Project description

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has demonstrated remarkable clinical success in patients with B cell malignancies. Initial clinical trials studying CAR T cells in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have shown less promising outcomes. A major challenge in the development of AML-targeting CAR T cells consists of the lack of leukemia-specific antigens for use as CAR targets. Additionally, AML blasts utilize immune suppressive mechanisms to protect themselves from being eliminated by immune cells. I am interested in developing novel engineering strategies to overcome these hurdles and thereby improve efficacy and safety of AML-targeting CAR T cells.

Grants/Awards/Highlights

• Research fellowship | German Research Foundation | 2019
• Best Abstract Award | Annual Meeting of the German Society for Bone Marrow and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation | 2019
• SUCCESS Physician Scientist Program | University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany | 2018
• Research scholarship | German Research Foundation | 2018
• Albrecht Fleckenstein Young Scientist Award | Medical Faculty Freiburg, Germany | 2017
• Science and Research Award of the ROMIUS Foundation | Medical Faculty Freiburg, Germany | 2016
• Abstract Achievement Award | American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition | 2013
• MOTI‑VATE Doctoral Training Scholarship | Medical Faculty Freiburg, Germany | 2012

Education

• Postdoctoral fellowship | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | 2019 - Present
• Internal Medicine Residency | University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany | 2017-2019
• Medical studies, MD | Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Germany | 2009 - 2016