Coordination Funds

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The priority programme SPP 2225 is an interdisciplinary consortium of microbiologists and infection researchers exploring the spectrum of strategies that are employed by intracellular bacterial, parasitic and fungal pathogens to exit the enveloping host cell. Host cell exit follows an actively orchestrated programme that has evolved during host-pathogen co-evolution and relies on the dynamic interplay between host cell and microbial factors. At least three distinct pathways of host cell exit have convergently evolved among the diverse groups of intracellular pathogens, (1) initiation of programmed cell death, (2) active lytic destruction of the host cell, and (3) membrane-dependent exit without host cell lysis. It is the goal of SPP 2225 to dissect the molecular mechanisms that trigger, regulate, and synchronize pathogen exit and to discover the sequential steps of host cell exit as well as the link between exit pathway and host cell specificity. The breadth of pathogens represented in the SPP 2225 projects allows to compare strategies, find parallels and draw conclusions on universal mechanisms of host cell exit as well as to identify species- or tissue-specific variations of exit pathways. In the second funding period of the SPP 2225, we will apply the data collected so far, as well as the molecular techniques and genetic tools that have been developed during the first funding period, to expand our know-how of the host cell exit mechanisms and to unveil the link between exit strategy and disease progression. Knowledge gained by SPP 2225 will not only deepen insights into the fundamental processes of infection by human pathogens, but will additionally advance our understanding of tissue inflammation and infection-induced organ dysfunction. Results obtained by the SPP 2225 will eventually lead to the identification of novel interventional targets to combat human infectious diseases worldwide, which is especially important in view of the increasing microbial resistance to current treatment regimes. Various coordination measures have been implemented to enable networking among the scientists of the SPP 2225 consortium, to strengthen the visibility of the SPP 2225 and to promote the training of early career researchers. The strategic concept includes workshops and symposia as well as two technical platforms in addition to network and start-up funds and gender equality as well as public relation measures.