DEFENDER

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

In the DEFENDER consortium Petr and his team bring critical expertise in structural virology, providing access to state-of-the-art cryo-EM, cryo-ET, cryo-FIB, and cryo-CLEM technologies to support groundbreaking discoveries.

His team focuses on enveloped viruses such as influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and Ebola, using cutting-edge cryo-electron microscopy techniques to visualize viral protein and membrane interactions at the molecular level. 🔬

Introducing @chlandalab.bsky.social – an expert at the frontier of structural virology!

Petr leads a research group dedicated to understanding how viruses interact with cellular organelles and manipulate host cells for replication.

Bruno Correia Bruno Correia's EPFL profile

Connect with Bruno on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bruno-cor...
Website: people.epfl.ch/bruno.correi...

His team blends advanced computational methods with experimental validation to design novel proteins that could change the future of medicine. In the DEFENDER project, they are pushing boundaries with AI-guided immunogen design.

🚀 Introducing Bruno Correia

Bruno leads a cutting-edge research group at EPFL focused on developing computational tools for protein design, with a strong emphasis on immunoengineering applications like vaccines and cancer immunotherapy.

In DEFENDER, Lars leads our central hub for bioinformatics and deep learning-based approaches, helping us transform massive datasets into meaningful insights that power next-generation disease detection and response strategies.
📢 Learn more about Lars and his work: wordpress.kaderali.org

As director of the Institute for Bioinformatics at Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Lars and his team apply AI and machine learning to model and analyze complex biomedical processes. Their work is key to developing innovative methods for prevention, diagnosis, and therapy of complex diseases.

Spotlight on Lars Kaderali

We’re proud to shine a light on Prof. Dr. Lars Kaderali, a driving force behind the integration of artificial intelligence in biomedical research.

We're excited to share a recent SWR NANO feature highlighting DEFENDER that takes us behind the scenes of the impressive work done by the @chlandalab.bsky.social Lab at @uniheidelberg.bsky.social! 🧬 The feature starts at minute 18:58 – be sure to tune in!
👉 www.3sat.de/wissen/nano/...

Curious about her research?
👉 Check out her work here: research.pasteur.fr/en/member/ma...
👉 Connect with Marie on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marie-fla...

Now, as part of DEFENDER, Marie and her team are taking on the next big challenge: unraveling how dengue virus and nonstructural protein NS1 enter host cells. By identifying and characterizing key entry/uptake factors and receptors, they aim to open new doors for antiviral strategies and therapies.

From identifying viral virulence factors to revolutionizing dengue diagnostics with the NS1 antigen detection kit, her work is build on strong ties between basic and applied research, providing new avenues in the fight against arboviral diseases. 🦟

Spotlight on Marie Flamand

Meet Marie, a virologist leading groundbreaking research at @institutpasteur.bsky.social Paris. Marie and her team have already made waves in understanding how dengue, Zika, and Rift Valley fever viruses impact human health.

Learn more about his research: virologie-bochum.de/en/home-engl...

We are excited to highlight Eike's pivotal role in the DEFENDER consortium, a collaborative effort focused on uncovering viral entry factors. His research is vital in developing targeted strategies for preventing and controlling yellow fever virus (YFV) infections 🦟.