The Cluster of Excellence ImmunoSensation2 celebrates the appointment of Prof. Dr. Kerstin Ludwig to the W2 professorship “Immune Genetics” at the University of Bonn. As leading expert in the field of complex trait genetics, Kerstin Ludwig’s work has advanced our understanding of genetic factors contributing to a number of multifactorial diseases, including infectious diseases.
A Journey of Academic Excellence
Kerstin Ludwig has been deeply engaged in the field of human genetics since her early academic career. Her journey began with her international diploma studies in Germany, France and Canada, which sparked a lifelong passion for understanding how genetics influence human health and disease. Following this, she pursued her doctoral research on the genetic contributors to dyslexia, under the mentorship of Prof. Dr. Markus Nöthen at the University of Bonn. The experience of being part of a large European consortium at that time laid the ground for her deep appreciation of the value of joint collaborative work.
During her postdoctoral years, Kerstin Ludwig extended her scientific portfolio to study the genetic factors underlying human facial disorders. She identified numerous risk factors for orofacial clefting, one of the most common birth defects, and established first NGS approaches at the Medical Faculty. This work was subsequently recognized through her admission to prestigious programs: She was supported by the BONFOR program, which nurtures promising early-career researchers at the University of Bonn, the Emmy Noether Program of the German Research Foundation (DFG), a highly selective initiative designed to foster scientific independence, and she became a selected member of the “Junges Kolleg” of the NRW Academy of Sciences and Arts.
With the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, Kerstin Ludwig applied her scientific and technological expertise in the emerging field of host genetics. She contributed to research on COVID-19 and established the BoSCO study, which aims at investigating the genetic factors influencing SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility, COVID-19 severity and long-term outcomes. She also was a co-leader of the DeCOI host genetics group, which aggregated genome sequencing data across different sites in Germany, and contributed to the development of a novel high-throughput testing system for infections.
A Vision for the Future
At the Medical Faculty, her future work will further strengthen the ties between the two research foci “Immunity and Infections” and “Genetics and Epidemiology”. As she steps into her role as professor, Kerstin Ludwig envisions expanding her research to address the contribution of genetic profiles to immune-mediated traits, and to integrate human genetic data into many research applications.
"I am honored to continue my journey at the University of Bonn and within the ImmunoSensation community. Bonn offers a unique environment that will allow integrating genomic information into a variety of research projects. Also, the highly collaborative and complementary nature of the ImmunoSensation groups enables to push the boundaries of translating genetic findings into an improved understanding of molecular pathophysiologies," she shared.
The appointment of Kerstin Ludwig strengthens the Cluster’s expertise in understanding the role of the immune system in health and disease. Her work contributes to the overarching mission of ImmunoSensation2 by exploring how genetic and environmental factors interact with immune pathways to influence immune and infectious diseases.
We congratulate Kerstin Ludwig on her well-deserved professorship and look forward to the groundbreaking contributions she will continue to bring to the scientific community in Bonn.
Contact
Prof. Dr. Kerstin Ludwig
Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Bonn
E-Mail: kerstin.ludwig@uni-bonn.de
