Competences
Main axes of research
- Surveillance of new emerging viruses and genotypic variants
- Genetic and antigenic diversity of human and veterinary viruses
- Molecular evolution and pathogenicity of influenza viruses in human, avian and swine
- Immunisation strategies against viruses and environmental risk factors (e.g. carcinogens)
- Gene structure, transcriptional and translational regulations of the glucocorticoid receptor (and other nuclear receptors) and its role as a major stress in response mediator
- Epigenetic perinatal programming of the immune system
Current research projects
A. Genetic and phenotypic diversity of virus
A.1 Measles
A.2. Other fever rash viruses (Rubella, Parvovirus)
A.3 Hep B
A.4 Human Influenza
A.5 Avian Influenza
A.6 Newcastle Disease virus (NDV)
A.7 Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV)
A.8 Tick-born pathogens
A.9 Norovirus
B. Vaccination strategy against chemical carcinogenesis
C. Neuroendocrine immunology
D. Proteomics
E. Perinatal Programming of the Immune System
Resources and collaborations
Equipment
- 2-D DIGE technology for the separation and differential protein expression profiling
- 2-D Multi-fluorescence scanner (Typhoon)
- Automated protein digester
- Protein identification by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF)
- LC-electrospray mass spectrometry (Iontrap)
- Biosafety level 3 laboratory
- SPF animal facility
- Molecular biology equipment
- Cell culture laboratories
- Multiple peptide synthesis and analysis
Products and services
Reference activities:
- National Reference Laboratory for Measles and Rubella
- National Reference Laboratory Activities for Avian, Human, Swine Influenza
- World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Measles Infections
- World Health Organisation European Reference Centre for Measles and Rubella
Development of reagents:
- Multiple peptides synthesis and analysis
- Monoclonal/polyclonal antibodies
- Recombinant proteins
- Production of viral antigen
Scientific services:
- Proteomics analysis, analysis of translational modifications of proteins.
- Analysis of synthetic peptides (mass spectrometry, high pressure liquid chromatography
- Maintenance of specific pathogen free mice
Major partnerships and collaborations
The department has various mainly academic collaborations all over the world.
Some of the company contacts are listed here:
- PAB Productions, Hebertshausen (DE): diagnostic strategies
- Biognosis, Jülich (DE): diagnostics
- Biomer, Krailling (DE): diagnostic strategies
- LDN, Nordhorn (DE): diagnostics
- NUNC, Roskilde (DK): diagnostic strategies
- M-Scan Ltd, Ascot (UK): MS analysis of peptides
- AC Biotech, Jülich (DE): diagnostic strategies
- Serum Insitute of India, Pune (IN): development of vaccine strategies
- SmithKline Beecham, Rixensart (BE): molecular biology of the MV H protein
- Erilab, Kuopio (FI): diagnostic test
Human resources
- 8 Researchers (Prof., ass. Prof., Post-docs, PhD)
- 12 Doctoral students and students
- 0 Engineers
- 8 Technicians
- 23 Other
Business sector(s)
- Life Sciences, health and biotechnology
Intellectual property
Patent
Title : Peptides corresponding or imitating at least one antigenic determinant of the hamagglutinin protein of mobillivirus
Registration : 26-07-1997 - N° PCT/EP97/04070
Applicant(s) : Muller Claude
Inventor(s) :
- First inventor : Muller Claude
Patent
Title : Detection of measles virus-specific antibodies using recombinant measles virus glycoprotein
Registration : 01-09-1997 - N° PCT/EP98/005546
Applicant(s) : Muller Claude and Bouche Fabienne
Inventor(s) :
- First inventor : Bouche Fabienne
Contact
Laboratory of Immunology
20A, rue Auguste Lumière, L-1950 Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Phone: +352 49 06 04 22 0
Fax: +352 49 06 86
Email: claude.muller@lns.etat.lu
Site: http://www.lih.lu
R&D Contact
Prof. Dr. MULLER Claude P.
Head of Research Unit
Phone: +352 49 06 04
Email: claude.muller@lns.etat.lu
