Prof. Bartsch is now a RESIST member. The immunologist heads the junior research group “Antiviral Antibody Omics” at the TWINCORE Institute for Experimental Infection Research.

Antibodies are key components of the adaptive immune system and are therefore crucial for the defence against infectious diseases. They can directly block viruses and bacteria and prevent them from infecting the host. However, effective protection against infections often requires additional innate mechanisms such as phagocytosis or cytotoxicity.

“As part of RESIST, my team and I want to define antibody properties and the additional innate mechanisms associated with protection or susceptibility to infectious diseases. For example, we are working with the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV),” says the immunologist. His aim is to contribute to the development of better vaccines or antibody-based therapies with a better understanding of antibody-mediated immunity.

Yannic Bartsch studied and completed his doctorate at the University of Lübeck, after which he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT and Harvard, USA, from 2019 to 2022. He has been working at TWINCORE since 2023. You can find out more about Prof. Bartsch by clicking here.