top of page

Translational Immunology

We are studying the adaptive immune system to understand B and T cell biology in health and disease. We are epecially interested in immune repertoires.

1 \ B cells in autoimmune liver disease

 

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is historically considered a T cell-mediated disease. However, the observation that AIH patients have high serum levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and circulating autoantibodies also suggests pathological regulation by B lymphocytes which is corroborated by the presence of liver infiltrating plasma cells.

As part of the SFB841, we want to understand the role of B cells in AIH in more detail and investigate to what extent B lymphocytes lead to liver damage via modulation of T lymphocytes.

References

Lübbering et al 2023, Immunology

Schultheiß, Steinmann et al 2023, Hepatol Commun

Schultheiß et al 2022, Semin Immunopathol

Schultheiß et al 2021, Hepatology

Simnica et al 2019, Front Immunol

sfb841_logo_alpha_1.png

2 \ Autoreactive B and T cells

 

Lymphocytes are indispensable for human health, but can turn “rogue” leading to not only autoimmunity, but also malignant lymphoproliferations. With this project, we aim to lay the foundation of a new common pathobiological understanding of lymphoma and autoimmune diseases. This will hopefully allow us to design and develop a novel type of antigen receptor antagonism for precision targeting of lymphocytes to deliver on the promise of personalized medicine at this crossroad of diseases.

References

Lübbering et al 2023, Immunology

Schultheiß et al 2021, iScience

Simnica et al 2019, Front Immunol

Schliffke et al 2019, J Neuroimmunol

Binder et al 2013, Blood

3 \ Understanding early lymphoma development

Since the vast majority of lymphoma data derives from established lymphomas, it remains hypothetical how deregulation of the antigen receptor signaling axis, microenvironmental and inflammatory stimuli as well as the various illegitimate genomic mutational events are sequenced and synergize with each other especially in the protracted pre-malignant phases of positive clonal selection that remain clinically unrecognized. Biological dissection of the very early steps of lymphomagenesis could impact on innovative programs of early detection, early treatment and even prevention.

References

Schultheiß et al 2024, Sci Adv

Schultheiss, Willscher et al 2024, Hepatol Commun

4 \ Clinical consequences of immune repertoire metrics in age and cancer

The dynamics of immunoaging and the onset of immunoparesis in healthy individuals and cancer patients has been controversially discussed. We have set up a home-brew next-generation immunosequencing pipeline allowing the rapid analysis of hundreds of B and T cell receptor repertoires from mice and man in health and disease. We have used this valuable ressource to study age-dependend effects on immune repertoire metrics, but also linked these to adverse reaction patterns in infectious diseases such as COVID-19. The quest for the holy grail of repertoire metrics predicting response to immunotherapies and other systemic treatments has inspired the translational research programs of many of our clinical trials.  

References

Paschold, Gottschick et al 2023, Sci Rep

Ellingsen et al 2022, J. Translational Medicine

van Wilpe et al 2022, Oncoimmunology

​Paschold, Simnica et al 2021, JCI

Simnica et al 2020, JCO Precis Oncol

Schultheiß, Paschold, Simnica et al 2020, Immunity

Simnica et al 2019, Oncoimmunology

Let's Work Together

Exchange of knowledge is essential for scientific progress. If you have an idea on how we could help you with your project or vice versa just contact us. We are always interested in cooperations.

bottom of page