Immune system and tissue radiobiology

Group leader: Prof. Dr. Claudia Fournier

The group focuses on the immunomodulatory effect of radiation therapy, in particular carbon ion therapy. While radiation therapy is traditionally used to kill tumor cells, it is now known that radiation therapy also activates the immune system and can make tumors and metastases visible to the immune system again. Radiation therapy is therefore extremely interesting for combination with immunotherapies, and the approach is already showing clinical success. However, the mechanisms and methods of application of radiation therapy (especially in combination with immunotherapies) to trigger precisely such immunogenic effects are largely unknown or controversial. The role of carbon ion therapy in this regard has been researched even less. This is precisely where our activities come in. We are investigating the interaction of radiation with the immune system (complement system, immune cells), combination therapies (e.g., checkpoint inhibitors, mRNA vaccines), and the immunogenic effect of radiation therapy on tumor cell death.

Main research topics:

  • Influence of (densely) ionizing radiation on the immunomodulatory effect of the complement system: New perspectives for health protection and tumor therapy (ENDORSE)
  • Immunomodulation of radiation and combination therapies
  • Carbon ion radiotherapy for HPV-negative tumors

Former research topics:

  • Impact of low dose radon exposure on the organism (GREWIS and GREWIS-alpha Consortium)
  • Radiation response of human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells
  • Space radiation induced neuroinflammation
  • Heavy ion induced late effects in tissue
Additionally we support reasearch activities concerning immunomodulatory effects of our colleagues from other groups of the Biophysics Department.

Collaborations

  • TRON (Dr. Fulvia Vascotto, Dr. Nadja Salomon)
  • Universität Erlangen (Prof. Dr. Udo Gaipl, Dr. Michael Rückert, Dr. Benjamin Frey)
  • HUMANITAS (Prof. Dr. Cecilia Garlanda, Dr. Elena Magrini)
  • Onkološki Inštitut, Ljubljana, Slovenia (Dr. Tanja Jesenko, Dr. Živa Pišljar, Prof. Dr. Maja Čemažar)
  • CNAO, Pavia, Italy (Dr. Angelica Facoetti)
  • Universität Frankfurt (Prof. Franz Rödel, Prof. C. Rödel, Prof. E. Ullrich, Prof. H. Bönig)
  • Technische Universität Darmstadt (Prof. Heun, Prof. Laube, Prof. Löbrich, Prof. Löwer Prof. Nuber)
  • Universität Ulm (Prof. Dr. L. Wiesmüller, PD Dr. P. Fischer-Posovsky)
  • Université de Caen Normandie, France (Dr. Carine Laurent, Francois Sichel)
  • NIRS-QST, Chiba, Japan (Dr. T. Shimokawa)
  • University of Groningen, Netherlands (Prof. R. Coppes, Dr. Peter van Luijk)
  • University Parthenope, Napoli, Italy (Dr. P. Simoniello)
  • Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, USA (Prof. S. Formenti, Prof. S. Demaria, Dr. Claire Vanpouille-Box)
  • Institut Gustave Roussy, Paris, France (Prof. E. Deutsch, Dr. L. Menziani)

Funding

  • BMBF, joint research project ENDORSE: Influence of (densely) ionizing radiation
    on the immunomodulatory effect of the complement system: New perspectives for health protection and tumor therapy, Subproject A. Funding code 02NUK091A, 01/06/2024 - 31/05/2028
  • BMBF, joint research project GREWIS-alpha: Genetische Risiken und entzündungshemmende Wirkung von dicht-ionisierender alpha-Strahlung, Teilprojekt A. Funding code 02NUK050A, 01/08/2017 - 31/07/2023
  • BMBF, joint research project GREWIS: Genetische Risiken und entzündungshemmende Wirkung von dicht-ionisierender Strahlung: Vergleichende Untersuchungen zur Wirkung von Radon in Zell- und Tier-Modellen und in Radon-Patienten; Teilprojekt A. Funding code 02NUK017A, 01/02/2012 - 31/07/2018
  • BMWi, Einfluss von Schwerelosigkeit und Strahlenexposition auf Genomstabilität und Alterungsprozesse in menschlichen hämatopoetischen Stamm- und Progenitorzellen (GestAlt_HSPC). Funding code 50WB1716, 01/09/2017 - 31/05/2022
  • BMWi, Wirkung von (Weltraum-)Strahlung auf Mikroglia und Blutgefäße in organotypischen Hippocampus- Slicekulturen (space_brain). Funding code 50WB1837, 01/10/2018 - 29/02/2020
  • BMWi, Einfluss von physikalischen und biologischen Maßnahmen auf Strahlungs-induzierte Veränderungen des zentralen Nervensystems (ZNS) in Mäusen (space_PRICE). Funding code 50WB2025, 01/03/2020 - 28/02/2023
  • EURADON - European Association radon spas eV, project number 01/2019, 2019-2021
  • EURADON - European Association radon spas eV, project number 02/2016, 2016-2018
  • FOI Bad Gastein, project funding code FOI-15/08-031WIE, 01/01/2016 - 31/12/2016
  • ESA/DLR, Fidelity of DNA double-strand break repair, manifestation of genetic instabilities and carcinogenesis risk in irradiated human hematopoietic stem cells, project funding code 50WB1225, 01/04/2012 - 30/06/2015
  • DFG, GRK1657 (Graduate College: Molecular and cellular responses to ionizing Radiation), 01/04/2011 - 31/03/2017
  • HGS-HIRe (Helmholtz Graduate School for Hadron and Ion Research)

Group members

  • Group leader:
    Prof. Dr. Claudia Fournier
  • Research scientists:
    Dr. Alexander Helm
    Dr. Usama Dabbas
    Dr. Silvana Miranda
     
  • PhD-Students:
    Peter Dick
    Dennis Fabian Hintze
    Niccoló Edgar Saccone
    Gaia Volpi
     
  • Scientific assistant:
    Svetlana Ktitareva
     
  • Technical assistants:
    Aylin Benzer
    Dr. Daniela Kraft

Press releases


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