Decoding Deadly Viruses: A Conversation with Dr. Nadine Biedenkopf
International Day of Women & Girls in Science 2026 | Scientific breakthroughs rarely happen in isolation. They emerge from collaboration, cutting-edge technology, and the people who push boundaries with curiosity and persistence. Yet questions of access, visibility, and representation continue to shape who leads scientific discovery – and how research translates into real-world impact.
Every year the International Day of Women and Girls in Science offers an opportunity to recognise the contributions of women scientists. This year’s theme – From Vision to Impact: Redefining STEM by Closing the Gender Gap – highlights the transformative potential of inclusive science and the importance of diverse perspectives in addressing complex global challenges.
On this occasion, we spoke with Dr. Nadine Biedenkopf, who leads a research group at Marburg University, which focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms and underlying virus-host interplay during the replication of Marburg and Ebola virus, but also during highly pathogenic Coronaviruses. In this interview, she reflects on her scientific journey, her research on emerging viruses, and the role that inclusive research cultures and international collaboration play in strengthening both science and public health.
Dr. Biedenkopf, what first sparked your interest in scientific research, and how did your career path lead you to your current role?
My journey wasn't sparked by one specific event, I’ve always been naturally curious about how we fight disease, which led me straight into the world of infection biology. During my studies, I became fascinated by the complexity of highly pathogenic viruses and the unique challenge of studying them in specialized environments. Marburg University offers one of these few high-containment laboratories in the world that´s why I chose to pursue my path here.
Your research focuses on highly pathogenic viruses, which comes with both scientific and societal responsibility. How do you see the role of your research in addressing current and future public health challenges?
Scientific and societal responsibilities are inseparable in this field. On the one hand, my research deciphers the basic mechanics of how viruses replicate, allowing us to pinpoint host factors for antiviral intervention. On the other, we actively contribute to pandemic preparedness by our involvement in preclinical vaccine development and establishment of high-throughput antiviral screening assays. This ensures during an outbreak of a new or re-emerging virus, we already have the tools in place to rapidly identify and deploy effective treatments.
Looking at the work conducted within COMBINE. How do you see the research contributing to better pandemic preparedness in the future?
Within the COMBINE consortium, we study viral entry, involved host factors and antivirals for single pathogen, taking Marburg virus as example. By this, we establish a methodological pipeline that could be used as a Blueprint to other future newly or re-emerging viruses.
The focus of this year’s International Day of Women & Girls in Science is closing the gender gap. From your experience, what role do international collaborations and training opportunities play in strengthening gender equity in science?
These collaborations and trainings are essential as these partnerships not only provide technical training but also provide women and girls with access to global mentors and diverse leadership models that may not be present in their home institutions. This is especially important for female role models with family responsibilities in higher academic positions.
Have you observed ways in which large collaborative projects like COMBINE can actively promote more inclusive research environments?
Large-scale collaborative projects like COMBINE do more than just pool technical resources as they create a structural working atmosphere from an individual expertise model toward a more transparent, team- and expertise-based approach with a diverse network of PIs and experts. By that, they naturally foster a more inclusive environment.