Uta Behrends

Prof. Uta Behrends is a Professor of Pediatric Infectiology and Immunobiology at the TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technische Universität München (TUM). Her work bridges clinical practice and translational research, focusing on infectious diseases, chronic immunological conditions, and viral-associated pathologies. Born in 1963, she completed medical studies at universities in Germany, the UK, and the US, followed by clinical training in pediatric hematooncology at TUM’s children’s hospital. Since 2001, she has led a research group at TUM and Helmholtz Zentrum München (HMGU).

Her research emphasizes Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)’s role in autoimmune and oncogenic diseases, developing strategies for diagnostics, therapy, and prevention. Notable projects include the IMMUC study on glandular fever complications and adoptive T-cell therapy. She co-leads the MRI Chronic Fatigue Center for youth and collaborates with Charité Berlin on ME/CFS registries and biobanks. During the pandemic, she pioneered studies on pediatric Long-COVID and collaborated on the LEOSS survey. She also contributes to clinical guidelines for Post-COVID and ME/CFS management.

Prof. Behrends has held leadership roles in TUM’s academic structure and collaborates internationally on immunodeficiency research (e.g., Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome studies). Her work integrates clinical, immunological, and epidemiological approaches to address complex chronic illnesses.