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. Identification of initial triggers required for induction of HLH in FHL mice.
2. Impact of various genetic defects on HLH progression – correlation of genotype with phenotype.
3. Analysis of other immunological functions beside cytotoxicity of HLH related genes (SFB1160, project B04).
https://www.sfb1160.uni-freiburg.de/research/projects/b4/
4. Impact of T cell exhaustion on HLH pathogenesis.
5. Therapeutic intervention strategies in HLH:
- Adoptive T cell therapy
- Gene therapy (in collaboration with Prof. T. Cathomen, SFB1160, project A07) --> https://www.sfb1160.uni-freiburg.de/research/projects/a7/
- Modulation of activating and inhibitory receptors
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
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 Shahabi | 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