Julia Rebecca Port

Dr. Julia Rebecca Port leads the Laboratory of Transmission Immunology at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (Braunschweig, Germany), where she investigates viral transmission mechanisms and host immunity. She holds a B.Sc. in Molecular Medicine (Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen) and M.Sc. in Biomedical Sciences (University of Antwerp). Her PhD research at Leibniz Institute for Virology focused on viral pathogenesis under Prof. César Muñoz-Fontela.

Her research examines aerosol transmission dynamics, mucosal immunity, and zoonotic spillover, with emphasis on:

• Bat immunology and microbiome interactions
• Variant-specific SARS-CoV-2 transmission fitness
• Mpox virus shedding patterns
• Immunopathology of emerging viruses

Her publication trends reveal deep expertise in experimental virology, using hamster, bat, and primate models to study transmission bottlenecks, immune evasion, and intervention strategies.

Awards include:

• NIH Director's Award (multiple)
• NIH Merit Award (multiple)

She secured the Helmholtz Young Investigator Grant (2024) to establish her independent group. Current work focuses on developing transmission-blocking interventions and characterizing bat antiviral immunity. Leads collaborations with NIH, Bernhard Nocht Institute, and international consortia on pandemic preparedness.