Our Guest Speakers

Institution: Philipps University Marburg, Germany

Prof. Dr. Alexander Visekruna is Professor of Molecular Microbiology at the Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Philipps University Marburg, Germany. He studied Biochemistry at Goethe University Frankfurt and earned his Ph.D. in Immunology from the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin. Following postdoctoral research at the National Institute for Medical Research in London, he established his research group in Marburg, where he completed his habilitation in immunology before being appointed Professor in 2023. His research focuses on mucosal immunology, host–microbiota interactions, immune metabolism, and microbial metabolites in inflammation and cancer, with a particular emphasis on translating these findings into novel therapeutic strategies.

To see a list of publications, please click here.

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Institution: Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Brunswick, Germany

Dr. Milan Gerovac studied biochemistry at the Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. In his PhD thesis with Prof. Robert Tampé at Goethe University, he investigated translation control mechanisms and characterized complexes in protein production. He then joined the laboratory of Prof. Jörg Vogel at the Julius-Maximilians-University and the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research in Würzburg as a postdoctoral researcher, where he developed methods for the discovery and characterization of RNA-binding proteins and gained experience in microbiology with various bacterial pathogens. He switched to studying phage biology by looking into complexes in phage-infected cells and developed a fascination with the dark protein space in phage genomes, discovering phage factors that target the protein production machine. In 2024, Gerovac started the junior research group Complexes in Phage-infected Cells (CPIC) at the HZI with the aim of discovering phage-based mechanisms that can be translated into novel therapeutic concepts to treat infection.

A complete list of publications can be found here.

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Institution: Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, MA, United States

Maria Agustina Battistone, PhD, studied at the Universidad de Buenos Aires, where she received her postgraduate degree in 2015 and conducted her doctoral research at the Argentine National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET).  Following her PhD, she joined Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School as a postdoctoral research scientist. She has been an Assistant Professor of Medicine since April 2022. Her research focuses on the immunology of the male reproductive tract, epithelial biology, and immune regulation in reproductive and renal tissues. She has made important contributions to the understanding of immune tolerance mechanisms in the epididymis, mononuclear phagocyte function, and inflammatory processes affecting fertility and kidney disease. Her work combines advanced immunological, cellular, and molecular approaches to investigate tissue homeostasis and immune-mediated pathologies. Dr. Battistone has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications in leading journals in reproductive biology, physiology, and immunology. Her current research explores the interplay between immune cells and epithelial function in reproductive and renal health.

To see a list of publications, please click here.

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Institution: Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

Prof. Yoichi Honda earned his Ph.D. from Kyoto University, where his research focused on the control of DNA replication. Since 1993, he has specialized in the molecular genetics of mushrooms, particularly the white-rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus. His research has contributed to the development of genetic transformation and recombinant gene expression systems, as well as the identification of genes involved in lignin degradation and spore formation. Throughout his career, he has established extensive international collaborations across Europe and Asia. More recently, his work has focused on developing safe and efficient CRISPR/Cas9 technologies for mushrooms, with applications in non-GM genome editing, molecular breeding, biopharmaceutical production, and the development of novel mycelium-based materials to support a sustainable society.

To see a list of publications, please click here.

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Institution: The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK

Dr Nicholas Ktistakis is a Senior Group Leader at the Babraham Institute, partner organization of the University of Cambridge. In addition to his research work, he also teaches in the Biochemistry Programme of the University of Cambridge topics related to autophagy and membrane traffic. He is a Molecular Cell Biologist by training interested in autophagy and ageing.

Dr Ktistakis is the Chief Co-Editor (with Professor Dan Klionsky) of the Journal Autophagy and is a co-founder and member of the advisory board of AUTOMERA, a biotechnology company based in Singapore and funded by Singapore and the US to identify novel drugs that use autophagy to degrade harmful cellular material.

To see a list of publications, please click here.

Click here to go to the abstract.