Oliver T. Keppler

Oliver T. Keppler is a Professor of Virology at the Max von Pettenkofer Institute of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich). His research focuses on virus-host interactions, particularly for HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2, and mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance in malignancies. He leads a multidisciplinary team using primary model systems and genetic screening to study viral latency, immune evasion, and SAMHD1-dependent drug resistance.

• Universität Heidelberg: Junior Group Leader
• Goethe-Universität Frankfurt: Director, Institute of Medical Virology
• LMU Munich: Professor and Chairman of Virology (since 2015)

Research Interests:

• HIV-1: Immunodestruction, latent infection in resting CD4 T cells
• SARS-CoV-2: Antiviral therapies, drugable cellular pathways, variant detection
• Cancer Biology: SAMHD1 mechanisms in chemotherapy resistance

Research Trends:

• 2025 work: Vaccination efficacy in immunocompromised patients
• 2024 focus: SARS-CoV-2 organ tropism, HIV-1 receptor dynamics
• 2023-2022 studies: Immunity in oncology patients, viral evolution, gene editing techniques

Team Members:

• Ritika Khatri (PhD student)
• YeonSu Kim (Postdoctoral fellow)
• Adrian Ruhle (MD Student)
• Dr. Paul Wratil (Doctoral Researcher)
• Hsiu Hui Yang (PhD student)