Analysis of cellular immune disturbances in COVID-19 for therapeutic stratification and prediction of long-term immunity.

discovery - This research project aims at expanding knowledge on human primary and secondary antigen-specific B lineage responses to a novel pathogen - severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). We will study the characteristics of host-SARS-CoV-2 interaction with B lineage adaptive immunity including induction of anergy among different clinical courses of Corona Virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The study will provide mechanistic evidence for novel treatment strategies currently adapted from rheumatology by comparing the immune response by COVID-19 infected individuals with those known from rheumatologic patients. We will further investigate long-term protective immunity after SARS-CoV-2 infection by analyzing serological and "steady state" antigen-specific B cells in the blood and bone marrow.