Maximilian A. Kelch

Focused late-stage doctoral student demonstrating a specialty in virological research. Determined to research strategies to effectively target deadly virus-associated diseases. Skilled multitasker with superior work ethic and good teamwork, problem-solving, communication and organizational skills. Reliable and dedicated team player with hardworking and resourceful approach.

• Cell culture: Cell lines, primary human cells, Air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures, 2D and 3D models for virus infection, cultivation and experimentation with L2 (IAV, IBV, RSV, CMV) and L3 viruses (SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, bird flu), bacterial culture
• Molecular biology: Diverse PCR and qRT-PCR techniques, molecular cloning, Nanopore sequencing, BAC-based manipulation of viral genomes
• Biochemistry: Western blot, FACS, protein purification, protein modification, luminescens-based reporter systems
• Microscopy: Light microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, CLS microscopy

Jun 2021 - current, Uniklinikum Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt (Main), Germany (Doctoral thesis)

• Project: Identification of host-directed antivirals to target highly pathogenic RNA viruses
• Supervisor: Dr. med. Tuna Toptan Grabmair
• Techniques: 2D and 3D cell culture, virus experimentation under BSL3 conditions, high throughput drug screening, high-throughput siRNA screening, High density cell arrays, BAC-based en passant mutagenesis

Jan - Dec 2020, Robert Koch Institut, Berlin, Germany (Master´s thesis)

• Project: Characterization of a RCMV γ-chemokine knockout mutant
• Supervisor: PD Dr. med. Sebastian Voigt
• Techniques: FACS, cell culture, western blot, dendritic cell isolation from rat spleen, chemotaxis assay, isolation of virus from rat salivary glands

Jul – Dec 2019, Humboldt University Berlin, Berlin, Germany

• Topic: The role of phosphodiesterases in Toxoplasma gondii infection
• Supervisor: PD Dr. Nishith Gupta, Dr. Kim-Chi Vo
• Techniques: Parasite culture, cell culture, cloning, fluorescence imaging, western blot, protein purification

Jan – Jul 2019, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

• Topic: Sensitization of squamous carcinoma cell lines using TRAIL and prostaglandine inhibitors
• Supervisor: PD Dr. Jürgen Eberle, Dr. Zina Sarif
• Techniques: Cell culture, cell death assays, FACS, western blot

Apr - Jun 2018, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany (Bachelor´s thesis)

• Project: The action of cellular GTPases on the infection pathway of EHV-1
• Supervisor: Dr. Walid Azab, Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Osterrieder
• Techniques: Cell culture, virus purification, cloning, fluorescence microscopy and imaging

Oct – Nov 2017, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany

• Topic: Studying the functional role of Influenza matrix protein M1 using giant unilamellar vesicles (GUV)
• Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Salvatore Chiantia
• Techniques: Protein purification, SDS-PAGE, UV/VIS spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy

I describe myself as a happy, open-minded person who likes to connect with people and who has well-defined goals in life. I favor working in a team and contribute own ideas to joint tasks or projects. I was playing tennis on a semi-professional level and currently still work as a tennis and fitness coach. Hence, I try as much as I can to live a healthy lifestyle as it contributes to my mental health and fitness needed to reach my goals. Besides life sciences, my interests comprise philosophy, psychology, history, politics, and social sciences. Reading good books is a good alternative for me to escape the repetitive structure and style of scientific publications. My current book deals with a detailed biography of Leonardo da Vinci - of whom one can still learn a lot. 

March 2022 - Gesellschaft für Virologie (GfV) in Munich

• Online participation

March 2023 - Gesellschaft für Virologie (GfV) in Ulm

• Poster presentation: "Molecular Analyses of Clinical Isolates and Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Carrying B.1 and B.1.617.2 Spike Mutations Suggest a Potential Role of Non-Spike Mutations in Infection Kinetics"
• Poster presentation: "Maschine learning perturbation screens on SARS-CoV-2 host factors identifies β-catenin/CBP inhibitor PRI-724 as a potent antivirals"
• election as a board member of the jGfV as a student representative

March 2024 - Gesellschaft für Virologie (GfV) in Vienna

• Poster presentation: "Mixed lineage kinase domain like pseudokinase (MLKL) knockout accelerates replication of highly pathogenic RNA viruses and attenuates interferon signaling"
• Poster presentation: "A comprehensive analysis of the reactivation of human polyomaviruses in patients following allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation"
• chair and moderation of jGfV session, round table discussion with Prof. Isabella Eckerle, Prof. Florian Krammer & Dr. Sarah Schmidt
• ACHIEVE ROUND career talk participant, scholarship awardee (100 EUR, registration fee coverage)

• Kelch, M.A., Vera-Guapi, A.V., Beder, T., Oswald, M., Hiemisch, A., Beil, N., Wajda, P., Ciesek, S., Erfle, H., Toptan, T., König, R. Maschine learning perturbation screens on SARS-CoV-2 host factors identifies β-catenin/CBP inhibitor PRI-724 as a potent antiviral, Frontiers in Microbiology 2023, 14:1193320.
• Veleanu, A.*, Kelch, M.A.*, Ye, C.; Flohr, M.; Wilhelm, A.; Widera, M.; Martinez-Sobrido, L.; Ciesek, S.; Toptan, T. Molecular Analyses of Clinical Isolates and Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Carrying B.1 and B.1.617.2 Spike Mutations Suggest a Potential Role of Non-Spike Mutations in Infection Kinetics, Viruses 2022, 14, 2017.
• Kolyvushko, O.; Kelch, M.A.; Osterrieder, N.; Azab, W. Equine Alphaherpesviruses Require Activation of the Small GTPases Rac1 and Cdc42 for Intracellular Transport, Microorganisms 2020, 8, 1013

• Gesellschaft für Virologie (GfV)