Research Group “Defects in lymphocyte cytotoxicity”
Dr. Peter AicheleAnimal models for hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a defect in cytotoxicity of T cells and NK cells
Familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FHL) is a life-threatening primary immunodeficiency which is fatal without treatment. The disease is characterised by a severe disturbance of the immune homeostasis. Most cases of FHL are due to genetic defects in Perforin or in other genes involved in cellular cytotoxicity by NK cells or cytotoxic T cells. The hemophagocytic syndrome (HLH) can develop in the context of infections. The pathogenesis of this disease remains poorly understood. However, this is an important prerequisite for development of targeted immunological therapies. In this interdisciplinary project we want to further characterize the pathogenesis of FHL in animal models.
CV
| since 2019 | Group leader, Institute for Immunodeficiency, Medical Center - University of Freiburg |
| 2002 – 2019 | Group leader, Institute for Immunology, Center for Microbiology and Hygiene, Medical Center - University of Freiburg |
| 1998 – 2002 | Research Fellow, Max-Planck-Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin |
| 1996 – 1997 | Postdoctorate, Department of Experimental Immunology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland |
| 1991 – 1996 | PhD Thesis in Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Switzerland (Supervisor: Prof. Hans Hengartner) |
| 1983 – 1990 | Study of Biology in Freiburg and Zurich, Switzerland |
Research Areas
1. Impact of different genetic defects on HLH pathogenesis – genotype / phenotype correlation
2. Exhaustive T cell differentiation in the context of HLH (sfb1160.uni-freiburg.de/research/projects/a1/)
3. Pathogenesis of late, chronic HLH
4. Novel therapeutic intervention strategies in HLH:
- Modulation of activating versus inhibitory receptors
- Targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis (sfb1160.uni-freiburg.de/research/projects/a1/)
- Targeting the CD8 co-receptor
5. Modulation of anti-viral immune responses by the IFNγ matrix binding domain
Cooperations
- Yenan Bryceson, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Toni Cathomen, Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Freiburg
- Susana Minguet, Institute of Biology III, Freiburg
- Hanspeter Pircher, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg
- Marta Rizzi, Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Freiburg
- Udo zur Stadt, Pädiatrische Hämatologie und Onkologie, Uniklinik Hamburg-Eppendorf
- Nina Chevalier, Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Freiburg
- Daniel Pinschewer, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel
- Barbara Geering, Roche Pharmaceutical Research & Early Development, Basel
- Thomas Blankenstein, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin
- Thomas Kammertöns, Charité – Universitätsmedizin, Institute of Immunology, Berlin
Team members
| Group Leader | ||
| Peter Aichele | peter.aichele@uniklinik-freiburg.de | phone +49 761 270 83649 |
| PhDs | ||
| Jessica Lao | jessica.lao@uniklinik-freiburg.de | phone: +49 761 270 83651 |
| Gudrun Thoulass | gudrun.thoulass@uniklinik-freiburg.de | phone: +49 761 270 83651 |
| Bachelor students | ||
| Fatemeh Shahab | phone: +49 761 270 83651 | |
| Mai Viergutz | phone +49 761 270 83651 | |
| Student assistent | ||
| Pauline Pecht | nora.pauline.pecht@uniklinik-freiburg.de | phone: +49 761 270 83651 |
| Technician | ||
| Smiljka Vucikuja | smiljka.vucikuja@uniklinik-freiburg.de | phone: +49 761 270 83651 |
Dr. Peter Aichele
Institute for Immunodeficiency
Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI)
MEDICAL CENTER - UNIVERSITY OF FREIBURG
Hermann Herder Str. 11
79104 Freiburg i. Brsg.
Germany
Phone: +49 761 203-6549
peter.aichele@uniklinik-freiburg.de