all staff members
PhD
Elie El Agha
Junior Professor for Pathogen-Induced Lung Injury and Repair at the Institute for Lung Health (ILH)
Project
The El Agha lab focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating lung development and repair, particularly the interaction between mesenchymal niche cells and their epithelial partners along the proximo-distal axis in the respiratory tree. The lab is interested in the involvement of developmental signaling mechanisms in disease progression versus resolution, especially in the context of pathogen-induced lung injury.
Dr. rer. nat.
Barbara Sprenger
scientific administrator
Dr. rer. nat.
Corinna Bremer
scientific administrator
KFO 309
Dr. rer. nat.
Monika Heiner
scientific lab manager
Project
Macrophages play an important role in the innate host defense against pathogens. In addition to their pro-inflammatory properties, they can also contribute to repair processes. We are particularly interested in the macrophage-epithelial crosstalk in the repairing lung. In this project, we want to identify soluble mediators which promote lung regeneration from a local epithelial progenitor cell pool using a 3D co-culture model and microarray analysis.
Sandra Rinnert
Laboratory Veterinarian
Dr. rer. nat.
Ioannis Alexopoulos
Coordinator of the Multiscale Imaging Platform at the Institute for Lung Health (ILH)
Post Docs
Ivonne Vazquez-Armendariz , PhD
Junior group leader "Lung Organoids and Disease Modeling"
Project
The Vazquez-Armendariz lab focuses on the use of 3D lung organoid systems from adult somatic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for modeling lung disease, particularly as a tool to characterize the molecular crosstalk between the epithelial-mesenchymal-myeloid unit during lung infection, injury and repair. The lab is interested in the elucidation of the cell-specific molecular signaling pathways involved in disease resolution, especially in the context of pathogen-induced lung injury.
Irina Kuznetsova , PhD
Project
Most people infected with novel severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) demonstrate mild to moderate respiratory illness limited by upper respiratory tract. In severe cases of SARS-CoV-2 disease-2019 (COVID-19), virus-induced pneumonia resulting in development of disseminated intravascular coagulation, endothelial leakage, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and multi-organ failure. The main goal of my project is to elucidate the molecular cross-talk between alveolar epithelial cells, residential alveolar macrophages and pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells in to order to develop an approach for treatment of SARS-CoV2-induced lung injury.
Dr. biol. hom.
Learta Pervizaj Oruqaj
Project
The main goal of my project is to investigate the role of macrophages and their functional phenotypes in host defense and in regeneration processes of the lung epithelium in vivo and in vitro; and, to characterize their gene expression profiles by single cell RNA-Seq during pneumonia-induced ARDS using mouse models of ALI/ARDS. In addition, the project is also designed to identify crucial effector molecules in distinct macrophage phenotypes, broadly termed M1 and M2, which could be therapeutically targeted for the treatment of IAV- induced lung injury, to attenuate epithelial injury and drive stem cell-mediated lung repair.
Dr. med.
Ulrich Matt
,
PhD
Clinician Scientist
Project
Acute lung injury (ALI) is caused by direct or indirect insults to the lung, and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Bacterial superinfections are feared complications of ALI. On the cellular level, alveolar macrophages are key innate immune cells that initiate and resolve an inflammatory process. Resolution of inflammation might impair the macrophage´s ability to clear bacteria, thus predisposing to superinfections. My project focuses on the kinetics and activation state of macrophages/monocytes during ALI in the context of bacterial superinfections.
Dr. med.
Lucas Kimmig
Clinician Scientist
Project
Elucidating Alveolar Macrophage Metabolism and Developing Targets for Metabolism-Based Therapies in ARDS
Cellular metabolism plays a crucial role in driving macrophage polarization and determining their effector function. As niche macrophages, tissue-resident alveolar macrophages possess a unique metabolic phenotype which more heavily relies on oxidative phosphorylation. In contrast to other macrophage types, alveolar macrophages do not rely on glycolysis to fulfill inflammatory functions. The goal of my project is to elucidate the alveolar macrophage metabolism in health and lung injury in order pave the way for therapeutic manipulation and metabolic therapies for lung diseases
PhD students
Christina Malainou , MD
Project
`Strategies to prevent influenza-induced loss of the alveolar macrophage pool and improve host defense against secondary infection`
Bacterial superinfection after influenza virus (IV)-induced lung injury significantly contributes to disease severity and mortality. The pathogenesisis characterized by mutual interactions between the co-infecting pathogens and the host. One important mechanism is the depletion of a specific subset of lung macrophages called resident alveolar macrophages (rAM), which act as first line innate immune defense by phagocytosing invading bacteria in the alveolar space. rAM death in vivomay be driven by both the viral infection itself and host-derived inflammatory signals. Currently, the respective contribution of these processes and the downstream signaling pathways involved are largely unresolved. Aim of this project is to characterize infection-induced death pathways in rAM, develop strategies to inhibit them and restore rAM function as well as assess the effect of rAM protection/restoration on a bacterial superinfection level.
Bacterial superinfection after influenza virus (IV)-induced lung injury significantly contributes to disease severity and mortality. The pathogenesisis characterized by mutual interactions between the co-infecting pathogens and the host. One important mechanism is the depletion of a specific subset of lung macrophages called resident alveolar macrophages (rAM), which act as first line innate immune defense by phagocytosing invading bacteria in the alveolar space. rAM death in vivomay be driven by both the viral infection itself and host-derived inflammatory signals. Currently, the respective contribution of these processes and the downstream signaling pathways involved are largely unresolved. Aim of this project is to characterize infection-induced death pathways in rAM, develop strategies to inhibit them and restore rAM function as well as assess the effect of rAM protection/restoration on a bacterial superinfection level.
Margarida Barroso , M.Sc.
Project
The aim of my PhD work is to do an analysis of the molecular interactions between virus-infected lung cells and MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells). Using established murine and human primary alveolar epithelial cells/MSCs co-culture and mouse models of IV-induced lung injury it is aimed that this project identifies transcriptional changes induced in MSC in the context of IV-induced ALI and further characterize the functionality of key signaling molecules mediating the beneficial proven effects of MSC.
Ali Khadim
Julian Better , MD
Project
Antimicrobial properties of alveolar macrophages during resolution of Inflammation Acute lung injury (ALI) is caused by direct or indirect insults to the lung, and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Bacterial superinfections are feared complications of ALI. On the cellular level, alveolar macrophages are key innate immune cells that initiate and resolve an inflammatory process. Resolution of inflammation might impair the macrophage´s ability to clear bacteria, thus predisposing to superinfections. My project focuses on the kinetics and activation state of macrophages/monocytes during ALI in the context of bacterial superinfections
Theresa Schäfer
Project
The role of GM-CSF in stem cell-driven alveolar repair following influenza virus infection Inflammation resolution and stem cell-mediated repair of the distal lung tissue is crucial for the outcome of Influenza A virus (IAV)-induced lung injury. The Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is an important mediator of lung regeneration. The aim of my PhD work is to elucidate the role of GM-CSF-dependent signaling in the protection and repair of the distal lung epithelium after IAV infection and to identify the compartment of the stem cell niche in which GM-CSF is induced during IAV infection. A further aim is to elucidate which cell and downstream effector mechanisms are mediating the different steps of GM-CSF-dependent lung tissue repair and injury prevention.
M.sc.
Anna-Lena Ament
PhD student
Project
Organoid models derived from mouse and human stem cells have recently emerged as a powerful tool to study organ development and disease. To better understand the regulatory networks involved in proliferation and differentiation of stem/progenitors cells within the adult lung after injury, we established a murine three-dimensional (3D) lung organoid model containing a bronchioalveolar and mesenchymal compartment. However, the endothelial compartment forming the vasculature of the lung is critically missing. Therefore, the aim of my project is to establish the isolation and characterization of murine lung endothelial cells for the integration into our organoid model.
Marie Heßler
Project
Epithelial-macrophage interactions mediating alveolar niche replenishment upon lung injury
It was shown, that after severe lung injury (e.g., influenza virus infection, IAV) TR-AM are widely replenished from the circulating monocyte pool, with monocytes transmigrating to the inflamed lung and differentiating into bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) that are able to replenish depleted TR-AM. Interestingly, recent data have shown that in healthy neonatal mice the gene expression signatures of TR-AM after replenishment of the niche are virtually identical regardless of the cell ontogeny. The aim of my PhD work is to evaluate environmental cues that determine macrophage phenotype for alveolar niche replenishment and to determine if epithelial (stem) cell memory plays a role in macrophage differentiation and polarization.
Mohammad Estiri
Project
Impact of diffusible signals at human cell-microbe interfaces: role of outer membrane vesicles of
bacteria on the immune system in the context of pneumonia
Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the major pathogens of nosocomial pneumonia. Due to increasing
antimicrobial resistance, development of new therapeutic strategies is highly required. Both the
extracellular vesicles (EVs) of host cells and the outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) of bacteria may have
an influence on the course of inflammation and infection. OMV-induced changes in the activity and
metabolism of alveolar macrophages (AM) have a decisive influence on the balance between
colonization and infection by Enterobacteriaceae. The aim of my project is to characterize the influence
of OMVs of different K. pneumoniae strains on murine and human AM and their interaction with lung
epithelium - in vitro, in lung organoid, and in vivo - and thereby to develop long-term therapeutic
interventions at the time of colonization, i.e. before infection develops.
MD students
Dorgeline Blanche Nganko
Project
The immunomodulatory drug CsA (cyclosporin A) been reported directly inhibit IAV replication in epithelial cells (Liu et al, 2012; Hamamoto et al, 2013). Additionally, our own preliminary work shows that CsA decreases pro-inflammatory mediator expression in infected macrophages that are important drivers of IAV-induced lung injury (Herold et al., 2008; Högner et al., 2013; Peteranderl et al., 2016). However, the detailed signaling mechanisms have not been elucidated to date. Therefore, this project will address IAV replication in primary alveolar epithelial cells and TRAIL expression in primary alveolar macrophages after addition of distinct inhibitors targeting distinct CsA-downstream signaling pathways.
Martin Langelage
Project
Acute lung injury (ALI) in general and acid aspiration specifically is
able to cause an inflammatory response in extra-pulmonary organs. The
aim of my MD thesis is to systematically characterize inflammatory
changes in different organs after acid aspiration, and to delineate
the role of tissue resident macrophages herein.
Michael Wettstein
Project
Acute lung injury (ALI) is caused by direct or indirect insults to the
lung, and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Bacterial
superinfections are feared complications of ALI. On the cellular
level, alveolar macrophages are key innate immune cells that initiate
and resolve an inflammatory process. Resolution of inflammation might
impair the macrophage´s ability to clear bacteria, thus predisposing
to superinfections. My project focuses on the antibacterial and metabolic
properties of alveolar macrophages during the resolution of inflammation.
Maximilian Löwe
Non-scientific staff
Larissa Hamann
technician
Stefanie Jarmer
technician
Florian Lück
technician
Julia Stark
technician
Marie-Sophie Stein
study nurse
Nicole Tewes
study nurse
Alexander Götze
student assistant
Marlene Klewar
student assistant
Alumni
Christin Peteranderl , PhD
Project
A hallmark in the pathogenesis of influenza A virus-induced ARDS is the accumulation of excessive fluid in the alveolar airspace, which causes severe edema and impairs gas exchange. Clearance of this edema fluid is driven mostly by vectorial transport of sodium ions by the alveolar epithelial Na,K-ATPase, creating an osmotic gradient that passively removes water from the alveoli. As edema clearance is a crucial determinant for survival of patients with ARDS, we study the regulation of the Na,K-ATPase after IV infection, focusing on both direct host-virus interactions as well as paracrine signaling networks within the infected lung.
Dr. rer. nat.
Lucie Sauerhering
Project
Emerging Coronaviruses (CoV) such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)-CoV are causative agents of acute lung injury, however, drugs providing protection against emerging CoV are lacking. Targeting cyclosporine A-/ immunophilin-related cellular signaling pathways, this project aims to define antiviral and lung-injury attenuating compounds to provide ready-available treatment strategies for ongoing and future emerging CoV. With Lucie Sauerhering employed as Postdoc with longstanding BSL4 working-experience, the project will run as a close cooperation project between the Herold lab with its expertise in the molecular pathogenesis of acute lung injury and the lab of Stephan Becker located in Marburg providing renowned expertise in the field of molecular virology of highly pathogenic viruses.
Jennifer Quantius , PhD
Project
Influenza virus infection is associated with apoptosis of epithelial cells, disruption of the alveolar epithelial barrier and edema formation, which severely affects gas exchange. Structural and functional re-establishment of the injured distal epithelium is therefore crucial for recovery after severe influenza virus-induced pneumonia. Within the distal lung compartment, epithelial stem/progenitor cells strongly contribute to regeneration. Therefore, the underlying molecular mechanisms which foster distal lung stem/progenitor cell-mediated repair of the epithelium are investigated and thereby the interactions between influenza virus and host cell-mediated regenerative pathways are elucidated in order to attenuate lung injury and improve disease outcome.
Dr.
Carole Schmoldt
Project
Alveolar epithelial cells constitute a primary target of influenza virus and are reveal high levels of apoptosis following infection resulting in breakdown of pulmonary barrier function, however, the underlying signaling events remain poorly defined. I am therefore investigating the key host mechanisms involved in lung epithelial cell injury as well as viral pathogenicity factors involved, in order to discover new therapeutic targets for treatment of influenza virus-induced ARDS. Experiments are conducted in vitro (primary human and murine epithelial cells cultures) and in vivo (mouse model), and will systematically elucidate these mechanisms at single cell level using high-purity FACS sorting combined with NGS techniques.
Julia Bespalowa
Project
The host cellular protein kinase R (PKR) binds viral dsRNA and thus plays a central role in IAV detection and the subsequent activation of antiviral signaling cascades. These processes are antagonized by the viral non-structural (NS)1 protein that is able to block PKR activation. Our own preliminary work shows that distinct mutations in the NS1 protein modulate its ability to abrogate PKR activation and type I IFN and other cytokine production in vitro. As both aspects, viral replication and pro-inflammatory cytokine production, contribute to disease progression to ARDS, we will address how distinct NS1-host protein-interaction sites influence IAV-induced lung injury in vivo.
Balachandar Selvakumar , PhD
Project
The main goal of my project is to investigate the role of macrophages and its functional phenotypes in host defense and in regeneration processes of the lung epithelium in vivo and in vitro and to characterize their gene expression profiles by single cell RNASeq during pneumonia-induced ARDS using mouse models of ALI/ARDS. In addition, the project is also designed to identify crucial effector molecules in distinct macrophage functional phenotypes, broadly termed M1 and M2, which could be targeted therapeutically for the treatment of IAV induced lung injury to attenuate epithelial injury and drive stem cell-mediated lung repair.
Lina Jankauskaite , MD, PhD
Project
Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) have promising therapeutic potential in different forms of acute lung injury (ALI), and are now in first clinical studies. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying their injury- or pathogen-related beneficial effects within defined niches of the affected lung are poorly understood. In particular, the molecular interactions and pathways of injury sensing by MSC in viral infection of the lung are widely unknown. It is also not well defined, how MSC are recruited to sites of infection or inflammation, and whether distinct subsets of MSC hold different therapeutic potential. Therefore, a detailed analysis of the molecular interactions between virus-infected lung cells and MSC, mediating injury-specific priming and lung homing of defined MSC subsets with particular anti-viral, immunomodulatory and organ repair capacity, is envisioned in this project.