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Carolin Zitzmann

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From May 2019 Graduate research assistant in the group of Alan Perelson (theoretical biology and biophysics T-6) at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, U.S.A.
2018 Research stay in the group of Alan Perelson (theoretical biology and biophysics T-6) at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, U.S.A.
Since 2015 PhD student at the University Medicine Greifswald, Germany
2013 Diploma thesis at the Hans Knoell Institute Jena: "Mathematical Modeling of Infections in XLA Patients under IgG Substitution Therapy"
2012 - 2013 Student research assistant in the Department of Applied Systems Biology at the Hans Knoell Institute Jena, Germany
2011 - 2012 Student research assistant in the Department of Systems Biology and Bioinformatics at the Hans Knoell Institute Jena, Germany
2007 - 2013 Diplom in Bioinformatics at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena

Ongoing Research Projects

Plus-Strand RNA Virus Replication | SysVirDrug

Plus-strand RNA viruses are a global burden for human health with clinical diversity ranging from common cold (rhinitis) to severe life-threatening diseases (hepatitis C). Nevertheless, these viruses share remarkable similarities in their replication strategy. We use mathematical modeling to study the common steps in the viral life cycle of five plus-strand RNA viruses: Hepatitis C Virus, Dengue Virus, Coxsackievirus B3, Chikungunya Virus, and MERS-Coronavirus.

Dengue Virus Replication and the Innate Immune Response

The Dengue Virus is one of the most prevalent mosquito-borne viruses with globally 390 million infected individuals per year. A primary infection with Dengue Virus causes flu-like illness, occasionally associated with severe complications (e.g. hemorrhagic fever). In order to compare the Dengue Virus replication in presence and absence of the immune response, we develop detailed mathematical models which couple the DENV replication with and without the activation and antiviral effect of key players of the innate immune response.

Chikungunya Virus Replication

Similar to Dengue, the Chikungunya Virus is transmitted by mosquitos of the Aedes species. The clinical symptoms of a Chikungunya Virus infection are often similar to infections with Dengue or Zika Virus, which often causes misdiagnoses. However, an infection with Chikungunya Virus varies from fever to severe joint pain, eventually turning into a chronic condition. In order to study the highly dynamic initial phase post infection, we develop detailed mathematical models reflecting the intracellular Chikungunya Virus replication.

Publications

Zitzmann C, Kaderali L (2018)
Mathematical Analysis of Viral Replication Dynamics and Antiviral Treatment Strategies: From Basic Models to Age-based Multiscale Modeling.
Front. Microbiol. 9:1546.

Mokhtari Z, Mech F, Zitzmann C, Hasenberg M, Gunzer M, Figge MT (2013)
Automated Characterization and Parameter-Free Classification of Cell Tracks Based on Local Migration Behavior.
PLoS ONE 8(12): e80808.

Teaching Experience

WS 18/19 QB1 Biometrie
WS 17/18 QB1 Biometrie
SS 2017 Seminar zur Bioinformatik
WS 16/17 QB1 Biometrie
SS 2016 Seminar zur Bioinformatik