After completing his master’s degree in molecular and cellular biology at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, Jan Michler joined Prof Andreas Moor’s research group in Basel in October 2020. Using a combination of single cell RNA sequencing, immune cell receptor sequencing and antigen-binding specificities analysis, the group studies immune responses in high depth and resolution. In his PhD project, he is investigating aspects of the development of human immune memory in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infections and vaccinations. This work yields fascinating insights into our body’s defence against pathogens.