Deutsch Intern
  • Blick auf das Hauptgebäude der Uni Würzburg am Sanderring.
IMIB - INSTITUTE OF MOLECULAR INFECTION BIOLOGY

PD Dr. Knut Ohlsen

 

   RESEARCH TOPICS

  • In vivo infection models
     
  • Development of novel antibacterial strategies 
     
  • Antibacterial target validation
     
  • Stress response in Staphylococcus aureus

Model organisms

Research

Gram-positive pathogens are the leading cause of hospital-acquired infections. Our main research interest is the development of novel strategies against multiresistant staphylococci and enterococci and application of in-vivo models to study virulence mechanism and efficacy of novel antibacterials.
In particular, we have a wide experience in infection models, evaluation of antibacterials, determining the mode of action of antibacterial compounds, and interaction of Staphylococcus aureus with the host immune system. Current projects particularly focus on novel targets for antibiotics, regulation of resistance and virulence, and gene expression analysis during infection.


Luqman A, Shrestha R, Hertlein T, Götz F, Stigloher C, Ohlsen K. (2026)
Systematic analysis of CHAP domain-containing genes deletion mutants links cell wall architecture to antibiotic susceptibility and pathogenesis in S. aureus.
Microb Pathog. 2026 Jul;216:108524. doi: 10.1016/j.micpath.2026.108524. PMID: 42066670

Werner J, Umstätter F, Böhmann MB, Müller H, Beijer B, Hertlein T, Kaschnitz L, Bram V, Kleist C, Klika KD, Mühlberg E, Braune G, Wohlfart S, Gärtner M, Peter S, Zimmermann S, Haberkorn U, Ohlsen K, Brötz-Oesterhelt H, Mier W, Uhl P. Adv Sci (Weinh). (2024)
Conjugation of Polycationic Peptides Extends the Efficacy Spectrum of β-Lactam Antibiotics.
2024 Dec;11(48):e2411406.

Hung S, Kasperkowitz A, Kurz F, Dreher L, Diessner J, Ibrahim ES, Schwarz S, Ohlsen K*, Hertlein T*. (2023)
Next-generation humanized NSG-SGM3 mice are highly susceptible to Staphylococcus aureus infection. Front Immunol.
2023 Mar 10;14:1127709. *joined senior authors

Ataide MA, Knöpper K, Cruz de Casas P, Ugur M, Eickhoff S, Zou M, Shaikh H, Trivedi A, Grafen A, Yang T, Prinz I, Ohlsen K, Gomez de Agüero M, Beilhack A, Huehn J, Gaya M, Saliba AE, Gasteiger G, Kastenmüller W. (2022)
Lymphatic migration of unconventional T cells promotes site-specific immunity in distinct lymph nodes.
Immunity. 2022 Oct 11;55(10):1813-1828.e9.

Mühlberg E, Umstätter F, Domhan C, Hertlein T, Ohlsen K, Krause A, Kleist C, Beijer B, Zimmermann S, Haberkorn U, Mier W, Uhl P (2020).
Vancomycin-Lipopeptide Conjugates with High Antimicrobial Activity on Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci.
Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 13(6):110
 

Publications chronological (pdf)

PD Dr. Knut Ohlsen

Group Leader
Institute of Molecular Infection Biology
Ohlsen Group
Building: D15
Room: 02.035
Phone: +49-931-31-82155

Liane Dreher

Technician
Institute of Molecular Infection Biology
Ohlsen Group
Building: D15
Room: 01.238
Phone: +49-931-31-85796

Dr. Tobias Hertlein

Postdoc
Institute of Molecular Infection Biology
Ohlsen Group
Building: D15
Room: 01.238
Phone: +49-931-31-89730

Eslam Ibrahim

PhD Student
Institute of Molecular Infection Biology
Ohlsen Group
Building: D15
Room: 01.238
Phone: +49-931-31-81215