Research Focus

Immunology & Infectious Diseases

Area of Research

Metabolic and aging-associated complications of HIV infection (including genetic and non-genetic mechanisms). Vaccination skepticism (prevalence and determinants of vaccination skepticism in Switzerland)

• Type 1 and type 2 myocardial infarction (MI) events in the SHCS: Ascertainment, risk factors, and genetic prediction Kleynhans JN, Thorball CW, Buechel RR, Schoepf IC, Ledergerber B, Kusejko K, Braun D, Günthard HF, Fellay J, Tarr PE (main applicant), 2021
• Epigenetic Age acceleration in Persons Living with HIV: The Swiss HIV Cohort Study.Gilead Swiss HIV Fellowship. Schoepf IC, Ledergerber B, Arribas JR, Kootstra N, Reiss P, Raffenberg M, Engel T, Thorball CW, Fellay J, Kouyos RD, Günthard H, Tarr PE (main applicant), 2021
• Pilot metabolomic analysis of plasma samples in the Core Project Metabolism and Aging (M+A) participants of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS), Schoepf IC, Balakrishna S, Zamboni N, Riebensahm C, Cavassini M, Günthard H, Telenti A, Ledergerber R, Koouyos R, Tarr PE (main applicant), 2021.
• Association of Leukocyte Telomere Length (LTL), LTL genetics, and Antiretroviral Treatment with Acute Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Events in HIV-positive Persons - the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS), Amsterdam HIV Cohort Studies (ACS), and Zurich Primary HIV Infection Cohort, Gilead Swiss HIV Fellowship. Raffenberg M, Engel T, Barcelò C, Kootstra N, Reiss P, Ledergerber B, Günthard H, Fellay J, Tarr PE (main applicant). 2020
• GWAS genotyping of SHCS core project Metabolism and Aging participants (2 analyses: subclinical atherosclerosis and osteoporosis/osteopenia) Schoepf IC, Thorball C, Dietrich L, Nemeth J, Zamboni N, Reiss P, Kootstra N, Cavassini M, Furrer H, Rauch A, Wandeler G, Braun D, Günthard H, Kouyos R, Hasse B, Kovari H, Fellay J, Ledergerber B, Tarr PE (main applicant), 2020
• Additional funds obtained from Swiss National Science Foundation, Project 407440_167398/1; National Research Program NRP74 (Vaccine hesitancy): Philip E. Tarr (main applicant), Andreas Zeller, Claudine Burton-Jeangros, Christoph Berger, 2020
• Association of Leukocyte Telomere Length (LTL), LTL genetics, and Antiretroviral Treatment with Acute Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Events in HIV-positive Persons - the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS), Amsterdam HIV Cohort Studies (ACS), and Zurich Primary HIV Infection CohortRaffenberg M, Engel T, Barcelò C, Kootstra N, Reiss P, Ledergerber B, Günthard H, Fellay J, Tarr PE (main applicant), 2018
• Determinants of vaccine hesitancy and underimmunization with childhood and human papilloma virus vaccines in Switzerland,Tarr (main applicant), Andreas Zeller, Claudine Burton-Jeangros, Christoph Berger, 2016

National Collaborations

1. Ongoing research in context of Swiss HIV Cohort Study
2. Ongoing research in context of Swiss National Research Program NFP74 Vaccine hesitancy
3. EDUVAC (Team: Michael Deml, Suzanne Suggs, Philip Tarr), collaboration with Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+) and Federal Office of Public health: development of elearning modules on vaccination (factual knowledge on immunology, vaccine safety, vaccine efficacy, communication with vaccine-hesitant persons etc.) for medical doctors, pharmacists, nurses, midwives (2021- at least 2 years, likely many more years)

International Collaborations

Selected projects in context of Swiss HIV Cohort Study

National Research Programme NRP74 on vaccination scepticism:  www.nfp74.ch/de/projekte/ambulante-versorgung/projekt-tarr

Head, Core Project Metabolism and Aging of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (www.shcs.ch): Ongoing projects on telomere length, epigenetics, metabolomics, polygenic risk scores and aging incl. cardiovascular events, subclinical atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, renal insufficiency.