I work as a research associate in the Fish Disease Research Unit, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany and am the leading virologist, infectiologist and ichthyologist in the group. I work on the pathophysiology and immunology of fish mucosal tissues during infections with epitheliotropic large DNA genome viruses (pox and herpesviruses). I am investigating the interaction between the dysfunction of mucosal tissues and the survival of fish in aquatic environments, using vaccination as the main tool to protect mucosal barriers.