Regular biography
Andrea Ablasser is a Full Professor in the BIO department at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. Her research focuses on innate immunity, particularly pattern recognition pathways. She leads the Ablasser Lab and teaches courses such as Immunology - advances and therapeutic implications and Practical - Ablasser Lab. She is also involved in various academic committees and serves as a PhD program committee member. Ablasser has received numerous awards, including the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize, the Cloëtta Prize, and the Friedrich Miescher Award.
Scholar-generated biography
Andrea Ablasser's research focuses on the innate immune system's recognition of nucleic acids and its role in inflammation and disease. Her work explores the mechanisms by which cytosolic DNA and RNA are sensed by immune receptors such as AIM2, cGAS, and RIG-I, leading to the activation of inflammasomes and type I interferon responses. She investigates how these pathways contribute to host defense against pathogens and their involvement in inflammatory diseases, cancer, and neurodegeneration. Her studies also examine the therapeutic potential of targeting these pathways for treating conditions like autoimmune disorders and viral infections.