Fabian Leendertz

Prof. Fabian Leendertz is Founding Director of the Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH) and Professor of One Health at the University of Greifswald. A leading zoonoses expert, his work integrates human, animal, and environmental health to combat pandemics. Key affiliations include Robert Koch Institute, WHO expert groups, and advisory roles for national/international One Health initiatives.

His research focuses on:

• Zoonotic disease transmission in sub-Saharan Africa
• Antimicrobial resistance ecology
• Long-term health surveillance systems
• Pandemic origin investigations (Ebola, COVID-19)

He received the Hamburg Science Prize 2023 and UNEP's Champion of the Earth Award (2020) for groundbreaking contributions to One Health. Current projects include establishing cross-continental observatories and diagnostic labs in West Africa.

At HIOH, he leads interdisciplinary teams studying pathogen evolution, microbiome interactions, and climate impacts on disease spread, emphasizing community engagement in research.