Toni Aebischer

Toni Aebischer is Head of Unit 16, Mycotic and Parasitic Agents and Mycobacteria at the Department of Infectious Disease, Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Berlin, Germany. He obtained his Dr. rer. nat. in Immunology from ETH Zurich in 1989 and has built an extensive career in infectious disease research, with particular focus on host-pathogen interactions at molecular and population levels.

His educational background includes post-doctoral studies at the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne (1990-1993), followed by positions at the Max Planck Institutes in Tübingen and Berlin, and later at Edinburgh University where he held a Marie-Curie Excellence Team grant. He received his venia legendi from Humboldt University in 2019, formally qualifying him to teach at university level.

Aebischer's research centers on parasitic infections, particularly Giardia duodenalis and Leishmania species. His work spans molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis, virulence factors, drug resistance, and public health implications of neglected parasitic diseases. He has established human intestinal organoids as a key research tool for studying gastrointestinal pathogens and leads Project 1 of the SPP 2332 Physics of Parasitism focusing on the physics of Giardia adhesion.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on molecular detection methods, organoid-based infection models, and epidemiological studies of parasitic diseases. The research shows increasing integration of biophysical approaches with traditional parasitology to understand mechanical aspects of parasite-host interactions.

Among his notable achievements is securing a Marie-Curie Excellence Team grant for leishmaniasis research. His leadership extends to service on the extended board of the Deutsche Parasitologische Gesellschaft and the National Platform for Zoonotic Research.

At RKI, Aebischer established the unified Parasitology, Mycology and Mycobacteriology Unit in 2009. His team focuses on advancing pathogen identification methods, understanding molecular mechanisms of virulence and drug resistance, expanding molecular epidemiology tools, and informing public health policy. The unit maintains biobanking projects to functionally characterize parasite populations, particularly for treatment-resistant Giardia strains.