They are not alone: EVs and viruses sharing and shaping the extracellular space

Prof. Pfaffl's field of research is the molecular physiology of animals and humans. Using modern biochemical and molecular biology techniques, experimental research focuses on foundations and innovations in the endocrine and paracrine regulation of human health and animal health & welfare. Besides the traditional signal transmission, the extracellular vesicle biology represents a key aspect of his research. The focus is on the development of nucleic acid-based signatures as biomarkers for non-physiological or pathological conditions.
Prof. Pfaffl started 1986 to study 'Agriculture & Animal Science' and 'Biotechnology' at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). In 1997 he obtained his PhD in the field of molecular muscle and growth physiology at the Chair of Physiology. In June 2003 he completed his Venia Legendi (Dr. habil.) in 'Physiology' at the Center of Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan. Early 2010 he became Professor of 'Molecular Physiology' at the TUM School of Life Sciences in Freising Weihenstephan.

Janis Müller studied Molecular Medicine in Ulm, Germany and focused on the sexual transmission of HIV during his PhD. As postdoc he worked on the sexual transmission of typically arthropod-borne Zika virus and discovered an novel innate mechanism by which extracellular vesicles in body fluids compete with viruses for cell attachment and thereby provide a natural barrier against transmission. He is experienced in studying immune responses, host interactions and antiviral strategies against viruses of different families including lentiviruses, flaviviruses, coronaviruses and orthomyxoviruses. In Marburg, he was appointed junior professor for immune responses against highly pathogenic RNA viruses and studies the mechanism, breadth, origin and regulation of antiviral EVs. Since 2023, he is vice president of the German Society for EVs.