Ben Hale
@benhale.bsky.social
Professor of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
My research group studies molecular mechanisms of the interferon system, interferon deficiencies, and viral disease.
My research group studies molecular mechanisms of the interferon system, interferon deficiencies, and viral disease.
In a new article with Kevin Groen, we review the most recent scientific developments relating to autoantibodies targeting type I interferons and their impacts on severe viral disease:
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
February 3, 2026 at 2:26 PM
In a new article with Kevin Groen, we review the most recent scientific developments relating to autoantibodies targeting type I interferons and their impacts on severe viral disease:
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
Reposted by Ben Hale
Increased prevalence of #autoantibodies neutralizing IFNλ2/3 in young individuals with #CysticFibrosis. New report from Kevin Groen, Emanuela Bruscia, Marc Emmenegger, Benjamin Hale @benhale.bsky.social and colleagues: rupress.org/jhi/article/...
#Autoimmunity #Infections
#Autoimmunity #Infections
January 19, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Increased prevalence of #autoantibodies neutralizing IFNλ2/3 in young individuals with #CysticFibrosis. New report from Kevin Groen, Emanuela Bruscia, Marc Emmenegger, Benjamin Hale @benhale.bsky.social and colleagues: rupress.org/jhi/article/...
#Autoimmunity #Infections
#Autoimmunity #Infections
Happy to join @jem.org as an Associate Editor for 2026 and to contribute to the journal’s publishing process and community!
📢 JEM is delighted to introduce the 2026 Associate Editors: Semir Beyaz, Coco Chu, Erin M. Gibson (@erinmgibson.bsky.social), Benjamin G. Hale (@benhale.bsky.social), Guideng Li, Esther Obeng, João Pereira, and Pamela Rosato. Welcome! 👉 rupress.org/jem/pages/as...
January 15, 2026 at 3:07 PM
Happy to join @jem.org as an Associate Editor for 2026 and to contribute to the journal’s publishing process and community!
Reposted by Ben Hale
Groen, @benhale.bsky.social et al. @virology.uzh.ch identify interferon-λ #autoantibodies in 11.8% of those with #CysticFibrosis, a prevalence >10-fold higher than expected. In vitro & clinical analyses suggest the antibodies may impact mucosal pathology. rupress.org/jhi/article/...
January 12, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Groen, @benhale.bsky.social et al. @virology.uzh.ch identify interferon-λ #autoantibodies in 11.8% of those with #CysticFibrosis, a prevalence >10-fold higher than expected. In vitro & clinical analyses suggest the antibodies may impact mucosal pathology. rupress.org/jhi/article/...
Reposted by Ben Hale
Type I interferon autoantibody footprints reveal neutralizing mechanisms and allow inhibitory decoy design. From Kevin Groen, Benjamin Hale (@benhale.bsky.social) and colleagues 👉 rupress.org/jem/article/...
📘 Part of 2025: The Year in Experimental Medicine rupress.org/jem/collecti...
#Autoimmunity
📘 Part of 2025: The Year in Experimental Medicine rupress.org/jem/collecti...
#Autoimmunity
January 8, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Type I interferon autoantibody footprints reveal neutralizing mechanisms and allow inhibitory decoy design. From Kevin Groen, Benjamin Hale (@benhale.bsky.social) and colleagues 👉 rupress.org/jem/article/...
📘 Part of 2025: The Year in Experimental Medicine rupress.org/jem/collecti...
#Autoimmunity
📘 Part of 2025: The Year in Experimental Medicine rupress.org/jem/collecti...
#Autoimmunity
Nice to see our study led by Kevin Groen included in the 2025 ‘Best of JEM’. We dissected the mechanisms by which pathogenic autoantibodies block IFN-I function and used the information to design decoy molecules that might form the basis for future therapies.
rupress.org/jem/article/...
rupress.org/jem/article/...
December 17, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Nice to see our study led by Kevin Groen included in the 2025 ‘Best of JEM’. We dissected the mechanisms by which pathogenic autoantibodies block IFN-I function and used the information to design decoy molecules that might form the basis for future therapies.
rupress.org/jem/article/...
rupress.org/jem/article/...
Reposted by Ben Hale
How does fever work?
Our new Science paper shows how elevated body temperature can protect against severe influenza and that avian-origin viruses escape this defence.
This is likely one reason why bird flus and some pandemic influenzas can be so severe.🧵
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Our new Science paper shows how elevated body temperature can protect against severe influenza and that avian-origin viruses escape this defence.
This is likely one reason why bird flus and some pandemic influenzas can be so severe.🧵
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Avian-origin influenza A viruses tolerate elevated pyrexic temperatures in mammals
Host body temperature can define a virus’s replicative profile—influenza A viruses (IAVs) adapted to 40° to 42°C in birds are less temperature sensitive in vitro compared with human isolates adapted t...
www.science.org
November 27, 2025 at 7:55 PM
How does fever work?
Our new Science paper shows how elevated body temperature can protect against severe influenza and that avian-origin viruses escape this defence.
This is likely one reason why bird flus and some pandemic influenzas can be so severe.🧵
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Our new Science paper shows how elevated body temperature can protect against severe influenza and that avian-origin viruses escape this defence.
This is likely one reason why bird flus and some pandemic influenzas can be so severe.🧵
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
I very much enjoyed my time in St Andrews, Scotland as a PhD student. If I was still considered an Early-Career Researcher just starting my own laboratory (in my head, I am!), I would certainly be interested in this fellowship opportunity...
Are you an ECR considering a #fellowship as the next step? We are holding a competitive fellowship day in January 2026. Our priority areas: host-pathogen interactions, synthetic biology, enzymology, systems biology, chemical biology. #ScienceCareers biology.st-andrews.ac.uk/news/2025/11...
Exciting Opportunity: Biomolecular Science Fellowship Day
The School of Biology at the University of St Andrews is inviting applications from outstanding visionary Research Fellow and Future Leader candidates to attend the Biomolecular Science (BMS) Fello…
biology.st-andrews.ac.uk
November 5, 2025 at 7:26 AM
I very much enjoyed my time in St Andrews, Scotland as a PhD student. If I was still considered an Early-Career Researcher just starting my own laboratory (in my head, I am!), I would certainly be interested in this fellowship opportunity...
Thank-you @casanovalab.bsky.social for the kind invitation to be a participant at your celebratory Novo Nordisk Prize Symposium. I appreciated being able to present alongside a great array of leading researchers, & to meet so many welcoming people in the field of Inborn Errors of Immunity! Congrats!
1/ We are celebrating the Novo Nordisk Prize Symposium: Inborn Errors of Immunity – a huge success yesterday at the @institutimagine.bsky.social in Paris featuring talks by 19 leading European researchers on human IEI
September 26, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Thank-you @casanovalab.bsky.social for the kind invitation to be a participant at your celebratory Novo Nordisk Prize Symposium. I appreciated being able to present alongside a great array of leading researchers, & to meet so many welcoming people in the field of Inborn Errors of Immunity! Congrats!
'TRIM28 is a target for paramyxovirus V proteins'. Work led by Gauthier Lieber seeks to address whether host activation of endogenous retroelements contributes to antiviral defences. In support of this idea, he describes a viral mechanism that might limit this host response.
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
TRIM28 is a target for paramyxovirus V proteins
Author summary Host recognition of viral nucleic acids is fundamental for stimulating antiviral immunity. To prevent aberrant immune activation, cells must precisely differentiate “non-self” from “sel...
doi.org
September 9, 2025 at 8:46 AM
'TRIM28 is a target for paramyxovirus V proteins'. Work led by Gauthier Lieber seeks to address whether host activation of endogenous retroelements contributes to antiviral defences. In support of this idea, he describes a viral mechanism that might limit this host response.
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
Reposted by Ben Hale
Regulated localization of transposable element #RNA during #influenza A #virus #infection.
-> www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
-> www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
June 16, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Regulated localization of transposable element #RNA during #influenza A #virus #infection.
-> www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
-> www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Now in press: Marie Lork & our collaborators studied host transposable elements during influenza A virus infection. We found evidence that some produce dsRNA, but that these host dsRNAs are limited from reaching the cytosol by the viral NS1 protein. @emboreports.org
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Regulated localization of transposable element RNA during influenza A virus infection | EMBO reports
imageimageInfluenza A virus infection increases host transposable element (TE) expression. This
study provides evidence that some infection-induced TEs form double-stranded RNAs
that accumulate in the...
www.embopress.org
June 16, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Now in press: Marie Lork & our collaborators studied host transposable elements during influenza A virus infection. We found evidence that some produce dsRNA, but that these host dsRNAs are limited from reaching the cytosol by the viral NS1 protein. @emboreports.org
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Ben Hale
A nice photo from last week’s ’Celebration of 50 years of Virology’ in St Andrews - marking a milestone in the distinguished career of Rick Randall - a great virologist, colleague and friend - congratulations Rick!
May 20, 2025 at 8:10 PM
A nice photo from last week’s ’Celebration of 50 years of Virology’ in St Andrews - marking a milestone in the distinguished career of Rick Randall - a great virologist, colleague and friend - congratulations Rick!
Anti-interferon autoantibodies are always on my mind....even at Easter!
April 22, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Anti-interferon autoantibodies are always on my mind....even at Easter!
Reposted by Ben Hale
Type I interferon autoantibody footprints reveal neutralizing mechanisms and allow inhibitory decoy design. New study from Kevin Groen, Benjamin Hale (@benhale.bsky.social) and colleagues @virology.uzh.ch: rupress.org/jem/article/...
#Autoimmunity #Immunodeficiency #InfectiousDisease
#Autoimmunity #Immunodeficiency #InfectiousDisease
March 27, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Type I interferon autoantibody footprints reveal neutralizing mechanisms and allow inhibitory decoy design. New study from Kevin Groen, Benjamin Hale (@benhale.bsky.social) and colleagues @virology.uzh.ch: rupress.org/jem/article/...
#Autoimmunity #Immunodeficiency #InfectiousDisease
#Autoimmunity #Immunodeficiency #InfectiousDisease
Reposted by Ben Hale
An atlas of protein phosphorylation dynamics during interferon signaling @benhale.bsky.social
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
March 27, 2025 at 3:39 AM
An atlas of protein phosphorylation dynamics during interferon signaling @benhale.bsky.social
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Ben Hale
A follow up on @benhale.bsky.social and colleagues' research published in @jem.org : How "decoy molecules" intercept harmful auto-antibodies, restoring antiviral immunity.
www.news.uzh.ch/en/articles/...
www.news.uzh.ch/en/articles/...
Decoys Restore Antiviral Immune Defense
www.news.uzh.ch
March 26, 2025 at 9:54 AM
A follow up on @benhale.bsky.social and colleagues' research published in @jem.org : How "decoy molecules" intercept harmful auto-antibodies, restoring antiviral immunity.
www.news.uzh.ch/en/articles/...
www.news.uzh.ch/en/articles/...
Reposted by Ben Hale
AutoAbs neutralizing IFN-Is exacerbate severe viral diseases. Groen, @benhale.bsky.social et al. @virology.uzh.ch identify IFN-I regions commonly targeted by these autoAbs and develop a proof-of-concept decoy strategy to alleviate pathogenic effects. rupress.org/jem/article/...
March 20, 2025 at 8:12 PM
AutoAbs neutralizing IFN-Is exacerbate severe viral diseases. Groen, @benhale.bsky.social et al. @virology.uzh.ch identify IFN-I regions commonly targeted by these autoAbs and develop a proof-of-concept decoy strategy to alleviate pathogenic effects. rupress.org/jem/article/...
Interferon research has a long history at the University of Zurich, Switzerland.
Charles Weissmann, Professor of Molecular Biology, led the group that first cloned interferon genes. This allowed large-scale production and facilitated the medical use of interferon.
@uzh-ch.bsky.social
Charles Weissmann, Professor of Molecular Biology, led the group that first cloned interferon genes. This allowed large-scale production and facilitated the medical use of interferon.
@uzh-ch.bsky.social
March 5, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Interferon research has a long history at the University of Zurich, Switzerland.
Charles Weissmann, Professor of Molecular Biology, led the group that first cloned interferon genes. This allowed large-scale production and facilitated the medical use of interferon.
@uzh-ch.bsky.social
Charles Weissmann, Professor of Molecular Biology, led the group that first cloned interferon genes. This allowed large-scale production and facilitated the medical use of interferon.
@uzh-ch.bsky.social
In our most recent work, Kevin Groen from the lab made AIR cells for rapid & sensitive functional detection of interferon types I, II & III. AIR cells can be used with a live cell luciferase substrate, are highly sensitive & can detect autoantibodies neutralising interferons.
doi.org/10.1002/eji....
doi.org/10.1002/eji....
Highly sensitive reporter cell line for detection of interferon types I–III and their neutralization by antibodies
Interferons (IFNs) are a critical component of innate immune defenses and limit viral disease severity. To advance studies on IFNs and their neutralization by pathogenic autoantibodies, we generated ...
doi.org
November 20, 2024 at 7:21 AM
In our most recent work, Kevin Groen from the lab made AIR cells for rapid & sensitive functional detection of interferon types I, II & III. AIR cells can be used with a live cell luciferase substrate, are highly sensitive & can detect autoantibodies neutralising interferons.
doi.org/10.1002/eji....
doi.org/10.1002/eji....
Congratulations to Samira Schiefer from the lab whose use of proximity proteomics to comprehensively survey and characterise the type I interferon signalling pathway has just been published. Many new associations found.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Proximal protein landscapes of the type I interferon signaling cascade reveal negative regulation by PJA2 - Nature Communications
Type I IFN is vital for antiviral defense. Here, the authors use TurboID-based proximity labeling to comprehensively map the protein landscapes surrounding core IFN signaling members. Among factors un...
www.nature.com
May 28, 2024 at 6:39 AM
Congratulations to Samira Schiefer from the lab whose use of proximity proteomics to comprehensively survey and characterise the type I interferon signalling pathway has just been published. Many new associations found.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...