Gezielte Immunmodulation in Krebs

Postdoctoral Fellows:
(2020-present)

• Markus Perl, MD, (since 2020, experiments running)
  Research Focus: Cellular Engineering, CRSIPR/Cas9, CAR-T cells, Vectordesign, Microbiome, clinical translation
• Kaiji Fan, PhD (since 2020, experiments running)
  Research Focus: Immunomodulation via extracellular vesicles, Tissue Microbiota in GVHD and GvL, human organoid cultures
• Paul Heinrich, Computational Biologist, PhD (since 2022, experiments running)
  Research Focus: Transcriptomics, Metabolomics, single cell techniques
• Simon Holzinger, Computational Biologist, PhD (since 2025, experiments running)
  Research Focus: Epigenetics, microbiome analysis, single cell techniques
• Severin Gütter, PhD (since 2024)
  Research Focus: extracellular vesicles, CAR-T cells
• Sascha Göttert, PhD (since 2024)
  Research Focus: Metabolites as immunomodulators in allogeneic transplantation
• Saba Sameri, PhD (since 2025)
  Reseacrh

Graduate (PhD) students
(2020-present)

• Sascha Göttert, PhD Student (since 2018, experiments finished)
• Chiara Suriano, PhD Student (started 2022, experiments running)
• Dhyani Shah, PhD Student (since 2022)
• Omer Khalid, PhD Student (started 05 / 2022, experiments running)
• Misbah Tariq, PhD Student (since 2024, experiments running)
• Maria Driesslein (PhD Student) (since 2024, experiments running)
• Suqi Li, PhD Student (since 2024, experiments running)

Medical Students (cand. med)
(2020-present)             

• Luisa Marie-Becker, cand. med. (since 2021, experiments finished)
• Leonard Knödler, cand. med. (since 2021, experiments running)
• Julian Scherer, cand. med. (since 2024, experiments running)
• Konstantin Herfeld, cand. med. (since 2023, experiments running)
• Sabrina Kunz, cand. med. (since 2020, experiments finished)

2024                Translationsgruppe „TANGO“ (BZKF)

2023                European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant 2023

2023                Basic Science Award (EBMT 2023)

2022                Basic Science Award (EBMT 2022)

2022                Excellence Funding Programme for Established Scientists by German Cancer Aid

2018                EMBO Young Investigator Programme

2017                Mechthild-Harf Research Grant by DKMS

2016                European Hematology Association (EHA) Research Grant

2013                Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers (AVH foundation)

2010                Walter-Schulz-Forschungspreis

2009                Vincenz-Czerny-Forschungspreis (DGHO)

2006                Kulturpreis Bayern, gestiftet vom Bayerischen Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung
                            und Kunst (beste Doktorarbeit der LMU)

2004                Harvard-Stipendium der LMU-HMI-Allianz (PJ Tertial Innere Medizin)

2003 – '05    Stipendium der Bayer Science and Education Foundation

• DFG Collaborative Research Center (CRC) TRR221/A08
• DFG-Sachbeihilfe/ Einzelantrag (PO 1575/5-1)
• DFG Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1371/P05
• Leibniz-Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT)
• Excellence funding program der Deutschen Krebshilfe (70114547)
• Bayerisches Zentrum für Krebsforschung (BZKF)
• European Research Council (ERC) (Consolidator grant)

1. Heidegger S, Stritzke F, Dahl S, Daßler-Plenker J, Joachim L, Buschmann D, Winter C, Fan K, Enßle S,Li S, Perl M, Görgens A, Haas T, Thiele Orberg E, Göttert S, Wölfel C, Engleitner T, Rad R, Herr W, Giebel B, Ruland J, Bassermann F, Coch C, Hartmann G and Poeck H. Harnessing nucleic acid sensors in tumor cells to reprogram biogenesis and RNA cargo of extracellular vesicles for T-cell-mediated cancer immunotherapy. Cell Rep Med. 2023 Sep 19;4(9):101171. [IF: 11.7].
   
   By “reprogramming” the immunomodulatory function of these tumor-derived EVs, we developed an innovative, personalized way to induce T cell-based antitumor immunity. Our results will provide the basis for the production of immunostimulatory EVs as a new, cell-free, multifunctional and personalized cancer therapy.
    
2. Joachim L, Göttert S, Sax A, Steiger K, Neuhaus K, Heinrich P, Fan K, Thiele-Orberg E, Kleigrewe K, Ruland J, Bassermann F, Herr W, Posch C, Heidegger S, Poeck H. The microbial metabolite desaminotyrosine enhances T-cell priming and cancer immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors. eBioMedicine. Volume 97, 2023, 104834, ISSN 2352-3964, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104834. [IF: 9.2].
   
   Identification of a microbial metabolite (DAT) as a promising candidate for a new microbial-based therapeutic to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies and especially in patients previously treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics (to overcome “dysbiosis”).
    
3. Thiele Orberg E, Meedt E, Hiergeist A, Xue J,Heinrich P, Ru J, Ghimire S, Miltiadous O, Lindner S,Tiefgraber M, Göldel S, Eismann T, Schwarz A, Göttert S, Jarosch S, Steiger K, Schulz C, Gigl M,Fischer JC, Janssen KP, Quante M, Heidegger S, Herhaus P, Verbeek M, Ruland J, van den Brink MRM, Weber D, Edinger M, Wolff D, Busch DH, Kleigrewe K, Herr W, Bassermann F, Gessner A, Deng L, Holler E, Poeck H. Bacterial and Bacteriophage Consortia are Associated with Protective Intestinal Immuno-modulatory Metabolites in Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation Patients. Nat. Cancer 2024; Jan 3. doi: 10.1038/s43018-023-00669-x. [IF: 24.6].
   
   Discovery of “microbial metabolites” and definition of a new risk index (“immuno-modulatory risk index”) for predicting clinical responses in allo-SCT patients. Foundation for clinical testing of a new “Precision FMT product” with defined microbiota-metabolite cocktails in allo-SCT patients to both improve response rates and reduce side effects (GvHD).
    
4. Heidegger S*^#, Wintges A *, Stritzke F, Bek S, Steiger K, Koenig PA, Göttert S, Engleitner T, Öllinger R, Nedelko T, Fischer JC, Makarov V, Winter C, Rad R, van den Brink MRM, Ruland J, Bassermann F, Chan TA, Haas T, Poeck H. RIG-I activation is critical for responsiveness to checkpoint blockade. Sci Immunol., 2019 Sep 13;4(39). [IF: 19.2].
   
   First Identification of Intratumoral RIG-I gene expression as a biomarker to select patients that will likely benefit from anti-CTLA-4 therapy; clinical RIG-I targeting in patients may also increase overall response rates of checkpoint inhibitor-based immunotherapy.
    
5. Heidegger S*^#, Kreppel D*, Bscheider M, Stritzke F, Nedelko T, Wintges A, Bek S,Fischer JC, Graalman T, Kalinke U, Bassermann F, Haas T, Poeck H*^#. RIG-I activating immunostimulatory RNA boosts the efficacy of anticancer vaccines and synergizes withcheckpoint blockade. eBioMedicine. 2019 Mar6. pii: S2352-3964(19)30135 [IF: 9.2]
   
   We developed strategies to overcome aberrant tumor cell-intrinsic RIG-I signaling and associated cancer resistance to ICB immunotherapy.
    
6. Fischer JC*, M Bscheider*, Gabriel Eisenkolb*, Lin CC, Wintges A, Otten V, Lindemans CA, Heidegger S, Rudelius M, Monette S, Porosnicu Rodriguez K, Calafiore M, Liebermann S, Liu C, Lienenklaus S, Weiss S, Kalinke U, Ruland J, Peschel C, Shono Y, Docampo M, Velardi E, Jenq R, Hanash A, Dudakov JA, Haas T, van den Brink MR *^# and Poeck H*^#. RIG-I/MAVS and STING signaling promote epithelial integrity during irradiation and immune-medited tissue injury; Sci Transl Med. 2017 Apr 19;9(386)[IF: 16.9].
   
   As current immunosuppressive approaches are associated with increased risks of infections and relapse of malignancies, selective RIG-I or STING activation with defined ligands to improve GVL and reduce GvHD following allo-HSCT to treat leukemia and other blood disorders could have a major clinical impact.
    
7. Jankovic D, Ganesan J, Bscheider M, Stickel N, Weber FC, Guarda G, Follo M, Pfeifer D, Tardivel A, Ludigs K, Bouazzaoui A, Kerl K, Fischer JC, Haas T, Schmitt-Gräff A, Manoharan A, Müller L, Finke J, Martin SF, Gorka O, Peschel C, Ruland J, Idzko M, Duyster J, Holler E, French LE, Poeck H*^#, Contassot E*^#, Zeiser R*^#.The Nlrp3 inflammasome regulates acute graft-versus-host disease. J Exp Med. 2013 Sep 23;210(10):1899-910. [IF: 14.2].
   
   Our study uncovered that selective targeting of NLRP3 may provide a novel therapy for the treatment of steroid-refractory GvHD.
    
8. Poeck H*, Bscheider M*, Gross O*, Roth S, Finger K, Hannesschläger N, Schlee M, Rebsamen M, Rothenfusser S, Barchet W, Akira S, Inoue S, Endres S, Peschel C, Hartmann G*, Hornung V* and Ruland J*. Recognition of RNA virus by RIG-I results in activation of CARD9 and inflammasome signaling for interleukin 1beta production. Nat Immunol. 2010 Jan;11(1):63-9. [IF: 28.4]
   
   We show that upon recognition of RNA viruses and RIG-I ligands, RIG-I triggers a dual signaling cascade that is required for proinflammatory responses and inflammasome activation. Together with the paper below, this paper paved the way for the clinical development of RIG-I agonists against cancer therapy (phase I/II clinical trials).
    
9. Poeck H*, Besch R*, Maihoefer C, Renn M, Tormo D, Morskaya S, Kirschnek S, Gaffal E, Landsberg J, Hellmuth J, Schmidt A, Anz D, Bscheider M, Schwerd T, Berking C, Bourquin C, Kalinke U, Kremmer E, Kato H, Akira S, Meyers R, Häcker G, Neuenhahn M, Busch D, Ruland J, Rothenfusser S, Prinz M, Hornung V, Endres S, Tüting T & Hartmann G. 5’-triphosphate siRNA: turning gene-silencing and RIG-I activation against melanoma. Nat Med. 2008 Nov;14 (11):1256-63 [IF: 59.2]
   
   We identified RIG-I as a selective target for bifunctional 5´-triphosphate siRNAs (3p-siRNA) that combat tumors by combining gene-silencing, RIG-I activation and selective apoptosis induction in one siRNA-molecule.
    
10. Gross O*, Poeck H*, Bscheider M, Dostert C, Hannesschläger N, Endres S, Hartmann G, Tardivel A, Schweighoffer E, Tybulewicz V, Mocsai A, Tschopp J, Ruland J. Syk kinase signalling couples to the Nlrp3 inflammasome for anti-fungal host defence. Nature. 2009 May 21;459(7245):433-6. [IF: 54.4].
    
    First description that the Nlrp3 inflammasome is responsible for sensing of fungi and initiation of host defense mechanisms.

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