Meet the Team

Florian Klein is a physician-scientist investigating the humoral immune response against viral pathogens. He is Professor of Virology and Director of the Institute of Virology at the University of Cologne. His research focuses on antibody-based therapies against viral infections, including HIV, HCMV, Ebola viruses, and SARS-CoV-2 infections. He has led seminal research projects in antibody discovery and the translation of these findings into clinical applications.

Florian Klein received his MD from the University of Cologne and a Master’s degree in Translational Medicine from Rockefeller University. He is Speaker of the Center for Infectious Diseases at the University Hospital Cologne, the DZIF Bridging Topic “Antibody-based Therapies,” the DZIF Section HIV, and the National Immunity Platform COVIM. Over the past years, Florian has received numerous awards, including the German AIDS Award, the Georges Köhler Award, the Hamburg Science Prize, and the Galenus-von-Pergamon Award. Furthermore, he is an elected member of the Leopoldina and has been repeatedly recognized as a highly cited researcher.

Dr. Lutz Gieselmann is a physician-scientist with a strong interest in humoral immunity. He has developed high-throughput protocols to study immune responses to viral pathogens and has isolated and characterized highly broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2.

Lutz studied medicine at the University of Münster and received his postdoctoral research training in the Laboratory of Experimental Immunology at the Institute of Virology in Cologne. He is also a board-certified clinical virologist and inventor on multiple licensed patents. Most recently he has been recognized with the prestigious Robert Koch Postdoctoral Award for Immunology.

Ivanna Marchesini is a biochemist with a strong interest in molecular diagnostics, biomedical informatics, and data science. Her expertise includes PCR-based diagnostics, sequencing workflows, laboratory automation, and quality management. At Togontech, Ivanna supports laboratory operations, implements digital laboratory solutions, and generates high-quality scientific data to advance biotechnology research and development.

Ivanna holds a Master’s-equivalent degree in Biochemistry from the University of Buenos Aires and gained practical experience in molecular diagnostics at the Institute of Virology at University Hospital Cologne. She is currently pursuing further specialization in Biomedical Informatics and Data Science and completing her Master’s thesis at Togontech.

Dr. Henning Grüll is a physician-scientist specializing in immunology and viral infections. His research centers on neutralizing antibodies against viruses like HIV and SARS-CoV-2, bridging preclinical discovery with clinical translation. He has led multiple early-phase clinical trials and co-invented several patented antiviral antibodies.

Henning studied medicine in Münster and underwent his clinical and scientific training at the University Hospital Cologne. He is a board-certified virologist and also serves as attending physician at the Institute of Virology of the University Hospital Cologne. For his scientific work, he has received numerous awards, including the Publication Prize of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Cologne, the German AIDS Award, the Robert Koch Postdoctoral Award for Virology, and, most recently, the Loeffler-Frosch Prize of the German Society for Virology (GfV).

Holger Schmoll brings 30+ years of leadership in biotech, IT, and finance. As former CFO at AiCuris, he led strategic deals, including the licensing of Letermovir (PREVYMIS®) to MSD, and oversaw funding rounds and IPO preparation.

He co-founded BEAM to address antimicrobial resistance and has served on expert groups for biotech financing. Holger holds a degree in economics with a focus on finance and business informatics.

Dr. Susanne Salomon manages our strategic partnerships as well as IP-related aspects at Togontech. With a background in biochemistry and numerous years of experience in alliance management, she has supported licensing deals and interdisciplinary collaborations.

She also coordinates the national COVIM consortium, a nationwide immunity platform and serves as Executive Assistant to the Director at the Institute of Virology, University of Cologne.

Dr. John Reinhard Pietzsch combines broad expertise in Biopharma innovation, Data Science, and Life Sciences strategy. As former Senior Director at Bayer Pharmaceuticals, and Head of Data Science and Insights, he led global data-centric AI programs. He also held senior roles across Business Consulting, Pharmacovigilance, Medical Affairs, and Radiology shaping diverse global strategy initiatives.

John Pietzsch studied Biochemistry and obtained his Doctorate degree in Immunology. Uniting cross-functional perspectives spanning academia, industry, and biotech, he supports Togontech in strategic planning, business development, and innovation management.