Stephen Leib

Prof. Dr. Stephen Leib is a faculty member at the University of Bern within the Medical Faculty. His academic rank is Professor with primary focus on Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfectiology. He leads the Institute for Infectious Diseases (IFIK) and co-leads the BioPreparedness BioBank, emphasizing research on bacterial and viral CNS infections, antimicrobial resistance, and One Health surveillance systems.

• Research Themes:
  • Pathogenesis of meningitis and encephalitis (Listeria, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis)
  • Tick-borne encephalitis and zoonotic disease modeling
  • Development of rapid sequencing methods (NASCarD) for pathogens
  • Neuroinflammatory responses and neuroprotective therapies
  • Antibiotic stewardship and biosafety protocols

His recent publications (2023-2025) span virology, neuroscience, and public health, with experimental models for bacterial/viral meningitis, diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2, and studies on antibiotic resistance. Collaborative work extends to Swiss Pathogen Surveillance Platform and SPHN/PHRT initiatives.