Research

Major Scientific Interests

I am interested in genetic resistance against viruses and tumors and contributed to the initial characterization of mouse NK cells and the myxovirus resistance (Mx) protein. Mx proteins are dynamin-like GTPases that are highly interferon-inducible and act as potent antiviral molecular machines. Our goal is to uncover the basis of their broad antiviral specificity and to define the adaptive processes by which viruses escape from Mx restriction. Moreover, I am involved in identifying and studying viral proteins that antagonize the interferon system.

Career

• 1989-2012 Professor and Director of the Department of Virology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
• 1983-1989 Associate Professor of Virology at the University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
• 1982-1983 Visiting Assistant Professor at the Department of Virology, The Rockefeller University, New York, N.Y., USA
• 1982 Habilitation, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
• 1975-1977 Research Associate at the Department of Immunology, Biomedical Center, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
• 1972 Degree of M.D., University of Zürich

Projects

• 2011 Convenor of the 21st Annual Meeting of the Society for Virology (GfV), Freiburg, March 23-26, 2011
• 2009 Co-organizer (together with Georg Kochs, Peter Staeheli, Martin Schwemmle), 5th Orthomyxovirus Research Conference (ORC), Freiburg, September 9-12, 2009
• 2008 Co-organizer (together with S.H.E. Kaufmann), Leopoldina Symposium „Evolution of Antiviral and Antibacterial Defense“, Berlin, September 4 - 6, 2008
• 2007 Convenor (together with B. Fleckenstein), Third European Congress of Virology, 2007
• 2007-2009 Coordinator EU-Consortium FLUINNATE (FP6-2005-SSP5B Influenza) Innate Immunity in Influenza Virus Infection of Mammalian Airways

Functions

• Since 2010 Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
• Since 2009 President of the European Society for Virology (ESV)
• Since 2007 Member of the Board of Directors (Spitalrat), University Hospital Zurich
• Since 2007 Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
• 2006-2007 President, International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research (ISICR)
• 1999-2006 Vice President, European Society for Clinical Virology (ESCV)
• 1997-2000 Vice Medical Director of the University Hospital Freiburg
• 1996-1999 President of the German Society for Virology (Gesellschaft für Virologe, GfV)
• 1994-1995 Dean of the Medical Faculty of the University of Freiburg
• 1992-2000 Elected reviewer of the German Research Foundation (DFG) for Medical Microbiology, Virology, Immunology and Hygiene

Honours and Memberships

• 2009 Honorary Member of the European Society for Clinical Virology (ESCV)
• 2009 Award for Excellence in Teaching of the University of Freiburg
• 2000 Visiting Professor, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York
• 1998 Member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• 1998 Milstein Award of the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research
• 1996 Aronson Research Award of the Land Berlin
• 1985 Latsis Prize of the Swiss National Science Foundation
• 1977 Swiss Cancer Prize
• 1977 Research Award of the Swiss Society for Microbiology