandez M, Armando F, Ciurkiewicz M, Beythien G, Pöhlmann S, Baumgärtner W, Osterhaus A, Schulz TF, Krey T.
A human monoclonal antibody neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants containing the L452R mutation
J Virol. 2024 Nov 4:e0122324 - DOI - - Happle C, Hoffmann M, Kempf A, Nehlmeier I, Stankov MV, Calderon Hampel N, Witte T, Pöhlmann S, Behrens GMN, Dopfer-Jablonka A
Humoral immunity after mRNA SARS-CoV-2 omicron JN.1 vaccination
Lancet Infect Dis. 2024 Nov;24(11):e674-e676 - DOI - - Nowak R, Gazecka M, Hoffmann M, Kierzek R, Pöhlmann S, Zmora P
TMPRSS2-specific antisense oligonucleotides inhibit host cell entry of emerging viruses
Virology. 2024 Sep 3:600:110218. - DOI - - Metzdorf K, Jacobsen H, Kim Y, Teixeira Alves LG, Kulkarni U, Brdovčak MC, Materljan J, Eschke K, Chaudhry MZ, Hoffmann M, Bertoglio F, Ruschig M, Hust M, Šustić M, Krmpotić A, Jonjić S, Widera M, Ciesek S, Pöhlmann S, Landthaler M, Čičin-Šain L
A single-dose MCMV-based vaccine elicits long-lasting immune protection in mice against distinct SARS-CoV-2 variants
Front Immunol. 2024 Jul 25:15:1383086. - DOI -