Prof. Thomas Bock is virologist and head of the division 15 “Viral Gastroenteritis and Hepatitis Pathogens and Enteroviruses” of the Infectious Diseases Departments at the RKI since 2008, with focus on molecular epidemiology and patho-mechanisms of hepatitis and gastroenteritis viruses. He also has expertise in viral diseases of the myocardium as a cause of myocardial diseases.

In his division, human pathogens of viral gastroenteritis (calici and rotaviruses), hepatitis viruses (HEV, HBV, HCV, HDV) and enteroviruses are investigated for their properties and variability for the purpose of monitoring virus circulation with molecular epidemiological methods. The division is hosting the NRC / WHO/EURO RRC for Poliomyelitis and Entero-viruses and since 2010 the office of the National Commission for Polio Eradication in Germany, as well as the Consultant Laboratory for Noroviruses and the CL for Rotaviruses and since 2020 the WHO Collaborating Center for Viral Hepatitis and HIV. The main tasks in-clude surveillance of circulating viruses, analysis of pathogen variability and its risk potential, special diagnostics (e.g. fine typing), quality assurance, and outbreak investigations. The laboratories are accredited on the basis of DIN EN ISO 9001 (DAkkS).

In PACE-UP, he contributes to the investigation and characterization of HBV and HEV in-fections and is involved in co-supervising of PhD students.