22.09.2025

DFG Grant: How Staphylococci Outsmart the Immune System

Dr. Arnaud Kengmo Tchoupa, researcher at the Cluster of Excellence CMFI at the University of Tübingen, has secured funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG) for an individual research proposal.

The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that colonizes the skin and mucosal surfaces. While it often resides harmlessly, its antibiotic-resistant forms can cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Emerging evidence shows that S. aureus actively remodels host lipid species and may produce lipid mediators (lipokines) to evade immune detection. By unraveling these complex host–pathogen lipid interactions, Dr. Arnaud Kengmo Tchoupa and his team aim to reveal how the bacterium persists in the host and drives inflammation.

“We are excited to investigate how S. aureus manipulates the host lipid landscape. By uncovering these mechanisms, we hope to reveal new ways to make the pathogen visible to the immune system and improve strategies for preventing and managing S. aureus–related inflammation.”, says Dr. Arnaud Kengmo Tchoupa.

The newly funded project, “Host lipid landscape remodeling by Staphylococcus aureus and its impact on infection and inflammation”, will be funded with 278.000€ and establish another innovative research program at CMFI.

The knowledge generated could ultimately help make S. aureus detectable to the immune system, facilitating host-provoked decolonization, or inform new strategies to manage inflammation disorders linked to S. aureus infections.

Leon Kokkoliadis / Cluster of Excellence CMFI