Prof. Dr. Christoph Georg Baums

Prof. Dr. Christoph Georg Baums

Professor

Bakteriologie und Mykologie
KFK, Viro, Bakteriologie
An den Tierkliniken 29
04103 Leipzig

Phone: +49 341 97-38180
Fax: +49 341 97-38199

Abstract

Prof. Baums is Head of the Institute of Bacteriology and Mycology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig. He is a lecturer and examiner in Bacteriology and Mycology, chairman of the clinical examination board and a member of the faculty board and animal welfare committee of the faculty. He holds a education license for the Fachtierarzt Bacteriology and Mycology.

He is particularly interested in the interaction of bacterial pathogens with the immune system. With his research he wants to contribute to innovative vaccine developments in veterinary medicine. 

In cooperation with staff members of the Center for Infectious Medicine, he strives to inspire students of the VMF for infectious medicine.


Professional career

  • since 04/2014
    Director of the Institute of Bacteriology and Mycology
  • since 09/2018
    Member of the Advisory Board of the DVG Department of Bacteriology and Mycology
  • 04/2014 - 04/2018
    Speaker of the Centre of Infectious Diseases at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Leipzig, Germany
  • 04/2003 - 03/2014
    Post-doctoral fellow at the Institute for Microbiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany with habilitation to "Surface-associated and dissected factors of Streptococcus suis in epidemiology, pathogenesis and vaccine development"
  • 05/2000 - 04/2003
    Doctoral thesis in the diagnostic lab of the Institute for Microbiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany

Education

  • since 08/2018
    Chairman of the Veterinary Examination Committee
  • 10/1995 - 03/2000
    Studies of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximillian-University Munich, Germany
  • 10/1990 - 09/1995
    Studies of Biology, University of Constance, Germany. Subjects: Microbiology, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Cell Biology

Panel Memberships

  • since 10/2021
    Chairman of the Appointment Committee for the W3 Professorship for Parasitology at the Veterinary Faculty
  • since 09/2019
    Member of the Faculty Board
  • since 09/2019
    Member of the Animal Welfare Committee of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Prof. Baums group studies the pathogenesis and epidemiology of Streptococcus (S.) suis infections in pigs, often leading to severe meningitis, arthritis, endocarditis or septicemia. This basic research is linked to studies on vaccine development, which are conducted in cooperation with the industry. Dr. Rene Bergmann is working on the interaction of S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus, another important zoonotic animal pathogen, with the complement system in the blood of horses, pigs and humans. The expertise of Prof. Baums group in streptococcal research includes in-frame deletion mutagenesis, heterologous expression, molecular typing, readout of interaction with the complement system, and experimental infections in pigs. Specific pathogen-host interactions are investigated in DFG projects in cooperation with the Institute of Immunology of the faculty (Prof. Gottfried Alber) and the Department of Biochemistry of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (Prof. Maren von Köckritz-Blickwede). The detection of a cross-protective antigen is a unique feature in the current S. suis vaccine research.

Furthermore, the AG Baums is currently working on pathogens from the genera Klebsiella, Brachyspira and Rodentibacter. As a cooperation partner of Prof. Ralf Hoffmann, the effect of antimicrobial peptides is investigated.


  • Innovative agents of AMP-phages for the treatment of infectious diseases of domestic animals
    Baums, Christoph Georg
    Duration: 08/2018 – 07/2020
    Funded by: EU Europäischer Fonds für regionale Entwicklung (EFRE)
    Involved organisational units of Leipzig University: Bakteriologie und Mykologie; Biotechnologisch-Biomedizinisches Zentrum (BBZ)
    show details
  • Neutrophil extracellular trap formation in the Streptococcus suis infected cerebrospinal fluid compartment
    Baums, Christoph Georg
    Duration: 06/2017 – 12/2021
    Funded by: DFG Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
    Involved organisational units of Leipzig University: Bakteriologie und Mykologie
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  • Immunoglobulin M-degrading enzyme of Streptococcus suis (IdeSsuis): modulation of B-cell function and consequences for mucosal colonization
    Baums, Christoph Georg
    Duration: 09/2019 – 08/2022
    Funded by: DFG Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
    Involved organisational units of Leipzig University: Bakteriologie und Mykologie; Institut für Immunologie
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  • Protection against Streptococcus suis across serotypes
    Alber, Gottfried
    Duration: 10/2020 – 12/2022
    Funded by: Sächsische Wirtschaft
    Involved organisational units of Leipzig University: Immunologie; Institut für Bakteriologie und Mykologie; Biotechnologisch-Biomedizinisches Zentrum (BBZ)
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  • Development of vaccines against respiratory and systemic infections in pigs (Project 3 of the collaborative research project VacoME)
    Baums, Christoph Georg
    Duration: 11/2016 – 09/2019
    Funded by: BMBF Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
    Involved organisational units of Leipzig University: Bakteriologie und Mykologie; Immunologie; Molekulare Pathogenese; Biotechnologisch-Biomedizinisches Zentrum (BBZ)
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more projects

  • Bartosch, T.; Frank, A.; Günther, C.; Uhrlaß, S.; Heydel, T.; Nenoff, P.; Baums, C. G.; Schrödl, W.
    Trichophyton benhamiae and T. mentagrophytes target guinea pigs in a mixed small animal stock
    Medical Mycology Case Reports. 2019. pp. 37–42.
    show details
  • Unterweger, C.; Ruczizka, U.; Spergser, J.; Baums, C. G.; Hennig-Pauka, I.
    Effect of Early-Life Treatment of Piglets with Long-Acting Ceftiofur on Colonization of Streptococcus suis Serotype 7 and Elicitation of Specific Humoral Immunity in a Farm Dealing with Streptococcal Diseases
    Pathogens. 2018. 7 (2). pp. 34–34.
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  • Michel, V.; Ulber, C.; Pöhle, D.; Köpke, B.; Engel, K.; Kaim, U.; Fawzy, A.; Kähl, S.; Fornefett, J.; Baums, C. G.; Eisenberg, T.
    Clinical infection in house rats (Rattus rattus) caused by Streptobacillus notomytis
    Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. 2018. 111 (10). pp. 1955–1966.
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more publications

  • Andere herausragende Auszeichnungen: Ackerknecht Preis
    Baums, Christoph Georg (Bakteriologie und Mykologie)
    awarded in 2017 by Veterinärmedizinische Fakultät.
    show details

more awards

  • Molekulare Pathogenese; Institut für Bakteriologie und Mykologie; Institut für Immunologie; Biotechnologisch-Biomedizinisches Zentrum (BBZ)
    Zelluläre Immunreaktionen von Schweinen bei Infektion und Vakzinierung
    Start Date of Collaboration: 01/04/2015
    Involved persons: Alber, Gottfried; Baums, Christoph Georg
    show details
  • Bakteriologie und Mykologie; Biotechnologisch-Biomedizinisches Zentrum (BBZ)
    Charakterisierung von Immunglobulin Proteasen
    Start Date of Collaboration: 01/04/2014
    External participating organisations: Umea Universitet (Umea, Sweden)
    Involved persons: Baums, Christoph Georg; Rungelrath, Viktoria
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  • Bakteriologie und Mykologie; Institut für Immunologie; Biotechnologisch-Biomedizinisches Zentrum (BBZ)
    Immunologische Untersuchungen zu Streptococcus suis Infektionen und Immunisierungen
    Start Date of Collaboration: 01/04/2014
    External participating organisations: Vetmed Uni Vienna (Wien, Austria)
    Involved persons: Baums, Christoph Georg; Alber, Gottfried
    show details

more cooperations

  • Tagung
    Treffen des Infect Control Verbundes VacoME
    Bakteriologie und Mykologie; Institut für Immunologie; Biotechnologisch-Biomedizinisches Zentrum (BBZ)
    Event Organiser: Baums, Christoph Georg
    01/12/2016 – 01/12/2017
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more events

Prof. Baums has been teaching and examining Bacteriology and Mycology in veterinary medicine at the University of Leipzig since 2014. He is lecturer of the series Bacteriology and Mycology in the 5th semester as well as in the clinical focus courses Digestive Tract, Genital Tract, Respiratory Tract, Herd Management, Poultry Diseases and Infection. 

Together with Prof. Wieland Schrödl, he teaches the course Bacteriology and Mycology in the 5th semester. This course pursues important learning objectives such as working safely with risk group 2 infectious agents and performing a goal-oriented microbiological examination.

Being responsible for the focus Infection, he introduced an Interdisciplinary Diagnostic Parcours in cooperation with the Institute of Parasitology, the Institute of Virology and the Institute of Immunology in 2014, which was outstandingly evaluated by the students and has been conducted every semester since then.

In cooperation with other staff members of the Center for Infectious Diseases, Prof Baums introduced with Bak Myk Unplugged and a Digital Diagnostic Parcours with breakout rooms new digital teaching formats in the semester 2020/21, which encourage student participation.  

Prof. Baums is the recipient of the 2017 Ackerknecht Prize, which is awarded by the faculty based on a proposal from students. This prize annually recognizes individuals who provide outstanding teaching at the faculty.

Prof. Baums is chairman of the clinical assessment committee.


  • Lecturer and examiner in veterinary bacteriology and mycology