Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter

Dr. Anna Eisele (in Vertretung von Dr. rer nat. Heike Herbrand)
Tel.: 0241 80-85686
aeiseleukaachende

My project:

Intestinal tumors exploit the intricate immune mechanisms responsible for gut homeostasis to ensure their growth and survival. For instance, a common observation in intestinal tumors is the increased frequencies of Regulatory T cells (Tregs), which suppress immune responses. Furthermore, these tumors often give rise to liver metastasis, thus creating a significant challenge for cancer treatment. My goal is to understand how early tumoral changes leads to the accumulation of tumor Tregs in the intestine and their subsequent impact on secondary sites, such as the liver. Using techniques such as high-end spectral flow cytometry, single-cell sequencing, and multiplex immunostaining, I am characterizing the changes in phenotype, function, and localization of gut and liver immune cells during the earliest stages of tumor development. We anticipate that understanding these mechanisms could pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches aimed at mitigating tumor progression.

Naveen Kanagaraj

Naveen Kanagaraj
nkanagarajukaachende

My project:

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is a key host factor that regulates the composition and distribution of the gut microbiota and the defence against enteropathogens. IgA is produced by plasma cells in the intestinal lamina propria and is a fundamental element in organising a complex network of interactions between the intestinal epithelium, the microbiota and the immune system. However, despite its importance, the effects of IgA on the integrity and function of the intestinal barrier are poorly understood. Therefore, my aim is to understand the function of IgA on intestinal epithelial cells and the intestinal barrier. To this end, I am investigating epithelial cell function and phenotype in the absence of IgA, as well as the spatio-phenotypic characteristics of plasma cells using a newly established AI-based image analysis pipeline. We anticipate that this knowledge will be critical in developing a comprehensive understanding of the gut barrier and its defects in human disease.

My project:

In humans, approximately 5 g of immunoglobulin A is produced per day, making IgA the most abundant antibody at all. IgA coats commensal bacteria in the gut and affects their growth, motility, metabolism, bile acid sensitivity and interactions with the host. Surprisingly, however, we know little about the actual targets of IgA at the molecular level. I am developing a systematic approach to better define IgA targets in the intestinal immune system. I combine FACS-based enrichment of transposon mutant libraries stained with IgA and high content identification of transposon insertion sites. We expect that a deeper understanding of IgA targets will ultimately be an important step towards therapeutic manipulation of the gut microbiota.

Monika Schütz

Monika Schütz
Tel.: 0241 80-37764
moschuetzukaachende

Fabio Ticconi
fticconiukaachende