Dr. Kathrin Held interviewed for »Women in Science«

What exactly are you currently researching at Fraunhofer ITMP and how do you think research into the immune system influences the development of innovative treatments?

We are investigating the human immune response to infections and vaccinations at the cellular and molecular level. By analyzing samples from international clinical trials, we can identify immunological mechanisms that protect against infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV, respiratory infections and HPV. This enables a better understanding of the development of the disease and can help to prevent it in a targeted manner. At the same time, these mechanisms can serve as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers for rapid and reliable diagnoses, for evaluating the success of therapy and for developing new treatment strategies.

One central research project is focusing on the development of personalized medical approaches for tuberculosis. For this project, we are analyzing specific immune responses to enable early diagnosis, more precise therapy monitoring and host-specific therapies. This not only improves individual treatment, but also makes a significant contribution to the global fight against infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, one of the most common causes of death worldwide.

In the long term, a deeper understanding of protective immune mechanisms can promote innovative therapies by identifying new therapeutic target structures and advancing personalized therapeutic approaches.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in health research and how did you overcome them?

As a woman in research, you are often publicly recognized not only for your own scientific work, but also for the fact that you are doing it »despite« everything — despite being a woman, despite being a mother. While for my male colleagues it’s quite natural for them to talk about their research in public, for women the focus is more often on your role as a woman. Topics such as Women in Science are important, but they take time away from the actual research. I have learned to create space for my scientific work and not to allow myself to be reduced to attributes. It’s also important to me to challenge these patterns and speak about them openly in order to actively combat them — because excellence should not be dependent on gender roles.

In your opinion, what are the key steps that need to be taken to promote equality in health research in the long term?

It's not enough to promote individual women — there needs to be a fundamental change in thinking. The ability to accomplish scientific achievements must be assessed on an equal basis regardless of gender or appearance. Often, external perceptions count more than content: People who appear dominant are considered competent, while others who remain objective are considered reserved. The solution can’t just be for women to adapt their communication — all of us need to learn to recognize competence beyond traditional stereotypes.

For women, scientific careers are also often associated with bigger workloads: Invisible additional tasks, a lack of support when raising a family or stereotypical expectations make them more challenging. This leads many women to deliberately decide against a long-term research career. This means we don’t just need structural changes, such as equal parental leave models and a fairer distribution of administrative tasks, but also a general change in thinking — not only to achieve equal opportunities, but also to keep brilliant female scientists in the system.

What does success in research mean to you? Is it scientific progress, social recognition or something else?

For me, success in research is the moment when various small pieces of the puzzle and seemingly unrelated data suddenly come together to create a bigger picture. The pleasure I gain from generating new knowledge after a lengthy period of work and, through this, contributing in a small way to mankind’s overall knowledge is one of my greatest motivations as a scientist.

How can networks and mentoring programs support women in health research and what experiences have you had in this area?

Networks have a vital role in science — they provide a forum in which to share ideas and develop partnerships. Programs and meetings for women should do just that: encourage scientific debate and spark new research. For example, a conversation with a colleague at a conference for women in infection research gave me the idea for a potential joint project. These types of networks not only provide support, but they also act as catalysts for scientific progress.