Research Program Immunology and Cancer - News & Notices

Congratulations to Dr. Sicong Ma, who defended his PhD thesis entitled "Metabolic synchronization of effector and regulatory T cell responses" in October 2019!

Thesis Abstract: Our study revealed that SPTLC2 underpins the adaptive protective immunity by translating extracellular stimuli into intracellular anabolic signals and reducing the cellular stress in maintaining metabolic reprogramming sustainability. In addition, SPTLC2 is required to maintain the suppressive activity of Treg cells to keep the immune tolerance and restrict the anti-tumor responses. Collectively, we address that the SPTLC2-mediated sphingolipid de novo synthetic pathway synchronizes metabolic reprogramming and the immune reaction of regulatory and effector T cells in infection and cancer.

On the 10th of September 2019, Stefanie Dünnbier defended her doctoral thesis entitled "The role of Thioredoxin-interacting protein in T cell receptor signalling".

Abstract: T cell receptor (TCR) engagement and subsequent signalling are a prerequisite to initiate a T cell immune response. This study examined the role of Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) in TCR signalling and shows that TXNIP acts as transcriptional inhibitor. Hence, TXNIP might be considered as a potential therapeutic target to shape T cell responses e.g. in autoimmune or tumour diseases.

Congratulations on this excellent work!

On the 10th of Mai 2019, Csilla Kongsaysak-Lengyel defended her PhD. The title of her thesis is "Importance of Notch1 PEST domain mutations in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia".

Abstract: My PhD work was focusing on the characteristic frameshift mutations of the Notch1 PEST domain, leading to the expression of a truncated, hyperactive Notch1 protein. These mutations are found with very high frequencies in human T-ALL, and also in our spontaneous T-ALL mouse model. To investigate the importance of such frameshift mutations in leukemia pathogenesis, we developed a modified Notch1 allele, where frameshift mutations are non-functional. Interestingly, mice bearing such a modified Notch1 allele overcome frameshift disability by specifically acquiring direct STOP mutations leading to a truncated PEST domain. Overall, our results reveal an enormous selection pressure for mutations leading to a hyperactive Notch signaling in T-ALL pathogenesis.

Congratulations Dr. Kongsaysak-Lengyel!

On the 29th of April 2019, Ann-Kathrin Fanti defended her PhD thesis entitled "Fate Mapping of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Activity under Challenges".

Abstract: In my PhD project I investigated the regulation of the hematopoietic system, and in particular HSC, under stress conditions. To enable HSC fate mapping, I employed a Cre knock-in reporter mouse and performed time-resolved analysis of hematopoietic compartment sizes and label propagation. Our findings show that the activation of HSC, in terms of differentiation, depends strongly on the nature of the challenge, giving important insights on the hematopoietic response to severe insults such as sepsis and irradiation.

Congratulations on this great work!