Clinical Neurovirology
Research group leader
- Name / Titel
- Prof. Dr. med. vet. Torsten Seuberlich
- torsten.seuberlich@vetsuisse.unibe.ch
- Phone
- +41 31 631 22 06
Staff
Research focuses
- Surveillance of neuroinfectious diseases in animals
- Virus discovery
- Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in animals (prion diseases)
- Astrovirus associated encephalitis in cattle
Methods
- Virus isolation
- Molecular virology
- Histopathology
- In-situ hybridization
- Proteomics
- Next-generation sequencing
- Bioinformatics
Short description
Our research focuses on the surveillance and pathogenesis of viral infections of the central nervous system. We are improving the efficiency of disease surveillance of endemic as well as emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in animals, mainly in ruminant livestock. One of the main research directions is virus discovery in animals with viral encephalitis of unknown etiology by metagenomics, i.e., by unbiased next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics. Using this cutting edge methodology we identified novel encephalitis associated bovine astroviruses and other viruses. These viruses are found in a high proportion of neurological diseased cattle. Our aim is to better understand the pathogenesis and epidemiology of viral encephalitis and to ultimately improve the surveillance, prevention and therapy of these diseases.