Melanie M. Brinkmann is Professor of Virology and Innate Immunity at the Institute of Genetics, TU Braunschweig, and Research Group Leader at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig, Germany. She is a virologist with extensive expertise in viral immune evasion, innate antiviral immunity, and virus-host interactions. Following her PhD on Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, she conducted postdoctoral research at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Boston/Cambridge, USA, before establishing her independent research group in Germany. Her research focuses on understanding how herpesviruses interact with and manipulate innate immune responses. She also holds key responsibilities in scientific coordination, mentoring, and research governance, including serving as elected speaker of BRICS and as a member of the DFG Review Board for Virology.
