Research

Chair of Infection Immunology at the  Leibniz Institut for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology & Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena

Human T cell regulation – from the mechanistic basis to translational applications

The major focus of our laboratory is to investigate the regulation of human T cells in health and disease. We address fundamental questions about the mechanistic basis of human T cell memory formation, stabilization, and modulation. We also investigate T cell communication with the local tissue microenvironment in settings of health and disease. Our research has unraveled novel T cell specializations such as GM-CSF and IL-1alpha production (Noster et al. Sci Transl Med 2014, Chao et al. Nat Immunol 2023) and anti-inflammatory Th17 cells (Zielinski et al. Nature 2012) with major implications for chronic infections and the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

We are in particular interested in the mechanisms by which a tissue resident immunological memory is generated and maintained in the human tissue. The reciprocal interactions of T cells with the tissue micro-milieu including the microbiota as well as metabolites and even ions are of particular interest. They shape the functionality of the tissue resident memory T cell compartment, “imprint” tissue-tropic migration and residence and represent interesting targets for novel immunomodulatory therapies in settings of autoimmunity, cancer, and chronic infections (de Almeida et al. Sci Immunology 2022) .

To address our goals, we use a translational approach, combining the analysis of healthy and pathological tissue samples with novel cutting-edge technologies, gene editing and high-dimensional data analysis. We are studying patients undergoing extensive in vivo perturbation of their immune system, i.e. by systemic therapies with immunomodulatory drugs (biologics) or by stem cell transplantation. We also take advantage of studying patients with genetic immunodeficiency syndromes.

Together, our research aims to provide a fundamental basis of human T cell regulation and translational applications for the design of therapeutic targets and adoptive T cell therapies in settings of autoimmunity, infections, and cancer.

Our Immunomonitoring Unit and FACS Unit

The Chair of Infection Immunology heads an Immunomonitoring and FACS Unit with state-of-the art and cutting-edge technologies for the in-depth analysis of the immunological landscape of human and murine tissue material. We perform high-dimensional spectral flow cytometry with the Cytek Aurora and have several flow cytometers (Miltenyi, Cytoflex) for further single-cell analyses. We perform single-cell RNAseq with the 10xGenomics and the BD Rhapsody and have bioinformatic support in our department. In addition, we provide support with metabolic assays using the Seahorse technology. Our unit engages in clinical collaborations that aim to unravel the pathogenesis of human diseases in settings of infections, immunodeficiency, autoimmunity and cancer and in collaborations concerning novel therapeutics and cellular therapies (CAR T cells). Please contact us if you seek our support.

Our Department hosts the Translational Immunomonitoring group, which is part of the Leibniz Center for Photonics in Infection Research.