PathogeneseMustern

PathogeneseMustern is a conceptual framework used in biomedical research to map and compare patterns in the development of disease, focusing on the trajectory from initial exposure through host responses to final outcomes. The approach emphasizes recurring temporal motifs and causal sequences across different pathogens, hosts, and contexts rather than isolated causal factors.

The term combines the German roots pathogenese (pathogenesis) and mustern (patterns) and is employed to describe systematic analyses of host-pathogen interactions. PathogeneseMustern seeks to characterize stages such as colonization or infection, immune modulation, inflammatory responses, tissue injury, and recovery or chronic sequelae, with attention to similarities and differences among diseases.

Methodologically, the framework relies on longitudinal data from patients, experimental models, and histopathology, complemented by multi-omics profiles and physiological measurements. Computational techniques such as trajectory analysis, pattern mining, and machine learning are used to identify shared and divergent pathogenesis patterns. Standardized ontologies and cross-study harmonization are often advocated to enable meaningful comparisons.

Applications include explaining heterogeneity in disease progressions, uncovering common pathogenic pathways, informing the prioritization of therapeutic targets, and guiding stage-specific interventions. By revealing where diseases converge or diverge in their pathogenic routes, PathogeneseMustern can support cross-disease insights and the design of broader or more tailored treatment strategies.

Limitations involve data quality and heterogeneity, differences in study design and disease definitions, and the challenge of translating abstract patterns into concrete clinical actions. The concept remains developmental, with ongoing discussions about validity, reproducibility, and practical utility.