Birte received her PhD from the University of Constance in Germany where she studied the function of the cytokine-inducible ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 in the immune response to intracellular pathogens. During this time, she developed an interest in the complexity of host-pathogen interactions, particularly those of emerging viruses and their vertebrate hosts. Her current research in the laboratory of Dr. Tetsuro Ikegami focuses on studying the function of the Rift Valley fever virus NSs protein, which downregulates dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) and subunit proteins of the host transcription factor TFIIH, using approaches in molecular biology and biochemistry. She also aims to elucidate the role of these functions in viral pathogenesis and immunogenicity by investigating the immune response to NSs mutants in small animal models. Her career goal is to become an independent researcher studying the molecular mechanisms of viral pathogenesis. Her project is entitled: Characterize the molecular functions of the Rift Valley fever virus NSs protein.