DEFENDER

👉 Your leadership, expertise, and dedication are driving scientific progress and inspiring the next generation of women in science. Thank you for what you do. 👏 🚀

#WomenInSTEM #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience #Virology

So today, we’d like to acknowledge the female DEFENDER PIs @alexkupke.bsky.social , Andrea Maisner, @goffinetlab.bsky.social, @lisa-oestereich.bsky.social, Marie Flamand, and @pfaenderlab.bsky.social, and recognize their contributions to virology and beyond.

February 11 marks the *International Day of Women and Girls in Science*, highlighting the importance of equal participation in STEM. 🔬 🦠

Congratulations to Alex from the DEFENDER consortium on receiving funding for her research on Nipah virus infection. Her research sheds critical light on how this highly dangerous virus enters the CNS, spreads, and shapes immune responses using advanced cell and tissue models.

In this context, our EU-funded DEFENDER consortium is contributing to Nipah virus research by systematically mapping vulnerable virus-host interaction sites through integrated host- and virus-focused approaches, laying the groundwork for next-gen antivirals and immunogens targeting emerging viruses.

Thankfully, all have remained asymptomatic and tested negative, with no further cases detected so far.

This is good news, but also a clear lesson…. And a reminder that effective outbreak containment depends not only on rapid response, but on sustained scientific investment before crises emerge.

Following the confirmation of infection in two nurses, health authorities at both central and state levels moved quickly: expanding surveillance, strengthening laboratory testing, and conducting detailed field investigations. Nearly 200 close contacts were identified, traced, and monitored.

Recent reports from West Bengal remind us why Nipah virus research and surveillance cannot be reactive, it has to be continuous.

First session of the DEFENDER-internal PhD/Postdoc Seminar Series yesterday!! Awesome talks by DEFENDER postdocs Wing Hang Ip and George Ssebyatika. Exciting science, exciting times ahead! 🚀

Season’s Greetings from DEFENDER ❄️🕯️🎄
Wishing you a restful, calm, and cozy holiday season and a strong, healthy, and inspiring 2026 ahead!

Last week, our symposium wrapped up with a DEFENDER-internal program on day 2 at the @leibnizliv.bsky.social! 💪
It was fantastic connecting in person with so many brilliant minds — discussing ongoing projects, exploring new collabs, and sharing ideas that move our consortium forward.
#FundedByEU

Special shout-out to our Horizon Europe partner consortia: @combatdengue.bsky.social, @shield-project.bsky.social , @vigilant-eu.bsky.social, and @combinemarvproject.bsky.social for your amazing contributions.

Here’s to more collaboration & discovery ahead! 🙌
#FundedByEU

What an incredible experience at DEFENDER 2025: International Symposium — huge thanks to all participants for the inspiring discussions and great energy! 💡

We loved exchanging ideas on emerging viruses, new methods & cutting-edge research.

Excited to connect with local, national, and international colleagues, as well as representatives from related EU-funded projects, to share insights and strengthen collaborations.

Today’s the day! 🎉
We’re looking forward to the DEFENDER 2025: International Symposium in Hamburg, bringing together experts to foster international scientific exchange, strategic project planning, and interdisciplinary networking across virology, immunology, and related fields.

🌍 Join us at the @defender-project.bsky.social International Symposium for a keynote by our #combineMARV coordinator @christian-7.bsky.social!

🎟️ Register free of charge for a day of insights, collaboration & global exchange 🔗 lnkd.in/eY9JwzXY

#PandemicPreparedness #Collaboration #EUfunded

Alex's work in DEFENDER will be crucial in guiding the development of targeted therapies and preventative measures for Nipah virus, one of the world’s most dangerous zoonotic viruses.

👉 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra...
🌍 Website: www.uni-marburg.de/en/fb20/depa...

At the institute’s state-of-the-art BSL-3/-4 animal facility, Alex and her team focus on the development antiviral strategies through preclinical testing. Their work involves highly pathogenic viruses such as Nipah and Ebola – both of which require advanced containment and specialized animal models.

👏 Featuring @alexkupke.bsky.social at the Philipp University of Marburg.

We’re excited to highlight Alex Kupke, a DEFENDER partner based at the Institute of Virology at Philipp University of Marburg. Her research plays a vital role in advancing our understanding of high-consequence viral threats.

Her team’s work in DEFENDER is instrumental in identifying Nipah virus entry factors and antiviral targets, laying the groundwork for urgently needed therapeutic strategies.

👉 Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-ma...
🌍 Learn more: www.uni-marburg.de/en/fb20/depa...

Based at The Philipp University of Marburg in Germany, Andrea leads a pioneering group focused on the cell biology of Nipah virus, diving deep into the molecular mechanisms of viral replication, particle assembly, and immune evasion.

🚀 Introducing Andrea Maisner

Andrea is a renowned virologist whose research is at the forefront of understanding Nipah virus — a highly pathogenic zoonotic paramyxovirus with no approved vaccines or treatments.

In @defender-project.bsky.social, Lisa brings her deep expertise to the fight against Lassa virus — advancing strategies for targeted antiviral interventions.
👉 Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-oest...
🌍 Learn more: www.bnitm.de/forschung/fo...

Her team investigates immune response dynamics, virus-induced pathology, and host-pathogen interactions, all while pioneering innovative therapeutic approaches to combat these severe infections.

🚀 Meet @lisa-oestereich.bsky.social
Lisa is a leading virologist based at the BNITM in Hamburg, Germany. Her research focuses on some of the world’s most dangerous viruses — including Lassa, Ebola, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever viruses.

YouTube video by Leibniz-Institut für Virologie (LIV) Forschungsgruppe Emerging Viruses (Prof. Dr. Stephanie Pfänder)

Wie vermehren sich neu auftretende Viren wie das Coronavirus – und steckt darin der Schlüssel für neue Therapien? Prof. Stephanie Pfänder gibt im Video Einblicke in die Arbeit ihrer LIV-Forschungsgruppe "Emerging Viruses".

youtu.be/eKZr3nhqeB0?...

@pfaenderlab.bsky.social
@leibniz-gemeinschaft.de

His contributions are paving new paths in antiviral drug development through targeted protein degradation and novel therapeutic modalities.

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mark-broe...
Website: www.helmholtz-hzi.de/en/research/...

In DEFENDER, Mark leads research on bifunctional drug conjugates, focussing on:
➡️ PROTACs – traditionally applied in oncology, his lab is now establishing their repurposing for antiviral strategies.
➡️ Nanobody-antiviral conjugates – innovative approaches for Nipah and Lassa virus infections.

We’re excited to introduce Mark Broenstrup, Head of the Department of Chemical Biology at the @helmholtzhzi.bsky.social (HZI), as a PI in the DEFENDER project.
His team brings cutting-edge expertise in the design and optimization of bioactive compounds for therapeutic use.

🔗 Connect with Petr on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/petr-chla...
🌐 Website: www.bioquant.uni-heidelberg.de/groups/chlanda