Principal Investigator PD Dr. Gabriela Wiedemann

• PD Dr. med. Gabriela Wiedemann (PI)
• Julia Baumgarten (cand. med.)
• Sophia Große Wiesmann (FJN)
• Johannes Ostermaier (MD)
• Robin Schenk, M.Sc. (PhD student)
• Kevin Schmid, M.Sc. (PhD Student)
• Lina Staufer, M.Sc.

Natural Killer cells (NK cells) are key effector cells of the innate immune systems. Due to their rapid cytotoxicity and efficient tumor cell clearing they have been a central player in tumor immunology research in the past years. However, cancer cells have developped a plethora of mechanisms to suppress NK cell functionality both locally and systemically.

Our group investigates the interactions of NK cells and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in gastrointestinal cancers. Especially, we want to unravel the impact of the tumor milieu on the NK cell transcriptional and epigenetic landscape in order to develop efficient NK cell based tumor therapies.

Wiedemann Lab is part of the Division of Translational Gastrointestinal Immunology.

• Wiedemann GM, Santosa E, Grassman S, Sheppard S, Le Luduec JB, Adams NM, Dang C, Hsu KC, Sun JC, Lau CM. Deconvoluting global cytokine signaling networks in natural killer cells. Nature Immunology, 2021.
• Wiedemann GM, Grassmann S, Lau CM, Rapp M, Villarino AV, Friedrich C, Gasteiger G, O'Shea JJ, Sun JC. Divergent Role for STAT5 in the Adaptive Responses of Natural Killer Cells. Cell Reports 2020.
• Piseddu I, Röhrle N, Knott MML, Moder S, Eiber S, Schnell K, Vetter V, Meyer B, Layritz P, Kühnemuth B, Wiedemann GM, Gruen J, Perleberg C, Rapp M, Endres S, Anz D. Constitutive expression of CCL22 is mediated by T cell-derived GM-CSF. Journal of Immunology 2020.
• Wiedemann GM, Geary CD, Lau CM, Sun JC. Cutting Edge: STAT1-Mediated Epigenetic Control of Rsad2 Promotes Clonal Expansion of Antiviral NK Cells. Journal of Immunology, 2020.
• Wiedemann GM, Röhrle N, Makeschin MC, Fesseler J, Endres S, Mayr D, Anz D. Peritumoral CCL1 and CCL22 expressing cells in hepatocellular carcinomas shape the tumor immune infiltrate. Pathology, 2019.
• Kuehnemuth B, Piseddu I, Wiedemann GM, Lauseker M, Kuhn C, Hofmann S, Schmoeckel E, Endres S, Mayr D. Jeschke U, Anz D. CCL1 is a major regulatory T cell attracting factor in human breast cancer. BMC Cancer, 2018.
• Wiedemann GM, Aithal C, Kraechan A, Heise C, Cadilha BL, Zhang J, Duewell P, Ballotti R, Endres S, Bertolotto C, Kobold, S. Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) regulates immune cell migration into melanoma. Translational Oncology, 2018.
• Rapp M, Wiedemann GM, Sun J. Memory responses of innate lymphocytes and parallels with T cells. Review. Seminars in Immunopathology, 2018.
• Wiedemann GM, Jacobi SJ, Chaloupka M, Krächan A, Hamm S, Strobl S, Baumgartner R, Rothenfusser S, Duewell P, Endres S, Kobold S. A novel TLR7 agonist reverses NK cell anergy and cures RMA-S lymphoma-bearing mice. Oncoimmunology, 2016.
• Wiedemann GM, Knott MML, Vetter V, Rapp M, Haubner S, Fesseler J, Layritz P, Thaler R, Kruger S, Ormanns S, Mayr D, Endres S, Anz D. Cancer cell-derived IL-1α induces CCL22 and the recruitment of regulatory T cells. Oncoimmunology, 2016.
• Anz D, Rapp M, Eiber S, Koelzer VH, Thaler R, Haubner S, Knott M, Nagel S, Golic M, Wiedemann GM, Bauernfeind F, Wurzenberger C, Hornung V, Scholz C, Mayr D, Rothenfusser S, Endres S, Bourquin C. Suppression of intratumoral CCL22 by type i interferon inhibits migration of regulatory T cells and blocks cancer progression. Cancer Research, 2015.
• Kobold S, Wiedemann G, Rothenfußer S, Endres S. Modes of action of TLR7 agonists in cancer therapy. Review, Immunotherapy, 2014.

Open positions
We are looking for a highly motivated postdoc with a profound interest in immunological research. Please apply via e-mail.
If you are interested in an MD or PhD thesis in our group please send your application via e-mail.

Grant support

Else-Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung

Kommission für Klinische Forschung (KKF)
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, Emmy Noether Programm WI 4927/2-1)
TUM Seed Fund