Prof. Dr. Stephan Urban

Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology (Translational Virology)
Heidelberg University Hospital
69120 Heidelberg, Germany

Phone: +49 6221-56 4902
E-Mail

FIELDS OF INTEREST

Molecular mechanisms of Hepatitis B- and Hepatitis D Virus/host interactions with a focus on the early and late events of viral infection; Identification of hepadnaviral receptors and structural analyses of virus receptor interactions; Development of novel cell culture systems and animal models for HBV and HDV; Clinical development of entry inhibitors for HBV and HDV infection; Development of hepatotropic drugs for the therapy of liver diseases.

AWARDS & HONORS

2014 Price for translational Infectious Disease Research of the German Center of Infectious Diseases (DZIF)
2009 Pettenkofer Preis of the Pettenkofer Foundation: “Neue virale Zielstrukturen”
2006 Stipendium of the Heinz und Chica Schaller foundation
1984-90 Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes
2014–present Full-Professor, DZIF – Translational Virology, Heidelberg University
2008–2014 Professor (apl.), Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University
2001–2008 Research Group leader, Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Heidelberg University
2000–2001 Independent Group leader (awardee), ZMBH, Heidelberg University
2000 Habilitation at the faculty for Biosciences, venia legendi molecular biology at the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
1995–2000 Postdoc, Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), Heidelberg University (Prof. Dr. H. Schaller)
1991–1995 PhD, Dept. Of Virology (Prof. Dr. P. H. Hofschneider), Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, Martinsried
1991 Diploma in Biochemistry at the University of Tübingen
2011–present Co-coordinator in the DZIF project TTU Hepatitis “Novel therapeutic strategies for functional cure of Hepatitis D Virus infection”
2007–2012 Co-coordinator of a BMBF project “Innovative Therapieverfahren”

Lempp FA, Wiedtke E, Qu B, Roques P, Chemin I, Vondran FW, Le Grand R, Grimm D, Urban S (2017). Sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide is the limiting host factor of Hepatitis B Virus infection in macaque and pig hepatocytes. Hepatology doi:10.1002/hep.29112.

Zhang Z, Zehnder B, Damrau C, Urban S (2016). Visualization of hepatitis B virus entry – novel tools and approaches to directly follow virus entry into hepatocytes. FEBS Lett 590(13):1915-1926.

Lempp FA, Ni Y, Urban S (2016). Hepatitis delta virus: insights into a peculiar pathogen and novel treatment options. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 13:580-589.

Bogomolov P, Alexandrov A, Voronkova N, Macievich M, Kokina K, Petrachenkova M, Lehr T, Lempp FA, Wedemeyer H, Haag M, Schwab M, Haefeli WE, Blank A, Urban S (2016). Treatment of chronic hepatitis D with the entry inhibitor myrcludex B: First results of a phase Ib/IIa study. J Hepatol 65:490-498.

Urban S, Bartenschlager R, Kubitz R, Zoulim F (2014). Strategies to inhibit entry of HBV and HDV into hepatocytes. Gastroenterology 147:48-64.

Ni Y, Lempp FA, Mehrle S, Nkongolo S, Kaufman C, Falth M, Stindt J, Koniger C, Nassal M, Kubitz R, Sultmann H, Urban S (2014). Hepatitis B and D viruses exploit sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide for species-specific entry into hepatocytes. Gastroenterology 146:1070-1083

Meier A, Mehrle S, Weiss TS, Mier W, Urban S (2013). The myristoylated preS1-domain of the Hepatitis B Virus L-protein mediates specific binding to differentiated hepatocytes. Hepatology 58(1):31-42.

Schieck A, Schulze A, Gähler C, Müller T, Haberkorn U, Alexandrov A, Urban S*, Mier W* (2013). Hepatitis B virus hepatotropism is mediated by specific receptor recognition in the liver and not restricted to susceptible hosts. Hepatology 58(1):43-53. (*equal contribution)

Schulze A, Mills K, Weiss TS, Urban S (2012). Hepatocyte polarization is essential for the productive entry of the hepatitis B virus. Hepatology 55(2):373-383

Petersen J, Dandri M, Mier W, Lutgehetmann M, Volz T, von WF, Haberkorn U, Fischer L, Pollok JM, Erbes B, Seitz S, Urban S (2008). Prevention of hepatitis B virus infection in vivo by entry inhibitors derived from the large envelope protein. Nature Biotechnology 26:335-341

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