Since the beginning of RESIST’s second funding phase in early 2026, Prof. Dr. Thomas Skripuletz has been part of the research consortium. The neurologist has headed the Laboratory for Cerebrospinal Fluid Diagnostics and Neurochemistry at Hannover Medical School since 2021 and contributes extensive expertise in the study of neuroimmunological diseases.
His work within RESIST focuses on severe virus-associated diseases of the central nervous system in immunocompromised patients, particularly progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), which results from reactivation of the JC polyomavirus. The aim of his research is to better understand why some patients benefit from virus-specific T-cell therapies while others do not respond.
By linking clinical data with immunological and biomarker analyses from blood and cerebrospinal fluid, key host and viral factors influencing treatment success and viral control are to be identified. In the long term, this research will contribute to the development of personalized immunotherapies for severe viral infections of the nervous system.
Prof. Skripuletz studied human medicine at Hannover Medical School, where he completed his doctorate with distinction in 2006. After completing his specialist training in neurology, he obtained his habilitation in 2014 and was appointed adjunct professor in 2018. He is a recognized expert in cerebrospinal fluid diagnostics and clinical neurochemistry and is actively involved in numerous professional societies, including serving as President of the German Society for Cerebrospinal Fluid Diagnostics and Clinical Neurochemistry (since 2025). He is also a co-founder of several scientific networks in the field of neuroimmunology. His work has received multiple national and international awards.