Contact information
Department I of Internal Medicine
University Hospital of Cologne
Kerpener Straße 62
50937 Cologne
CMMC - Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne
University of Cologne
Robert-Koch-Straße 21
50931 Cologne
CV
Academic education
2010 - 2014 | PhD studies in Genetics; University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany |
2004 - 2010 | Diploma in Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany |
2002 - 2004 | Bachelor studies in Biology, National University for Natural Sciences, Hanoi, Vietnam |
Scientific degrees
01/2015 | Dissertation in Genetics (Degree: Dr. rer. nat.); University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany (Grade: 1.0) |
07/2010 | Diploma Thesis in Cell Biology (Degree: Dipl. Biol.); Heidelberg University, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany (Grade: 1.0) |
Scientific career
2022 - present | Junior group leader "Laboratory for Tumor-Host Interdependence”, Department I for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne |
2021 - present | Career Advancement Program group leader (CAP-19), Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne |
2015 - 2020 | Postdoc, co-principal investigator at the laboratory of Prof. Dr. Michael Hallek, Department I for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne |
Honors/ Awards/ Memberships
2017 | Faculty Award for the best publication, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne |
2015 | “Best of iwCLL 2015” Symposium, iwCLL, Sydney 2015 |
2015 | CECAD Travel grant |
Publications
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Non-viral TRAC-knocked-in CD19KICAR-T and gp350KICAR-T cells tested against Burkitt lymphomas with type 1 or 2 EBV infection: In vivo cellular dynamics and potency
Introduction: The ubiquitous Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is an oncogenic herpes virus associated with several human malignancies. EBV is an immune-evasive pathogen that promotes CD8+ T cell exhaustion and dysregulates CD4+ T cell functions. Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is frequently associated with EBV…
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Role of the tumor microenvironment in CLL pathogenesis
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells extensively interact with and depend on their surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME encompasses a heterogeneous array of cell types, soluble signals, and extracellular vesicles, which contribute significantly to CLL pathogenesis. CLL cells and the…
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Impact of leukemia-associated macrophages on the progression and therapy response of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
The treatment landscape of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has advanced remarkably over the past decade. The advent and approval of the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib and BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax, as well as monoclonal anti-CD20 antibodies rituximab and obinutuzumab, have resulted in deep remissions…
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LYN kinase programs stromal fibroblasts to facilitate leukemic survival via regulation of c-JUN and THBS1
Microenvironmental bystander cells are essential for the progression of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We have discovered previously that LYN kinase promotes the formation of a microenvironmental niche for CLL. Here we provide mechanistic evidence that LYN regulates the polarization of stromal…
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Distinct Genetically Determined Origins of Myd88/BCL2-Driven Aggressive Lymphoma Rationalize Targeted Therapeutic Intervention Strategies
Genomic profiling revealed the identity of at least 5 subtypes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), including the MCD/C5 cluster characterized by aberrations in MYD88, BCL2, PRDM1, and/or SPIB. We generated mouse models harboring B cell–specific Prdm1 or Spib aberrations on the background of…
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The scaffold protein NEDD9 is necessary for leukemia-cell migration and disease progression in a mouse model of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
The scaffold protein NEDD9 is frequently upregulated and hyperphosphorylated in cancers, and is associated with poor clinical outcome. NEDD9 promotes B-cell adhesion, migration and chemotaxis, pivotal processes for malignant development. We show that global or B-cell-specific deletion of Nedd9 in…
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Constitutive activation of Lyn kinase enhances BCR responsiveness, but not the development of CLL in Eµ-TCL1 mice
The treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has been improved dramatically by inhibitors targeting B-cell receptor (BCR)-associated kinases. The tyrosine kinase Lyn is a key modulator of BCR signaling and shows increased expression and activity in CLL. To evaluate the functional relevance of…
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Meta-Analysis Reveals Significant Sex Differences in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Progression in the Eµ-TCL1 Transgenic Mouse Model
The Eµ-TCL1 transgenic mouse model represents the most widely and extensively used animal model for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In this report, we performed a meta-analysis of leukemia progression in over 300 individual Eµ-TCL1 transgenic mice and discovered a significantly accelerated…
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New roles for B cell receptor associated kinases: when the B cell is not the target
Targeting of B cell receptor associated kinases (BAKs), such as Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) or phosphoinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) delta, by specific inhibitors has revolutionized the therapy of B lymphoid malignancies. BAKs are critical signaling transducers of BCR signaling and seem relevant in B…
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Extracellular vesicle measurements with nanoparticle tracking analysis - An accuracy and repeatability comparison between NanoSight NS300 and ZetaView
The expanding field of extracellular vesicle (EV) research needs reproducible and accurate methods to characterize single EVs. Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) is commonly used to determine EV concentration and diameter. As the EV field is lacking methods to easily confirm and validate NTA data,…