Research

Stefan H.E. Kaufmann is distinguished for his outstanding contributions to the immune response against intracellular bacterial pathogens. He is founding director of the Max-Planck-Institute for Infection Biology where he directs the Department of Immunology since 1993. His recent work focuses on tuberculosis with an emphasis on the mechanisms of host defence, the survival strategies of the pathogen, the development of a novel vaccine and the identification of biomarkers for disease and protection.

Aside from his research activities, Kaufmann is strongly engaged in improving public understanding of immunology and infectious diseases.

Career

• since 1998 Honorary professor and Professor (apl.) at the Charité, Medical Faculty of the Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
• since 1993 Founding Director and Member at the Max-Planck-Institute for Infection Biology, Germany
• 1991-1998 Full Professor and Chair, Department of Immunology, University of Ulm, Germany
• 1987-1991 Professor for Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ulm, Germany
• 1982-1987 Staff Scientist, Max-Planck-Institute for Immunobiology, Freiburg, Germany
• 1982 University Assistant (C1), Institute for Medical Microbiology, Free University, Berlin, Germany
• 1981-1987 Docent, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Free University, Berlin, Germany
• 1981 Habilitation in Microbiology and Immunology, Free University, Berlin, Germany
• 1978-1981 Assistant Professor
• 1977 Ph.D., Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
• 1976-1978 Scientific Assistant, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
• 1967-1973 Diploma in Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany

Projects

• since 2012 Innovative Medicines Initiative JU Integrated Project "PreDict-TB" (IMI 115337)
• since 2012 Innovative Medicines Initiative JU Integrated Project "BioVacSafe" (IMI 115308)
• since 2011 EDCTP Network "TB-TEA" (MS.2010.18000,002), project coordinator
• since 2011 EU Large-Scale Integrating Project "ADITEC" (HEALTH-F4-2011-280873)
• since 2011 Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) German-South African Collaboration “Cell specific biomarkers of TB”, SUA 10 038
• since 2010 EU Large-Scale Integrating Project "NEWTBVAC" (HEALTH-F3-2009-241745), Chair of the Scientific Steering Group
• since 2010 EU Large-Scale Integrating Project "SysteMTb" (HEALTH-F4-2010-241587)
• since 2010 BMBF German-Indian Collaboration “Studies on early and late signalling events in the pathogenesis of TB”, IND 10-028
• since 2010 EDCTP Integrated Project "AE-TBC" (IP-09-32040-011)
• since 2009 EU "I3" Project "TRANSVAC" (FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES-2008-1-228403)
• since 2009 EU CSA PRD – “Poverty Related Diseases College” (HEALTH-F3-2009-223581)
• since 2008 NIH/NIAID Grant “A Systems Biology Approach to Infectious Disease Research” (NIH # HHSN27220080059C), Subaward 22520720-41466-B
• since 2008 EU Collaborative Project “PHAGOSYS - Systems Biology of Phagosome Formation and Maturation, Modulation by Intracellular Pathogens” (HEALTH-F4-2008-223451)
• since 2007 BMBF Competence Network “Pulmonary Tuberculosis – Host and Pathogen Determinants of Resistance and Disease Progression”
• since 2005 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Grand Challenges in Global Health, GC6, "Biomarkers of protective immunity against TB in the context of HIV/AIDS in Africa", project coordinator

Functions

• since 2010 President of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS)
• since 2010 Member of the Board of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization as alternate representative of scientific and technical institutes
• since 2009 Member of the Advisory Board of Global Alliance for TB Drug Development, New York, USA
• 2008-2011 Member of the Scientific Advisory Board Keystone Symposia
• 2007-2011 Spokesperson of Microbiology and Immunology of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• 2006-2009 President of the European Federation of Immunological Societies (EFIS)
• 2003-2004 President of the German Society for Immunology (DGfI)
• since 2001 Member of the Board of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Germany
• since 1998 Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
• 1992-2000 Scientific expert of the German Research Society (DFG)

Honours and Memberships

• 2022 Ernst Hellmut Vits Prize
• 2018 Gagna A. & Ch. Van Heck Prize
• 2014 Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
• 2014 Gardner Middlebrook Award
• 2011 Guest Professor, Tongji University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
• 2008 Honorary Member of the German Society for Immunology
• 2007 Doctor Honoris Causa, Université de la Mediterranée, Aix-Marseille II, Marseille, France
• 2005 Honorary Medal of the Robert Koch Institute, Germany
• 2004 Honorary Member of the World Innovation Foundation
• 2000 Member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
• 1993 Main Award of the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology
• 1992 Pettenkofer Award
• 1992 Dr. Robert Pfleger Award
• 1991 Merckle Research Award
• 1991 Smith Kline Beecham Award
• 1988 Aronson Award of Berlin, Germany
• 1987 A. Krupp Promotion Prize for young University Lecturer
• 1983 Promotion Prize of the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology
• 1981 Dr. Friedrich Sasse Prize