Erika von Mutius

Erika von Mutius is a Professor of Pediatric Allergology at Ludwig Maximilian University Munich and Head of the Asthma and Allergy Department at the University Children’s Hospital Munich since 2000. She leads interdisciplinary research on environmental and genetic determinants of asthma and allergic diseases, notably advancing the hygiene hypothesis linking microbial exposure to immune tolerance.

Education & Training:

• Internship/Residency: University Children's Hospital Munich (1984–1992)
• Research Fellowship: Respiratory Sciences Center, University of Arizona (1992–1993)
• Clinical Effectiveness Training: Harvard School of Public Health (1997–1999)

Research Interests: Her work focuses on childhood asthma/allergies, environmental and genetic epidemiology, microbiome influences, and the hygiene hypothesis. Key contributions include discovering asthma-related genes and demonstrating protective effects of microbial exposure early in life.

Awards:

• 2019 Balzan Prize for respiratory pathophysiology
• 2013 Leibniz Prize (Germany's highest research honor)
• 2010 ERC Advanced Investigator Grant
• Over 400 peer-reviewed publications, h-index 96

Leadership & Service: Editorial board member of journals like the New England Journal of Medicine and Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Active in international committees and academic leadership roles.