16. November 2020, 11:44
Research projects
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– The work of the research group headed by Dr. Andrea Thoma-Kreß (middle) is funded by the BMBF with 2.3 million euros., Irrgang Kohrt,
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How viruses are transmitted is an omnipresent topic due to the corona crisis. In contrast to SARS-CoV-2, which is mainly spread through aerosols in the air, infections with the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 take place via cell-containing body fluids. As the name of this retrovirus with the abbreviation HTLV-1 already suggests, it can cause leukemia. A research group headed by Dr. Andrea Thoma-Kreß from the Chair of Clinical and Molecular Virology at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU). The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding the project with up to 2.3 million euros.
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The project is called “Milk TV” – this stands for “Milk-Transmission of Viruses”, ie the transmission of viruses through breast milk. “This is a preferred route of infection with HTLV-1 and is particularly treacherous because otherwise breast milk offers many health benefits, for example in building up the immune system in infancy and toddlerhood,” says Dr. Thoma-Kreß.
The infection, which is practically absorbed with breast milk, is initially inconspicuous. But later in life it can cause serious illnesses, such as leukemia, as the virus mainly affects white blood cells. At least 10 million people worldwide are infected – mostly unknowingly – with HTLV-1, many of them in Brazil, the Caribbean, Japan, Sub-Saharan Africa or Central Australia.
Simply to advise against breastfeeding completely, but according to Dr. Thoma-Kreß not practicable. “In many countries where the virus is widespread, there is simply no possibility of using substitute products due to limited resources. The mothers are dependent on breastfeeding their babies, ”says the molecular medicine specialist. In order to be able to effectively break the chains of infection, it is first necessary to find out more about the transmission from mothers to infants. The results from the “Milk-TV” project are intended to serve as a basis for developing prevention strategies that will allow breastfeeding to continue.
“Our project benefits greatly from the excellent scientific environment here at the Erlangen University Hospital and the FAU,” emphasizes Dr. Thoma-Kreß. In addition to interdisciplinary collaborations within FAU, such as with the Graduate School GRK2504 on new antiviral strategies at the Virological Institute, international collaboration with scientists from Belgium, Brazil and Australia as well as with midwives and patient organizations is also planned.
The work of the team, which currently consists of five doctoral students, a medical-technical laboratory assistant, a master’s student and a research assistant, is funded by the BMBF with a total of around 2.3 million euros. This takes place within the framework of the new funding instrument for young research groups in infection research in the clinical and application-oriented area. The aim is to enable particularly suitable young academics in the medium term to gain a position in university teaching.
Scientific contact:
Dr. Andrea Thoma-Kreß
Department of Clinical and Molecular Virology
Tel.: 09131 85-26429
[email protected]
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