Tumor
immunology
lab

Our research unit examines the interaction of immune cells and leukemia and cancer cells.

Main Research

Focus

Our research unit examines the interaction of immune cells and leukemia and cancer cells.

The main research focus is to analyze so-called cancer/leukemia stem cells. These cells are the origin of the disease and are responsible for relapse after successful chemotherapy. The aim of our research is to develop improved immunotherapies for different types of cancer.

The studies are performed in pre-clinical mouse models and using primary patient material and humanized mouse models. Therefore, our studies generate broad understanding of translational research from animal studies to clinical application.

Group

ochsenbein

Research Focus

Our research unit examines the interaction of immune cells and leukemia and cancer cells. The main research focus is to analyze so-called cancer/leukemia stem cells. These cells are the origin of the disease and are responsible for relapse after successful chemotherapy. The aim of our research is to develop improved immunotherapies for different types of cancer. The studies are performed in pre-clinical mouse models and using primary patient material and humanized mouse models. Therefore, our studies generate broad understanding of translational research from animal studies to clinical application.

Current

lab members

Publications

Here are the publications of group Ochsenbein.

2024

Blood

In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), leukemia stem cells (LSCs) and leukemia progenitor cells (LPCs) interact with various cell types in the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment, regulating their expansion and differentiation. To study the interaction of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the BM with LSCs and LPCs, we analyzed their transcriptome and predicted cell-cell interactions by unbiased high-throughput correlation network analysis.

2023

Science Signaling

Cell stemness is characterized by quiescence, pluripotency, and long-term self-renewal capacity. Therapy-resistant leukemic stem cells (LSCs) are the primary cause of relapse in patients with chronic and acute myeloid leukemia (CML and AML).

2022

Leukemia

Splenic red pulp macrophages provide a niche for CML stem cells and induce therapy resistance.

Group

Riether

Research Focus

The bone marrow (BM) microenvironment is a unique cellular architecture which crucially regulates self-renewal and differentiation potential of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells through cell-cell interaction or the release of soluble mediators. These evolutionary conserved processes that evolved to protect normal hematopoietic stem cells from elimination and to regulate demand-adapted responses during inflammation are frequently hijacked in cancer and leukemia. The goal of our research is to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms how different components of the BM microenvironment such as immune cells and stromal cells affect disease-initiating and -maintaining leukemia stem cells (LSCs) and protect them from immune-mediated elimination. We take advantage of state-of-the art technologies, well-established chronic and acute myeloid leukemia mouse and patient-derived xenograft models in order strengthen our understanding on LSCs and to translate our findings into human disease.