Semmelweis Professor Doris Wilflingseder has been awarded FWF funding to investigate how the complement fragment C5a and its receptor C5aR shape immune responses during viral infections. The project will dissect when C5a–C5aR signaling supports antiviral defense and when it drives harmful inflammation, with the goal of identifying biomarkers and therapeutic entry points.
Using human cell models, the team will map signaling pathways, timing, and cell‑type–specific effects, and test pharmacological C5aR blockade. The work aims to inform precision anti‑inflammatory strategies and accelerate the translation of C5aR‑targeting drugs for severe viral disease, while leveraging NAMs to replace animal use.
The Ignaz Semmelweis Institute congratulates Doris Wilflingseder and her team on this important achievement.
