Recently, immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint modulators, bispecific antibodies and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have revolutionized the treatment of many malignant diseases. However, many patients do not respond to these treatments or suffer a relapse. Thus, there is a high medical need for novel approaches.
The Research Group „Experimental Hematology and Immunotherapy“ focuses on developing such novel immunotherapies to remodel the malignant microenvironment. Approaches include, but are not limited to, cellular therapies and oncolytic viral vaccines.
Applied methods span classical virological and immunological methods (flow cytometry, ELISpot, ELISA, bead arrays) as well as investigations in patient-derived ex vivo cultures and in vivo models.
Group Leaders | Prof. Dr. Dr. Christine Engeland |
Current Group members | |
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Floerchinger A, Klein JE, Finkbeiner MSC, Schäfer TE, Fuchs G, Doerner J, Zirngibl H, Ackermann M, Kvasnicka HM, Chester KA, Jäger D, Ball CR, Ungerechts G, Engeland CE. A vector-encoded bispecific killer engager to harness virus-activated NK cells as anti-tumor effectors. Cell Death Dis. 2023 Feb 10;14(2):104.
Veinalde R, Pidelaserra-Martí G, Moulin C, Tan CL, Schäfer TE, Kang N, Ball CR, Leichsenring J, Stenzinger A, Kaderali L, Jäger D, Ungerechts G, Engeland CE. Virotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 transiently reshapes the tumor immune environment and induces anti-tumor immunity in a preclinical PDAC model. Front Immunol. 2023 Jan 16;13:1096162.
Veinalde R, Pidelaserra-Martí G, Moulin C, Jeworowski LM, Küther L, Buchholz CJ, Jäger D, Ungerechts G, Engeland CE. Oncolytic measles vaccines encoding PD-1 and PD-L1 checkpoint blocking antibodies to increase tumor-specific T cell memory. Mol Ther Oncolytics. 2021 Nov 29;24:43-58.
Heidbuechel JPW, Engeland CE. Oncolytic viruses encoding bispecific T cell engagers: a blueprint for emerging immunovirotherapies. J Hematol Oncol. 2021 Apr 16;14(1):63.
Pidelaserra-Martí G, Engeland CE. Mechanisms of measles virus oncolytic immunotherapy. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 2020 Dec;56:28-38.
Busch E, Kubon KD, Mayer JKM, Pidelaserra-Martí G, Albert J, Hoyler B, Heidbuechel JPW, Stephenson KB, Lichty BD, Osen W, Eichmüller SB, Jäger D, Ungerechts G, Engeland CE. Measles Vaccines Designed for Enhanced CD8+ T Cell Activation. Viruses. 2020 Feb 21;12(2):242.
Speck T, Heidbuechel JPW, Veinalde R, Jaeger D, von Kalle C, Ball CR, Ungerechts G, Engeland CE. Targeted BiTE Expression by an Oncolytic Vector Augments Therapeutic Efficacy Against Solid Tumors. Clin Cancer Res. 2018 May 1;24(9):2128-2137.
Veinalde R, Grossardt C, Hartmann L, Bourgeois-Daigneault MC, Bell JC, Jäger D, von Kalle C, Ungerechts G, Engeland CE. Oncolytic measles virus encoding interleukin-12 mediates potent antitumor effects through T cell activation. Oncoimmunology. 2017 Jan 31;6(4):e1285992.
Engeland CE, Grossardt C, Veinalde R, Bossow S, Lutz D, Kaufmann JK, Shevchenko I, Umansky V, Nettelbeck DM, Weichert W, Jäger D, von Kalle C, Ungerechts G. TLA-4 and PD-L1 checkpoint blockade enhances oncolytic measles virus therapy. Mol Ther. 2014 Nov;22(11):1949-59.
Complete list of publications:
