MBiotech (UF), MSc (UDS), PhD (UHEI)
Email katharina.robichon@otago.ac.nz
Research interests
I am immunologist, specialised in autoimmune diseases, with a trained background in viral infections.
I am fascinated by understanding the immune system and how it is possible that your own immune system turns against you in autoimmune diseases. In addition, working on viral infections for more than 5 years, I am still very interested in understanding the balance between viral clearance and viral persistence and how this is shaped by our immune system. On the other hand, with my biotechnology background, I am very curios to develop treatments that can go into clinical studies and in the long term into the clinics.
I work as a part of the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine and my current research is focused on understanding why some treatments are working in one patient and not in another. By utilising my skillset in full-spectrum flow cytometry and molecular techniques, we aim to characterize and identify immune cell phenotypes and other biomarkers that might be indicators of treatment failure.
Research expertise
- Autoimmune diseases
- Adaptive immunology
- Viral infections
- Flow cytometry
Supervision
Katharina is available for supervising Honours or PhD students whose research areas align with those outlined above. She supports early career researchers from his position as a member of the Division of Health Sciences Early-to-Mid career management committee.