Beneficiaries
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research |
Website
Short Name
HZI
Brief description of institution/company
The Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) is a publicly funded research centre with more than 800 employees in research and administration. The focus of the centre lies on infectious diseases, with the main goal in understanding infection pathways and immune responses to develop novel drugs for efficient therapies and treatments of infections.
Scientists
Prof. Dr. Jochen Huehn
Department
Experimental Immunology
Phone
+49 531 6181 3310
Website of Lab
Role in Consortium
Coordinator, WP leader and Supervisor
Brief CV
since 2008 | Full Professor for Experimental Immunology (Hannover Medical School) and Head of Department Experimental Immunology (HZI) |
2006 - 2008 | Junior Professor for Immune Regulation, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Germany |
2000 - 2006 | Postdoc at Charité University Medicine Berlin, Germany |
1996 - 2000 | PhD thesis at Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany |
1991 - 1996 | Undergraduate training in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology, University of Hamburg, Germany |
Selected Awards
2007 | Langener Science Award |
2007 | Wolfgang Schulze Award for Rheumatism Research |
2002 | Avrion Mitchison-Award for Rheumatism Research |
Keywords Research Activities
- Epigenetic control of immune cell development
- Thymic T cell development
- Peripheral T cell differentiation
- Foxp3+ regulatory T cells
- Impact of infection and inflammation on plasticity of T cell subsets
Key publications or research/innovation products
- Yang BH, Floess S, Hagemann S, Deyneko IV, Groebe L, Pezoldt J, Sparwasser T, Lochner M, Huehn J (2015). Development of a unique epigenetic signature during in vivo Th17 differentiation. Nucleic Acids Res. 43:1537-1548.
- Miyao T, Floess S, Setoguchi R, Luche H, Fehling HJ, Waldmann H, Huehn J, Hori S (2012) Plasticity of Foxp3+ T cells reflects promiscuous Foxp3 expression in conventional T cells but not reprogramming of regulatory T cells. Immunity 36:262-275.
- Huehn J, Polansky JK, Hamann A (2009) Epigenetic control of FOXP3 expression: the key to a stable regulatory T-cell lineage? Nat Rev Immunol 9:83-89.
- Lahl K, Loddenkemper C, Drouin C, Freyer J, Arnason J, Eberl G, Hamann A, Wagner H, Huehn J*, Sparwasser T* (2007) Selective depletion of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells induces a scurfy-like disease. J Exp Med 204:57-63. *equal contribution
- Floess S, Freyer J, Siewert C, Baron U, Olek S, Polansky J, Schlawe K, Chang HD, Bopp T, Schmitt E, Klein-Hessling S, Serfling E, Hamann A, Huehn J (2007) Epigenetic control of the foxp3 locus in regulatory T cells. PLoS Biol 5:e38.
Prof. Dr. Michael Meyer-Hermann
Department
Systems Immunology
michael.meyer-hermann@helmholtz-hzi.de
Website of Lab
Role in Consortium
Training and Secondments
Brief CV
since 2010 | Full Professor at the Faculty of Life Sciences (University of Technology, Braunschweig) and Head of the Department of Systems Immunology (HZI) |
2005 - 2010 | Fellow at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS), Goethe-University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany |
2003 - 2005 | Research fellow at the Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, Oxford University, UK |
1998 - 2003 | Head and initiator of the Research Group "Theoretical Biophysics" and "Assistent" at the Institute for Theoretical Physics of the Dresden University of Technology, Germany |
1994 - 1998 | PhD in Quantum Field Theory at the Institute for Theoretical Physics of the Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main |
1988 - 1994 | Undergraduate training in Theoretical Phyics, Mathematics, and Philosophy at the Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main, Germany, and at the University Pierre et Marie Curie Paris, France. |
Selected Awards
2009 | Offer (Ruf): W3-position at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Braunschweig University of Technology |
2009 | Offer (Ruf): W2-position at Hans-Knöll-Institute and Jena University |
2006 | ALTANA-Award (500k€) for fundamental research in Theoretical Immunology |
2003 | EU Marie-Curie Fellowship |
1994 | Award of the WE-Heraeus-Foundation |
Keywords Research Activities
- Mathematical modelling of biological systems
- Adaptive immune responses (B and T cells)
- Viral and bacterial infections
- Metabolic and neurodegenerative dysfunction
- Interactions of the Neuro-Endocrine-Immune-System
Key publications or research/innovation products
- Hernandez-Vargas EA, Wilk E, Canini L, Toapanta FR, Binder S, Uvarovskii A, Ross TM, Guzman C, Perelson* AS, Meyer-Hermann* M (2014). The effects of aging on influenza virus infection dynamics. J Virol 88: 4123-4131 [*shared corresponding author].
- Zhang* Y, Meyer-Hermann* M, George L, Khan M, Figge MT, Falciani F, Kosco-Vilbois M, Toellner K-M (2013). Germinal centre B cells govern their own fate via antibody feedback. J Exp Med 210: 457-464. [*shared first author]
- Meyer-Hermann M, Mohr E, Pelletier N, Zhang Y, Victora GD, Toellner K-M (2012). A theory of germinal center B cell selection, division and exit. Cell Reports 2: 162-174.
- Victora GD, Schwickert TA, Fooksman DR, Meyer-Hermann M, Dustin ML, Nussenzweig MC (2010). Germinal center selection mechanism revealed by multiphoton microscopy using a photoactivatable fluorescent reporter. Cell 143: 592-605.
- Garin* A, Meyer-Hermann* M, Contie M, Figge MT, Buatois V, Gunzer M, Toellner K-M, Elson G, Kosco-Vilbois MH (2010). Toll-Like Receptor 4 signaling by Follicular Dendritic Cells is pivotal for germinal center onset and affinity maturation. Immunity 33: 84-95. [*shared first author]
Prof. Dr. Tim Sparwasser
Department
Institute of Infection Immunology, Twincore, a joint venture of MHH/ HZI, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research
Phone
+49 511 220027 201
sparwasser.office@mh-hannover.de
Website of Lab
http://www.twincore.de/institute/infektionsimmunologie/
Role in Consortium
Supervisor
Brief CV
2008 to date | W3-Professor of Infection Immunology; Director, Institute of Infection Immunology, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research / Hannover Medical School (MHH) |
2008 | Habilitation, Institute f. Med. Microbiology, Immunology & Hygiene, TU Munich (Supervisor: Prof. Dr. H. Wagner) |
2002 - 2008 | Group leader and specialization in Medical Microbiology (Residency), Institute f. Medical Microbiology |
1999 - 2002 | Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Postdoctoral Fellow, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NY University Medical Center, New York |
1996 - 1999 | Internship ("AiP") and Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute f. Med. Microbiology, Immunology & Hygiene, TU Munich |
1994 - 1995 | Human Medicine, Stony Brook University NY; Basel Universitätsmedizin; Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich |
1989 - 1994 | Human Medicine, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz |
Selected Awards
1999 - 2002 | HHMI Postdoctoral Fellowship Award for Physicians |
1999 | DGHM Young Investigator Award (German Society of Microbiology & Hygiene) |
1989 - 1995 | German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung des dt. Volkes) |
Keywords Research Activities
- TLRs, pattern recognition receptors
- Dendritic Cells
- Vaccination
- Regulatory T Cells
Key publications or research/innovation products
- Lochner, M., L. Berod, and T. Sparwasser. 2015. Fatty acid metabolism in the regulation of T cell function. Trends Immunol 36:81-91.
- Berod, L., C. Friedrich, A. Nandan, J. Freitag, S. Hagemann, K. Harmrolfs, A. Sandouk, C. Hesse, C.N. Castro, H. Bahre, S.K. Tschirner, N. Gorinski, M. Gohmert, C.T. Mayer, J. Huehn, E. Ponimaskin, W.R. Abraham, R. Muller, M. Lochner, and T. Sparwasser. 2014. De novo fatty acid synthesis controls the fate between regulatory T and T helper 17 cells. Nat Med 20:1327-1333.
- Arnold-Schrauf, C., M. Dudek, A. Dielmann, L. Pace, M. Swallow, F. Kruse, A.A. Kuhl, B. Holzmann, L. Berod, and T. Sparwasser. 2014. Dendritic cells coordinate innate immunity via MyD88 signaling to control Listeria monocytogenes infection. Cell Rep 6:698-708.
- Pace, L., A. Tempez, C. Arnold-Schrauf, F. Lemaitre, P. Bousso, L. Fetler, T. Sparwasser, and S. Amigorena. 2012. Regulatory T cells increase the avidity of primary CD8+ T cell responses and promote memory. Science 338:532-536.
- Lahl, K., C. Loddenkemper, C. Drouin, J. Freyer, J. Arnason, G. Eberl, A. Hamann, H. Wagner, J. Huehn, and T. Sparwasser. 2007. Selective depletion of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells induces a scurfy-like disease. J Exp Med 204:57-63.
Brief description of institution/company
University College London is ranked fourth in the QS World University Rankings 2013/14 and is the top-rated University in the UK for research strength. The project will be hosted within the newly founded UCL Institute of Immunity & Transplantation, which has major strengths in immune tolerance and immunotherapy and provides an outstanding research and training environment. The mission of the Institute is to foster cutting-edge immunology research with the aim of providing improved diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
Scientists
Prof. Lucy S.K. Walker
Department
Institute of Immunity & Transplantation
Phone
+44 (0)20 7794 0500
Website of Lab
Role in Consortium
Deputy coordinator, WP leader and Supervisor
Brief CV
since 2013 | Professor of Immune Regulation, University College London, UK |
2009 - 2012 | MRC Senior Fellow and Reader in Treg Biology, University of Birmingham, UK |
2004 - 2008 | MRC Career Development Fellow & Senior Lecturer, University of Birmingham, UK |
2000 - 2003 | Wellcome Trust International Prize Travelling Fellowship, UCSF, USA |
1998 | PhD in Immunology, University of Bath, UK |
1994 | Undergraduate Degree in Biology, University of Nottingham, UK |
Selected Awards
2012 | Selected for the Innovators in Diabetes (iDia) programme |
2011 | JDRF National Science Photography Prize |
1994 | Elizabeth and J D Marsden Prize for high distinction |
Keywords Research Activities
- Control of Peripheral T cell activation
- Costimulation of T cell responses (CD28, CTLA-4)
- Foxp3+ regulatory T cells
- T cell cytokine production
- T cells in autoimmune diabetes
Key publications or research/innovation products
- Wang, C., Heuts, F., Ovcinnikovs, V., Wardzinski, L., Bowers, C., Schmidt, E. M., Kogimtzis, A., Kenefeck, R., Sansom, D. M., and Walker, L. S. CTLA-4 controls follicular helper T cell differentiation by regulating the strength of CD28 engagement.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A (2015) 112(2):524-9 - Schubert, D., Bode, C., Kenefeck, R., Hou, T., Wing, J., Kennedy A., Bulashevska, A. ..et al, Sakaguchi, S., Walker, L. S*., Sansom, D. M.*, and Grimbacher, B*. Autosomal dominant immune dysregulation syndrome in humans with CTLA-4 mutations. *Joint Senior Authors
Nature Medicine (2014) 20:1410-1416 - Attridge, K., Wang, C. J., Wardzinski, L., Kenefeck, R., Chamberlain, J. L., Manzotti, C., Kopf, M., and Walker, L. S. IL-21 inhibits T cell IL-2 production and impairs Treg homeostasis.
Blood (2012) 119, 4656-4664 - Qureshi, O. S., Zheng, Y., Nakamura, K., Attridge, K., Manzotti, C., Schmidt, E. M., Baker, J., Jeffery, L. E., Kaur, S., Briggs, Z., Hou, T. Z., Futter, C. E., Anderson, G., Walker, L. S., and Sansom, D. M. Trans-endocytosis of CD80 and CD86: a molecular basis for the cell-extrinsic function of CTLA-4.
Science (2011) 332, 600-603 - Walker L.S., Anna Chodos, Mark Eggena, Hans Dooms and Abul K. Abbas. Antigen-specific proliferation of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in vivo.
Journal of Experimental Medicine (2003) 198(2):249-258
Brief description of institution/company
The Medical University of Vienna (MUW) is the largest medical organisation in Austria and provides Europe's largest hospital, the AKH in Vienna, with all of its medical staff. It employs a staff of 5,000, of which 1,800 are researchers and 1,600 are medical doctors. As one of the largest research centres in Europe, MUW concentrates on a total of five research clusters (including Immunology) and five clinical research fields.
Scientists
Wilfried Ellmeier, PhD, Professor of Immunobiology
Department
Division of Immunobiology, Institute of Immunology
Phone
+43 1 40160 33293
wilfried.ellmeier@meduniwien.ac.at
Website of Lab
www.meduniwien.ac.at/immunologie/ellmeier
Role in Consortium
Training coordinator and Supervisor
Brief CV
since 07/2008 | Full Professor of Immunobiology |
2005 - 2007 | Associate Professor (a.o.Univ.Prof), Medical University of Vienna |
since 2000 | Group Leader, Institute of Immunology, University of Vienna |
1995 - 1999 | Postdoctoral Fellow (Laboratory of Dan Littman), Skirball Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA |
1990 - 1994 | Doctoral studies, University of Vienna, with distinction; PhD Thesis performed at the Institute for Molecular Pathology (IMP) in Vienna |
1985 - 1990 | Studies in Biochemistry, University of Vienna, with distinction |
Selected Awards
2012 | Elected corresponding member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences |
2005 | Novartis prize 2004 in Biology |
2001 | START Prize of the Austrian Science Fund (most prestigious prize in Austria for young scientist; similar to ERC Starting Grant) |
Keywords Research Activities
- Transcriptional control of CD4/CD8 cell fate choice.
- Transcription factor networks regulating peripheral T cell function
- Maintenance of T cell lineage identity and integrity
- Characterization of signaling pathways modulating Th differentiation
- The role of histone deacetylases in the regulation of T cell-mediated immunity
Key publications or research/innovation products
- Boucheron, N, Tschismarov, R, Goeschl, L, Moser, Mirjam, Lagger, S, Sakaguchi, S, Winter, Lenz, F, Vitko, D., Breitwieser, FP, Haust, L, Hassan, H, Bennett, KL, Colinge, J, Schreiner, W, Matthias, P, Egawa, T, Taniuchi, I, Matthias, P, Seiser, C* and Ellmeier, W.* (2014). CD4 T cell lineage integrity is controlled by the histone deacetylases HDAC1 and HDAC2. Nature Immunology, 15(5):439-48. (*shared senior-authorship).
- Hassan, H., Sakaguchi, S., Tenno, M., Kopf, A., Boucheron, N. Carpenter, A., Egawa, T., Taniuchi, I. Ellmeier, W. (2011) Cd8 enhancer E8I and Runx factors regulate CD8α expression in activated CD8+ T cells. PNAS, 108(45):18330-5
- Sakaguchi S, Hombauer M, Bilic I, Naoe Y, Schebesta A, Taniuchi I, Ellmeier, W. (2010). The zinc-finger protein MAZR is part of the transcription factor network that controls the CD4 versus CD8 lineage fate of double-positive thymocytes. Nature Immunology, 11:442-8.
- Bilic, I., Kösters, K., Unger, B., Sekimata, M. Hertweck, A., Maschek, R., Wilson, C.B. and Ellmeier, W. (2006). Negative regulation of CD8 expression via CD8 enhancer-mediated recruitment of the zinc finger protein MAZR. Nature Immunology, 7, 392-400.
Brief description of institution/company
QIAAR is the worlds leading software provider within software for Next Generation Sequencing data analysis. We employ more than 90 people and our products are used by over 2,000 academic and industrial organizations, including all Top10 Big Pharma and agricultural companies. QIAAR is part of QIAGEN, a Netherlands-based multinational company employing more than 4500 people. QIAGEN is the leading provider of Sample to Insight solutions that transform biological materials into valuable molecular insights including secondary NGS analysis tools developed by QIAAR. All QIAAR product development is carried out in Aarhus, Denmark by a team of more than 60 bioinformaticians, computer scientists and usability experts.
Scientists
Dr. Leif Schauser
Department
Engineering
Phone
+45 36946344
Website of Lab
Role in Consortium
Supervisor
Brief CV
since 2013 | Senior Bioinformatics Scientist, QIAGEN Aarhus A/S, Denmark |
2007 - 2013 | Scientific coordinator, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University, Denmark |
2001 - 2007 | Associate Professor, Bioinformatics Research Center, Aarhus University, Denmark |
1998 - 1999 | Assistant Professor, Institute of Molecular and Structural biology, Aarhus University, Denmark |
Keywords Research Activities
- Metagenomics
- Bacterial typing
- Bioinformatics
- Statistics
Key publications or research/innovation products
- Sanggaard KW ... Schauser, L ... Wang J. Spider genomes provide insight into composition function and evolution of venom and silk. Nature Communications 5, 3765
- Fredslund J, Madsen LH, Hougaard BK, Sandal N, Stougaard J, Bertioli D, Schauser L. (2006) GeMprospector--online design of cross-species genetic marker candidates in legumes and grasses Nucleic Acids Res. 34:W670-5.
- Mailund T, Schierup MH, Pedersen CN, Madsen JN, Hein J, Schauser L. (2006) GeneRecon--a coalescent based tool for fine-scale association mapping. Bioinformatics 22:2317-8.
- Mailund T, Schierup MH, Pedersen CN, Mechlenborg PJ, Madsen JN, Schauser L. (2005) CoaSim: a flexible environment for simulating genetic data under coalescent models. BMC Bioinformatics 6:252+
- Schauser, L., Roussis, A., Stiller, J., and Stougaard, J. (1999) A plant regulator controlling the development of symbiotic root nodules. Nature 401: 191- 195.
Brief description of institution/company
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals is the pharmaceutical division of Bayer AG. We market our products in more than 100 countries, and in 2014 generated sales of more than 12 billion. More than 39.000 members of staff currently work for Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals worldwide.
We aim to improve people's quality of life with our products. To achieve this, we concentrate on the research and development of innovative drugs and novel therapeutic approaches. At the same time, we are constantly improving established products. In this context, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals uses the experience it has gained from over a century in the business.
Bayer drives the strategic development of its research and development capabilities, one of them being Computational Life Sciences (CLS). As a member of the CLS network at Bayer, Clinical Pharmacometrics is responsible for all Modeling & Simulation based activities at Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals from preclinical development through clinical development until life cycle management of marketed pharma products. Our vision is to contribute to quantitatively informed, knowledge-driven, fact-based decision making throughout the whole R&D process. We provide strategic options & solutions for all development projects by application of the specific scientific transfer capabilities of pharmacometrics strategists and the use of all available quantitative computational approaches including among others Systems Biology & Pharmacology and Population Approach Modeling & Simulation.
Scientists
Dr. Jörg Lippert
Department
Clinical Pharmacometrics
Phone
+49 202 36 5036
Role in Consortium
Supervisor
Keywords Research Activities
- Pharmacometrics
- Systems Biology
- Systems Pharmacology
- Preclinical Safety
- Immunotoxicology
Key publications or research/innovation products
- Bayer has a rich research and product development pipeline (http://pharma.bayer.com/en/research-and-development/development-pipeline/pop_up_development_pipeline.php) including T cell targeting agents such as PSMA-BiTe.
- Kuepfer, L., Lippert, J., Eissing, T. (2012). Multiscale mechanistic modeling in pharmaceutical research and development. Adv Exp Med Biol 736, 543-561
- Lippert, J., Brosch, M., von Kampen, O., Meyer, M., Siegmund, H.U., Schafmayer, C., Becker, T., Laffert, B., Görlitz, L., Schreiber, S., Neuvonen, P.J., Niemi, M., Hampe, J., Kuepfer, L. (2012). A mechanistic, model-based approach to safety assessment in clinical development. CPT Pharmacometrics Syst Pharmacol 1:e13
- Eissing, T., Kuepfer, L., Becker, C., Block, M., Coboeken, K., Gaub, T., Goerlitz, L., Jaeger, J., Loosen, R., Ludewig, B., Meyer, M., Niederalt, C., Sevestre, M., Siegmund, H.U., Solodenko, J., Thelen, K., Telle, U., Weiss, W., Wendl, T., Willmann, S., Lippert, J. (2011). A computational systems biology software platform for multiscale modeling and simulation: integrating whole-body physiology, disease biology, and molecular reaction networks. Front Physiol 2:4
Dr. Thomas Steger-Hartmann
Department
Investigational Toxicology
Phone
+49 30 4681 4256
thomas.steger-hartmann@bayer.com
Role in Consortium
Training
Brief description of institution/company
The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is a charitably funded genomic research centre located in Hinxton, nine miles south of Cambridge in the UK.
A leader in the Human Genome Project, we are now focused on understanding the role of genetics in health and disease. Our passion for discovery drives our quest to uncover the basis of genetic and infectious disease. We aim to provide results that can be translated into diagnostics, treatments or therapies that reduce global health burdens.
Scientists
Dr. Sarah Teichmann
Department
Teichmann Group
Phone
+44 1223 492520
Website of Lab
Role in Consortium
WP leader and Supervisor
Brief CV
Since Feb 2013: | Research Group Leader, EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute & Senior Group Leader, Welcome Trust Sanger Institute & Director of Research, Dept Physics/Cavendish Laboratory, Univ. of Cambridge |
2006 - 2012: | MRC Programme Leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK |
2001 - 2005: | MRC Career Track Programme Leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK and Research Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge |
2000 - 2001: | Beit Memorial Fellow for Medical Research in the laboratory of Dame Janet Thornton FRS in the Dept of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University College London |
1996 - 2000: | PhD at MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Trinity College, Cambridge, in laboratory of Dr. C. Chothia FRS |
1993 - 1996: | BA Biochemistry, Trinity College, Cambridge University |
Selected Awards
Keywords Research Activities
- genomics
- bioinformatics
- biophysics
- immunology
Key publications or research/innovation products
- Stubbington, M.J.T., Mahata, B., Svensson, V., Deonarine, A., Nissen, J.K., Betz, A.G., Teichmann, S.A. (2015) An Atlas of mouse CD4+ T cell transcriptomes. Biology Direct, 6:6394.
- Xie, X., Stubbington,, M.J.T., Nissen, J.K., Andersen, K.G., Hebenstreit,, D., Teichmann, S.A. & Betz, A.G. (2015) The regulatory T cell lineage factor Foxp3 regulates gene expression through several distinct mechanisms mostly independent of direct DNA binding. PLoS Genetics, in press.
- Buettner, F., Natarajan, K. Casale, P., Proserpio, V., Theis, F.J., Teichmann, S.A., Marioni, J.C., Stegle, O. (2015). Accounting for cell-to-cell heterogeneity in single-cell RNA-Seq data reveals novel structure between cells. Nature Biotech, 33, 55-160.
- Mahata B., Zhang X., Kolodziejczyk A.A, Proserpio, V., Haim-Vilmovsky, L., Taylor, A.E., Hebenstreit, D., Dingler, F.A., Moignard, V., Gottgens, B., Arlt, W., McKenzie, A.N.J. & Teichmann, S.A. (2014) Single Cell RNA-Sequencing Reveals T helper Cells Synthesizing Steroids de novo to Contribute to Immune Homeostasis. Cell Reports, 7, 1130-42
- Brennecke P., Anders S., Kim J.K. Baying B., Zhang X., Proserpio V., Kolodziejczyk A., Benes V., Teichmann S.A., Marioni J., C., Heisler M.G. (2013) Accounting for technical noise in single-cell RNA-seq experiments. Nature Methods, 10, 1093-5.
Instituto de Medicina MolecularLisboa, Portugal |
Website
https://imm.medicina.ulisboa.pt/en
Short Name
iMM Lisboa
Brief description of institution/company
The Instituto de Medicina Molecular de Lisboa (iMM Lisboa) is a non-profit private research institute affiliated with the University of Lisbon Medical School and located in the campus of the University Hospital of Santa Maria. iMM Lisboa hosts more than 480 researchers working in a broad range of fields that encompass multidisciplinary approaches ranging from basic to clinical and translational research. iMM Lisboa expertise is focused on Cell and Developmental Biology, Immunology, Infection, Neurosciences and Oncobiology.
Scientists
Luis Graca, MD DPhil
Department
Lymphocyte Regulation
Phone
+351 217 999 411
Website of Lab
https://imm.medicina.ulisboa.pt/en/investigacao/labs/graca-lab/
Role in Consortium
Supervisor
Brief CV
Since 2013 | Associate Professor of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon |
Since 2005 | Head of Cellular Immunology Unit, Instituto de Medicina Molecular of Lisboa – iMM Lisboa |
2004 - 2005 | Postdoc at Telethon Institute for Cjild Health Research, University of Western Australia, Perth |
2002 - 2004 | Postdoc at Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, UK |
1998 - 2002 | DPhil in Immunology at Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, UK |
1996 - 1997 | Medical Internship at Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal |
Selected Awards
2011 | NEDAI Prize in Autoimmunity Reseach. |
2010 | BES National Innovation Award for Heath Technologies. |
2009 | Prof. Heimburger Award in Coagulation Diseases |
Keywords Research Activities
- Specialized regulatory T cell subsets
- Regulation of humoral responses
- Induction and maintenance of immune tolerance
- Allergy and autoimmune diseases
- Transplantation tolerance
Key publications or research/innovation products
- Oliveira VG, Agua-Doce A, Curotto de Lafaille M, Lafaille JJ, Graca L. (2013) Adjuvant facilitates anti-CD4 mediated immune tolerance to recombinant factor VIII in hemophilia through a Foxp3-independent mechanism that relies on IL-10. Blood. 121:3938-3945.
- Monteiro M, Almeida CF, Agua-Doce A, Graca L. (2013) Induced IL-17-producing invariant Natural Killer T cells require activation in presence of TGF-β. J Immunol. 190:805-811.
- Duarte J, Carrié N, Oliveira VG, Almeida C, Agua-Doce A, Rodrigues L, Simas P, Mars LT, Graca L. (2012) T cell apoptosis and induction of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells underlie the therapeutic efficacy of CD4-blockade in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. J Immunol. 189:1680-1688.
- Wollenberg I, Agua-Doce A, Hernández A, Almeida C, Oliveira V, Faro J, Graca L. (2011) Regulation of germinal centre reaction by Foxp3+ follicular regulatory T cells. J Immunol. 187: 4553-4560.
- Monteiro M, Almeida CF, Caridade M, Ribot JC, Duarte J, Agua-Doce A, Wollenberg I, Silva-Santos B, Graca L. (2010) Identification of Regulatory Foxp3+ Invariant NKT Cells Induced by TGF-β. J Immunol. 185: 2157-2163.
Dr. Marc Veldhoen
Department
Lymphocyte Signalling and Development
Phone
+351 217 999 411 - ext: 47250
marc.veldhoen@medicina.ulisboa.pt
Website of Lab
https://imm.medicina.ulisboa.pt/en/investigacao/labs/veldhoen-marc-lab/
Role in Consortium
WP leader and Supervisor
Brief CV
since 2016 | Group leader iMM Lisboa, Portugal |
2015 - 2016 | Tenured Group leader Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK |
2010 - 2015 | Tenure track Group leader Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK |
2006 - 2010 | Senior Investigator Scientist National Institute for Medical Research, London, UK |
2003 - 2006 | Career Development fellow National Institute for Medical Research, London, UK |
2000 - 2003 | PhD thesis at National Institute for Medical Research, London, UK |
1995 - 1999 | BSc Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Utrecht University, NL |
Selected Awards
2010 | EMBO Young investigator award |
Keywords Research Activities
- Peripheral T cell differentiation
- Role of AhR in immunity
- Impact of infection and inflammation on plasticity of T cell subsets
- Impact of metabolism on T cell differentiation and function
- Impact of environmental factors on T cell differentiation and function
Key publications or research/innovation products
- Li, Y., Innocentin, S., Withers, D.R., Roberts, N.A., Gallagher, A.R., Grigorieva, E.F., Wilhelm, C., and Veldhoen, M. (2011). Exogenous Stimuli Maintain Intraepithelial Lymphocytes via Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation. Cell 147, 629-640.
- Martin, B., Hirota, K., Cua, D.J., Stockinger, B., and Veldhoen, M. (2009). Interleukin-17-producing gammadelta T cells selectively expand in response to pathogen products and environmental signals. Immunity 31, 321-330.
- Veldhoen, M., Uyttenhove, C., van Snick, J., Helmby, H., Westendorf, A., Buer, J., Martin, B., Wilhelm, C., and Stockinger, B. (2008). Transforming growth factor-beta 'reprograms' the differentiation of T helper 2 cells and promotes an interleukin 9-producing subset. Nature immunology 9, 1341-1346.
- Veldhoen, M., Hirota, K., Westendorf, A.M., Buer, J., Dumoutier, L., Renauld, J.C., and Stockinger, B. (2008). The aryl hydrocarbon receptor links TH17-cell-mediated autoimmunity to environmental toxins. Nature 453, 106-109.
- Veldhoen, M., Hocking, R.J., Atkins, C.J., Locksley, R.M., and Stockinger, B. (2006). TGFbeta in the context of an inflammatory cytokine milieu supports de novo differentiation of IL-17-producing T cells. Immunity 24, 179-189.
Prof. Dr. Ana E. Sousa
Department
Human Immunodeficiency & Immune Reconstitution
Phone
+351 217999521
Website of Lab
https://imm.medicina.ulisboa.pt/en/investigacao/labs/sousa/
Role in Consortium
Supervisor
Brief CV
Since 2003 | Group Leader - Instituto de Medicina Molecular (iMM), Lisbon |
Since 2013 | Associate Professor "Agregado"/Principal Investigator, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa (FMUL) |
Since 2014 | Director of the Clinical Immunology Laboratory, FMUL |
Since 2014 | Member of the Plenary Council of the Portuguese National Ethical Committee for Clinical Research |
2009 - 2012 | President of the Portuguese Society for Immunology |
2000 - 2001 | Internal Medicine Specialist, University Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon |
1996 - 2000 | PhD thesis - Clinical Immunology - FMUL |
1989 - 1994 | Internal Medicine Training, University Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon |
Selected Awards
2015 | NEDAI Award in Research in Autoimmunity, NEDAI/Portuguese Society of Internal Medicine |
2008 | Pfizer Award in Clinical Research, Lisbon Society of Medical Sciences |
2005 | Bristol-Myers Squibb Research Award in Infection by virus of Human Immunodeficiency, Portuguese Association for AIDS Clinical Research |
Keywords Research Activities
- Human T cell biology
- Human T cell development
- HIV/AIDS immunopathogenesis – HIV-2 infection
- Primary Immunodeficiencies
- Immune Reconstitution
Key publications or research/innovation products
- Caramalho I, V Nunes-Silva, AR Pires, C Mota, AI Pinto, H Nunes-Cabaço, RB Foxall, AE Sousa. (2015) Human regulatory T-cell development is dictated by Interleukin-2 and -15 expressed in a non-overlapping pattern in the thymus. J Autoimmun 56:98-110.
- Markert ML, JG Marques, B Neven, BH Devlin, EA McCarthy, IK Chinn, AS Albuquerque, SL Silva, C Pignata, G de Saint Basile, RM Victorino, C Picard, M Debre, N Mahlaoui, A Fischer, and AE Sousa. (2011) First use of thymus transplantation therapy for FOXN1 deficiency (nude/scid): a report of two cases. Blood 117:688-96.
- Nunes-Cabaço H, Caramalho I, Sepúlveda N and Sousa AE. (2011) Differentiation of human thymic regulatory T cells at the double positive stage. Eur J Immunol; 41, 3604-3614
- Azevedo R.I., M.V. Soares, J.T. Barata, R. Tendeiro, A. Serra-Caetano, R.M.M. Victorino, A.E. Sousa. (2009) "IL-7 sustains CD31 expression in human naive CD4+ T cells and preferentially expands the CD31+ subset in a PI3K-dependent manner". Blood 113:2999-3007.
- Sousa, AE, J Carneiro, M Meier-Schellersheim, Z Grossman, RM Victorino (2002) CD4 T cell depletion is linked directly to immune activation in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 and HIV-2 but only indirectly to the viral load. J Immunol 169:3400-06.
Brief description of institution/company
The Babraham Institute is a publicly funded world-class research institution, situated at the heart of the Babraham Research Campus, near Cambridge. Our mission is to be an international leader in research focusing on basic cell and molecular biology. Our research addresses fundamental biological questions of how cells and organisms develop and respond to the environment. The Institute's research is supported by strategic funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council who fund our four core areas of research: epigenetics, lymphocyte signalling, nuclear dynamics and signalling.
Scientists
Dr. Michelle Linterman
Department
Lymphocyte Signalling and Development
Phone
+44 1223 496515
michelle.linterman@babraham.ac.uk
Website of Lab
www.babraham.ac.uk/our-research/lymphocyte/michelle-linterman
Role in Consortium
WP leader and Supervisor
Brief CV
since 2013 | Group leader Laboratory of Lymphocyte Signalling and Development, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK |
since 2013 | College Lecturer in Biology, Churchill College, University of Cambridge, UK |
2009 - 2013 | Post-doctoral Research Fellow, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK |
2006 - 2009 | PhD. The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia |
2005 | Honours Degree (First class). The Australian National University, Canberra Australia |
2001 - 2004 | BBMedSc. Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand |
Selected Awards
2010 | Raymond & Beverly Sackler Junior Research Fellowship |
2010 | NH&MRC Overseas Biomedical Post-Doctoral Fellowship |
2009 | EMBO Long-Term Post-Doctoral Fellowship |
2009 | The Frank Fenner Medal, The John Curtin School of Medical Research |
2009 | The Dewar Milne Prize in Immunology, The John Curtin School of Medical Research |
Keywords Research Activities
- The germinal centre response
- T follicular helper and T follicular regulatory cells
- Ageing of the immune system
Key publications or research/innovation products
- Linterman MA, Denton AE, Divekar DP, Zvetkova I, Kane L, Clare S, Dougan G, Espéli M, Smith KGC. CD28 expression is required after T cell priming for helper T cell responses and protective immunity to infection. eLife. 2015
- Wallin EF, Jolly E, Suchánek O, Bradley JA, Espéli M, Jayne DRW, Linterman MA*, Smith KGC*. Human T-follicular helper and T-follicular regulatory cell maintenance is independent of germinal centers. 2014 (*equal contribution)
- Linterman MA, Pierson W, Lee SK, Kallies A, Kawamoto S, Rayner TF, Srivastava M, Divekar DP, Beaton L, Hogan JJ, Fagarasan S, Liston A, Smith KGC*, Vinuesa CG*. Foxp3+ follicular regulatory T cells control the germinal center response. Nature Medicine. 2011 (*equal contribution)
- Linterman MA, Beaton L, Yu D, Ramiscal RR, Srivastava M, Hogan JJ, Verma NK, Smyth MJ, Rigby RJ, Vinuesa CG. IL-21 acts directly on B cells to regulate Bcl-6 expression and germinal center responses. Journal of Experimental Medicine. 2010.
- Linterman MA, Rigby RJ, Wong RK, Yu D, Brink R, Cannons JL, Schwartzberg PL, Cook MC, Walters GD, Vinuesa CG. Follicular helper T cells are required for systemic autoimmunity. Journal of Experimental Medicine. 2009.
Brief description of institution/company
The University of Turku (UTU) is a leading Finnish university with internationally acknowledged research and expertise. It promotes interdisciplinary research and provides students with high-quality research-based education. Turku Centre for Biotechnology is a joint department of the University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, providing high-end technologies and expertise to academic and industrial researchers with focus on discovering molecular events underlying biological function and identifying how this information can be used to improve life quality.
Scientists
Prof. Dr. Laura Elo, Research Director
Department
Turku Centre for Biotechnology
Phone
+358 2 333 8009
Website of Lab
www.btk.fi/research/research-groups/elo/
Role in Consortium
WP leader and Supervisor
Brief CV
2014 – | Research Director in Bioinformatics, Turku Centre for Biotechnology, University of Turku, Finland |
2013 – | Group Leader, Computational Biomedicine Group, University of Turku, Finland (currently 15 members) |
2011 – | Adjunct Professor in Biomathematics, University of Turku, Finland |
2009 - 2013 | Academy of Finland Postdoctoral fellow Postdoctoral work done with Molecular Immunology Group, Prof. Riitta Lahesmaa, Turku Centre for Biotechnology, Finland, and Prof. Benno Schwikowski, Systems Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France |
2008 | Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Turku, Finland |
2004 - 2007 | PhD Research fellow, Department of Mathematics, University of Turku, and Graduate School in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, and Biometry, Finland |
Selected Awards
2013 - 2018 | JDRF Career Development Award |
2011 | Elias Tillandz prize for the best scientific publication in Biocity Turku |
2007 | Award for the best PhD thesis in Bioinformatics in Finland |
Keywords Research Activities
- Bioinformatics
- Computational systems biology of human disease
- Network-based modeling of human disease development
- Optimization of statistical modeling of -omics data
- Data analysis tools for clinical applications towards personalized medicine
Key publications or research/innovation products
- Seyednasrollah F, Laiho A, Elo LL (2015) Comparison of software packages for detecting differential expression in RNA-seq studies. Brief Bioinform 16(1):59-70.
- Kallionpää H*, Elo LL*, Laajala E*, Mykkänen J, Ricaño-Ponce I, Vaarma M, Laajala TD, Hyöty H, Ilonen J, Veijola R, Simell T, Wijmenga C, Knip M, Lähdesmäki H, Simell O, Lahesmaa R (2014) Innate immune activity is detected prior to seroconversion in children with HLA-conferred type 1 diabetes susceptibility. Diabetes 63(7):2402-14. *equal contribution
- Elo LL, Schwikowski B (2013) Analysis of time-resolved gene expression measurements across individuals. PLoS One 8(12):e82340.
- Elo LL*, Järvenpää H*, Tuomela S*, Raghav S*, Ahlfors H, Laurila K, Gupta B, Lund RJ, Tahvanainen J, Hawkins RD, Oresic M, Lähdesmäki H, Rasool O, Rao KV, Aittokallio T, Lahesmaa R (2010) Genome-wide profiling of interleukin-4 and STAT6 transcription factor regulation of human Th2 cell programming. Immunity 32(6):852-62. *equal contribution
- Laajala E, Aittokallio T, Lahesmaa R, Elo LL (2009) Probe-level estimation improves the detection of differential splicing in Affymetrix exon array studies. Genome Biol 10(7):R77.
INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale) |
Website
www.cimi-paris.upmc.fr/index.php/en/
Short Name
CIMI-Paris, part of INSERM and UPMC
Brief description of institution/company
Center of Immunology and Microbial Infections of Paris (CIMI-Paris) is an academic research center with more than 200 researchers and administrative staff. Its goal is to improve our understanding of the immune system in normal and pathological situations, mainly in the field of infectious diseases, inflammation and autoimmunity and to propose innovative vaccines and treatments of these diseases.
Scientists
Dr. Benoit Salomon
Department
Immunology
Phone
+33 1 42 17 74 74 and 01 40 77 97 36
Website of Lab
www.cimi-paris.upmc.fr/index.php/en/
Role in Consortium
Supervisor
Brief CV
since 2007 | Research Director (DR2 Inserm) and team leader of the research group on Treg Biology and Therapy, Inserm and University Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6), Paris, France. |
2000 - 2006 | Research associate (CR1 Inserm) and principal investigator, Inserm and University Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6), Paris, France. |
1997 - 2000 | Postdoc in the lab of Jeffrey Bluestone, University of Chicago, USA. |
1992 - 1996 | PhD thesis at University Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6), Paris, France. |
1989 - 1991 | Undergraduate student at University Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France. |
1985 - 1989 | Veterinary Medical school, Toulouse, France. |
Selected Awards
2015 | Equipe FRM: award from the Fondation de la Recherche Médicale |
2014 | "Coups d'élan pour la Recherche Française": award from the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation Insitute. |
Keywords Research Activities
- Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg)
- Autoimmunity
- TNF
- Impact of inflammation on Treg biology
- Cellular metabolism in Treg
Key publications or research/innovation products
- Zaragoza B, Chen X, Oppenheim JJ, Baeyens A, Gregoire S, Chader D, Miyara M and Salomon BL. Suppressive activity of human Treg cells is maintained in the presence of TNF. Nat Med 2015. In press.
- Baeyens A, Saadoun D, Billiard F, Rouers A, Gregoire S, Zaragoza B, Grinberg-Bleyer Y, Marodon G, Piaggio E and Salomon BL. Effector T cells boost regulatory T cell expansion by IL-2, TNF, OX40 and plasmacytoid dendritic cells depending on the immune context. J Immunol. 2015. 194:999-1010.
- Fourcade G, BM Colombo, S Grégoire, A Baeyens, L Rachdi, F Guez, V Goffin, R Scharfmann, and BL Salomon. Fetal pancreas transplants are dependent on prolactin for their development and prevent type 1 diabetes in syngeneic but not allogeneic mice. Diabetes. 2013. 62:1646-1655.
- Grinberg-Bleyer Y, D Saadoun, A Baeyens, F Billiard, J Goldstein, S Grégoire, G Martin, R Elhage, N Derian, W Carpentier, G Marodon, D Klatzmann, E Piaggio* and B L. Salomon*. Pathogenic T cells have a paradoxical protective effect in murine autoimmune diabetes by boosting Tregs. J Clin Invest. 2010. 120:4558-4568.
- Grinberg-Bleyer Y, A Baeyens, S You, R Elhage, G Fourcade, S Gregoire, N Cagnard, W Carpentier, Q Tang, J Bluestone, L Chatenoud, D Klatzmann, BL Salomon* and E Piaggio*. IL-2 reverses established type one diabetes by a local effect on pancreatic regulatory T cells. J Exp Med. 2010. 207:1871-1878.