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Group Leader
Research Center Borstel – Leibniz Lung Center, Germany
Email: bschneider@fz-borstel.de
VALIDATE Role:
Network Investigator
Research Keywords:
TB, Animal Models, Sex Differences
Biography:
My research focuses on understanding host immune responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, with a particular emphasis on the influence of biological sex on disease susceptibility, progression, and treatment outcomes. Our work combines in vivo studies using the mouse model of TB, which mirrors key sex-based differences seen in humans, with mechanistic investigations using murine and human primary cells. This approach allows us to dissect the cellular and molecular factors that drive sex-specific immune responses in TB.
A central goal of our research is to uncover how host-related determinants, especially sex hormones and sex-specific immune pathways, regulate protective immunity against TB. By identifying these mechanisms, we aim to contribute to the development of precision medicine approaches tailored to individual patient characteristics. This is particularly relevant given the global burden of TB and the growing recognition of sex as a critical, yet understudied, factor in infectious disease pathogenesis and treatment success.
Related Websites:
LinkedIn
Research Center Borstel – Leibniz Lung Center - Staff Profile
Research Unit 5068 | Sex differences in immunity
Key Publications:
- Harikumar Parvathy G*, Hertz D*, Bhandiwad D, Eggers L, von Borstel L, Behrends J, Hein M, Dreyer V, Marschne, J, Orinska Z, Niemann S, Kaufmann SHE, Goldmann T, Lotter H, Flores-Valdez MA & Schneider BE 2025, 'Sex Differences in Vaccine-Induced Immunity and Protection Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis', THE JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, S. jiaf277. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf277 *authors contributed equally
- Hertz D, Marwitz S, Eggers L, von Borstel L, Harikumar Parvathy G, Behrends J, Jonigk DD, Manz RA, Goldmann T and Schneider BE 2025, 'Sex-specific impact of B cell-derived IL-10 on tuberculosis resistance', FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY. Jg. 16, S. 1524500. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1524500
- Hertz D, Eggers L, von Borstel L, Goldmann T, Lotter H, Schneider BE. Turning the Tables: Loss of Adaptive Immunity Reverses Sex Differences in Tuberculosis. Immuno. 2025; 5(1):4. doi: 10.3390/immuno5010004
- Hertz D, Dibbern J, Eggers L, von Borstel L, Schneider BE. Increased male susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is associated with smaller B cell follicles in the lungs. Sci. Rep. 2020; 10: 5142. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-61503-3
- Dutta NK and Schneider BE. Are there sex-specific differences in response to adjunctive host-directed therapy for Tuberculosis? Front. Immunol. 2020; 11:1465. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01465
- Hertz D & Schneider B. Sex differences in tuberculosis. Semin. Immunopathol. 2019; 41: 225. doi: 10.1007/s00281-018-0725-6
- Dibbern J, Eggers L, Schneider BE. Sex differences in the C57BL/6 model of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Sci. Rep. 2017 Sep 8;7(1):10957. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-11438-z
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