Jan Pravsgaard Christensen

Jan Pravsgaard Christensen is a Professor in Immunology of Infectious Diseases at the Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, a position he has held since 2012. His research focuses on immune responses to viral infections, with particular emphasis on effector cell migration, virus control mechanisms, and T-cell memory development for vaccine applications.

His educational background includes:

• General Certificate (A-levels), science side (1984)
• M.Sc. in Biology, Faculty of Natural Science, University of Copenhagen (1993)
• Ph.D., Faculty of Health Science, University of Copenhagen (1998)

Professor Christensen's research has consistently concentrated on the immune response to viral infections, specifically examining effector cell migration to infection sites, effector molecules in virus control, and the induction and maintenance of T-cell memory. His work has evolved toward developing vaccines against both viral and bacterial pathogens. His research spans immunology, virology, and vaccine development, with particular focus on respiratory viruses, viral pathogenesis, and immune memory mechanisms.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on translational immunology, with significant contributions to vaccine development (particularly for SARS-CoV-2 and HCV), T-cell immunity, cancer immunotherapy, and neuroimmunology. His work frequently appears in high-impact journals including Nature, Science Advances, and Gut, showing interdisciplinary reach across virology, immunology, oncology, and neuroscience.

Professor Christensen is an active member of the scientific community, serving as a board member of the Danish Society for Immunology and Danish Society of Flow Cytometry. He is also a reviewer for numerous international journals including Scan. J. Immunol., J. Virol., J. Immunol., APMIS and J. Clin. Invest.

His research group maintains strong international collaborations, particularly with institutions working on viral pathogenesis and vaccine development. The group utilizes advanced techniques in flow cytometry and immunological assays to investigate host-pathogen interactions and immune responses.