Prof. Dr. Christian Drosten

Christian Drosten is a German virologist and director of the Institute of Virology at the Charité University Medicine in Berlin. His research focuses on ecology, epidemiology, and evolution of emerging viruses. He co-discovered SARS-CoV in 2003 and developed the first diagnostic test, and later made major contributions to understanding MERS-CoV in humans and animals. In January 2020, his team developed the first WHO-recommended RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2, which was globally applied. His work during the pandemic centered on key disease characteristics, diagnostics, and scientific advising of national and European public health authorities.