Julia Merkenschlager

My research program aims to uncover how germinal centers (GCs) generate protective antibodies and to define the immunological principles that distinguish effective from ineffective immune responses. While B cells, long considered the main protagonists of GC biology, are responsible for producing antibodies, their ability to generate potent, high-affinity antibodies critically depends on a partnership with T follicular helper (TFH) cells. These specialized T cells are essential for selecting and expanding B cells that have successfully optimized their antibodies during the GC reaction, positioning them as key drivers of robust and durable humoral immunity.

Despite their importance, TFH cells have been relatively underexplored as targets for improving vaccine responses, in large part due to our limited understanding of what constitutes an effective TFH response. In my laboratory, we investigate the dynamic interplay between T and B cells during affinity maturation, with the goal of unraveling the mechanisms that distinguish productive from unproductive cellular collaborations. By leveraging insights into GC dynamics and TFH cell biology, we aim to understand how to elicit more potent and precisely tailored antibody responses.