Katharina Paschinger

Katharina Paschinger is a prominent glycobiology researcher at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), where she leads the Institute of Biochemistry within the Department of Natural Sciences and Sustainable Resources. With over two decades of research experience, she holds a Dipl.-Ing. (1998) and Dr. (2008) from BOKU, specializing in the structural and functional analysis of N-glycans in diverse biological systems.

• Education: Dipl.-Ing. in Life Sciences (1998, BOKU), Doctorate in Biochemistry (2008, BOKU)
• Current Position: Principal Investigator leading multiple FWF-funded projects on glycan analysis
• Research Infrastructure: Utilizes advanced mass spectrometry and glycan microarray facilities

Her research focuses on evolutionary glycobiology, particularly examining N-glycan structures across nematodes, parasites, and marine organisms. Paschinger's work reveals how glycan modifications influence host-parasite interactions, immune recognition, and developmental processes. Her laboratory employs cutting-edge mass spectrometry techniques to characterize complex glycan structures that conventional methods cannot resolve.

Analysis of her 101 publications shows a consistent trajectory from foundational nematode glycomics toward translational applications in immunology and parasitology. Recent work increasingly emphasizes the functional consequences of glycan variations, particularly how branched N-glycans modulate host immune responses in parasitic infections.

Paschinger actively contributes to the scientific community through editorial review for leading journals including Journal of Proteomics, Glycoconjugate Journal, and Carbohydrate Research. Her methodological innovations in negative-mode mass spectrometry have become standard approaches in invertebrate glycomics.

As a dedicated mentor, she has supervised multiple doctoral and master's theses focusing on glycan analysis techniques and their biological applications. Her laboratory serves as a hub for international collaboration, hosting researchers from Australia, Italy, and the United States.