Mission

The Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy has a clear mission to develop innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer, autoimmunity, and chronic inflammation by reprogramming immune cells through synthetic and pharmacological strategies.

The human immune system is responsible for holding off viruses and fighting cancer cells. It is one of the most complex systems within the human body. Interventions in the immune system can protect from diseases in the case of vaccination, ease terminal illnesses such as rheumatism, or increase the effectiveness of therapies such as transplantations or chemotherapy. Cure rates for lymph-gland cancer, for example, have improved drastically with the introduction of antibody therapies, and survival rates after organ transplant have also increased.

Medical research has shown that the human immune system engages with far more diseases than previously recognized, and should therefore be considered in the development of more therapies. One of the biggest challenges in modern medicine is to intervene effectively in the immune system without causing too many side effects. The intervention chosen depends on whether the immune system needs to be reduced, stimulated or suppressed. Conditions such as rheumatism, diabetes, and allergic reactions require a reduction in immune activity, whereas others require the immune system to be stimulated. After transplantation, it is necessary to suppress the immune system to prevent it rejecting transplanted organs or stem cells.

Immune cells give us life

Research

The LIT researches and develops new immune cell therapies for the treatment of diseases with deregulated immune function such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, and chronic inflammations, as well as for the prevention and treatment of transplantation complications. The goal of the Institute is to significantly improve medical care for the general public by developing modern cell therapeutics for these widespread diseases which can be associated with aging. Additionally, it is our ambition to set international standards for cell therapy for a wide variety of diseases.

To achieve this goal, we have established three Research Areas to strategically interlink the complementary expertise of all our scientists. Our Research Divisions, Research Groups, and Facilities and Technology unit are consistently oriented towards joint translational development processes.

Rules of Procedure for Safeguarding Good Research Practice (English version)

Verfahrensordnung zur Sicherung guter wissenschaftlicher Praxis (German version)

Support for young scientists

One of the LIT’s key objectives is to provide exceptional training opportunities for young scientists through all the phases of their careers, as well as support their individual development perspectives. As an independent institute, the LIT can offer a wide range of training programs. Students of relevant subjects can do their bachelor and master theses here, and are integrated into the Institute’s scientific life from the very beginning. Doctoral students go through a structured graduate program which results in a qualification covering a broad range of disciplines. To support the development of an independent research profile, the LIT has implemented a junior research group program, which encourages young scientists to progress a career in further academia or an industry-based management position. These initiatives are described in detail in our Staffing Concept (currently only available in German).

Equal opportunities

The LIT has identified the following priorities in its management and across the entire organization: (1) employee diversity; (2) the provision of equal opportunities; and (3) ensuring a healthy work/life balance. The Institute is governed by the Bavarian Equal Opportunity Act and observes the Implementation Agreements on Equal Opportunity (AV-Glei) in joint research funding. In addition, we voluntarily adhere to the German Research Foundation’s research-oriented equality standards.

The LIT has appointed an equal opportunities representative and a deputy. Their remit is to advise and support the Institute’s management in the achievement of their equal opportunities goals, and to support employees seeking advice on equal opportunity and rights. Please have a look to the details in our Gender Equality Plan (currently only available in German).

The Leibniz Institute has received the TOTAL E-QUALITY award for its exemplary human resources policy which is designed to establish and ensure equal opportunities in a sustainable way. In addition, the LIT is a member of the Dual Career Network for North Bavaria which provides support for dual-career couples to further their careers.

Leadership & Management

Our leadership is totally committed to achieving the LIT’s ambitious goals of developing innovative and effective immune-cell therapeutics for the treatment of previously incurable diseases. To do this, the management uses synergies to ensure—that in all areas of our work—an atmosphere of trust and collaboration is fostered in which an individual’s unique and diverse strengths are harnessed to their full potential.

Scientific Director LIT

The LIT is led by Scientific Director Prof. Philipp Beckhove, who is also Head of the Research Division 'Interventional Immunology' since 2015. As tumor immunologist and internist, a particular focus of his scientific work is the translation of basic immunological research into new therapeutic strategies for oncology. The close connection of Prof. Beckhove to the University Hospital Regensburg will ensure the development of clinical trials for novel immunotherapy approaches at LIT.

Prof. Beckhove

Executive Board

Prof. Philipp Beckhove

Scientific Director LIT
Head of Research Division | Interventional Immunology

Tel: +49 941 944–38101
Email: philipp.beckhove@lit.eu

Prof. Markus Feuerer

Deputy Scientific Director LIT
Head of Research Division | Immunology

Tel: +49 941 944–38121
Email: markus.feuerer@lit.eu

Brigitte Herbst

Administrative Director LIT
Head of Finance & Administration

Tel: +49 941 944–38141
Email: brigitte.herbst@lit.eu

Strategic development

The Strategic Development office supports the Executive Board in implementing its strategy across the Institute. They ensure the legal validity of the supervisory bodies’ work, and that scientists are connected to one another via external and internal networks. The unit participates in working groups of the Leibniz Association, including “Europe”, “Open Access and Publication Management”, “Press” and “IT”.

Sabine Repp
Head of Strategic Development

Tel: +49 941 944–18144
Email: sabine.repp@lit.eu

Heiko Smetak
Head of Technical Infrastructure

Tel: +49 941 944–18106
Email: heiko.smetak@ukr.de

Dr. Kerstin Wild
PR & Media Relations

Tel: +49 941 944–18150
Email: press@lit.eu

All inquiries regarding press, media, and photography should be directed to our PR & Media Relations staff member.

Administration

Our administration team is responsible for the economic viability of the Leibniz Institute. We do everything possible to free up scientists to concentrate wholly on their research and our shared mission to battle against human diseases. For any inquiries please contact us:

Brigitte Herbst
Administrative Director
Head of Finance & Administration

Tel: +49 941 944–38141
Email: brigitte.herbst@lit.eu

Third Party Funding
Sebastian Hinterwimmer

Email: sebastian.hinterwimmer@ukr.de

HR
Christian Pernpeintner

Email: christian.pernpeintner@ukr.de

Purchasing
Heidi Lobmeier

Email: rci.purchasing@ukr.de

Ombudspersons

Dr. Astrid Holzinger
Postdoctoral Scientist | Genetic Immunotherapy

Tel: +49 941 944-18114
Email: astrid.holzinger@ukr.de

Prof. Michael Rehli
Head of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Core

Tel: +49 941 944–38187
Email: michael.rehli@ukr.de

LIT organizational chart

LIT committees

01 | Foundation Board

The Foundation Board is comprised of well-known experts from medical and governmental institutes. Its members are listed below:

Dr. Claudia Baumann
Deputy Chair, Federal Ministry of Education and Research

Prof. Axel A. Brakhage
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology
Hans Knöll Institute, Jena

Prof. Adelheid Cerwenka
Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3)
Medical Faculty Mannheim at the Heidelberg University

Mdgt Dr. Johannes Eberle
Chair, Bavarian State Ministry of Science and Art

Dr. med. Martina Christine Enke
Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care

Prof. Simone Fulda
Institute of Experimental Medicine, Kiel University

Prof. Udo Hebel
President, University of Regensburg

Prof. Dirk Hellwig
Dean, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Regensburg

Prof. Oliver Kölbl
Medical Director, University Hospital of Regensburg

Prof. Hansjörg Schild
Institute for Immunology, University Medical Center of Mainz

Prof. Juliane Walz
Department for Peptide-based Immunotherapy, Eberhard-Karls University of Tübingen

02 | Scientific Advisory Board

The Scientific Advisory Board is comprised of well-known experts in the field of Immunology. The members guide and support the Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy’s work. The Scientific Advisory Board consults the Executive Board with regard to scientific and strategic enquiries. They evaluate the results of scientific findings and provide recommendations for further development and profile establishment. Its members are listed below:

Prof. Benedikt Brors
Head of Department for Applied Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg

Prof. James L. M. Ferrara
Director of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, University of Michigan

Prof. Carl H. June
Director of Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA

Prof. Ulrike Köhl
Director at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig
Director and Chair Immunooncology, University Leipzig

Prof. Marcela V. Maus
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Mass General Cancer Center, Massachusetts
Director of Cellular Immunotherapy, Mass General Cancer Center, Massachusetts

Distinguished Prof. Shimon Sakaguchi
Chair at the Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Japan

Prof. Dolores J. Schendel
CSO Medigene AG, Martinsried

Prof. Naomi Taylor
National Institute of Health, Bethesda, USA

Prof. Andreas Radbruch (former member)
former Scientific Director of Cell Biology, German Rheumatism Research Centre (DRFZ), Berlin

Scientific Advisory Board

Distinguished Prof. Shimon Sakaguchi, Prof. Marcela V. Maus, Prof. Benedikt Brors, Prof. Dolores J. Schendel, Prof. James L. M. Ferrara, Prof. Naomi Taylor, Prof. Carl H. June, Prof. Ulrike Köhl (left to right)

03 | Clinical Advisory Board

The LIT brings in external clinical experts to review all stages of therapy development. This ensures early consideration of important issues such as therapeutic need, ethical aspects, feasibility, and relevance of planned clinical trials. Its members include:

Prof. Wolfgang Herr
Head of Department for Internal Medicine III, Haematology and Internal Oncology, University Hospital Regensburg
Area of expertise: Haematological Oncology

Prof. Ralf Linker
Head of Neurology, University Hospital of Regensburg
Areas of expertise: Neuroimmunology/Neuro-oncology

Prof. Marcela V. Maus
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Mass General Cancer Center, Massachusetts
Director of Cellular Immunotherapy, Mass General Cancer Center, Massachusetts
Area of expertise: T-cell therapy of solid tumours

Prof. Georg Schett
Chair of Internal Medicine 3, University Hospital of Erlangen
Area of expertise: Rheumatology

Prof. Hans J. Schlitt
Head of Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Regensburg
Areas of expertise: organ transplantation, gastrointestinal tumours

Prof. Robert Thimme
Head of Department Medicine II, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Endocrinology
and Infectious Diseases, University of Freiburg Medical Center
Areas of expertise: Gastroenterology, chronic intestinal inflammation

Prof. Thomas Wekerle
Director of Transplantation Immunology, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
Area of expertise: organ transplantation

Prof. Heinz Wiendl
Head of Neurology, University Hospital of Münster
Areas of expertise: Neurology, Autoimmunity

Spin-off companies

The LIT supports both the clinical implementation and the further development of its research. A useful way of accelerating clinical translation is to establish new, separate entities. Over the years, several spin-off companies have evolved from our Research Groups to become independent companies in their own right; two examples include iOmx Therapeutics and TriArm Therapeutics Ltd.

iOmx Therapeutics was co-founded by Professor Beckhove in 2016 and is based on his development of high-throughput discovery technology to find immune-resistance mechanisms in human cancers which respond to drug treatment. iOmx Therapeutics develops first-in-class biologicals and small compounds that block critical immune resistance pathways in difficult-to-treat human cancer types. One such front-runner is a proprietary drug which inhibits salt-inducible kinase 3 and is already in clinical testing.

https://iomx.com/

TriArm Therapeutics was co-founded by Professor Abken in 2017 and is based in California, Taiwan and Shanghai. The company conducts studies to develop safer and more effective T-cell immunotherapies for both blood cancers and solid malignancies. For the most part, the company has a specific focus on T cells expressing innovated chimeric antigen receptors (CAR T cells) and on novel procedures for the rapid manufacturing of improved cell products.

Scientific collaborations

Collaborative research with relevant partner organizations in Germany and further abroad plays an important strategic role at the LIT. Some of our important alliances include the following. For a detailed description please visit the page ‘Scientific Collaborations’.

01 | Research Consortia

Research consortia are important centers of science funded by third parties. Grants from the EU or Specialized Research Programs (SFB) are given to consortia to bring together research partners from different universities and university hospitals.

German Research Foundation (DFG): Research Groups and Collaborative Research Centers (CRCs)/Transregios
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) Research Consortia
German Cancer Aid (DKH) Consortia
EU – European Union funded international research consortia
EU – Cost Consortia
Other international consortia
Other research networks

02 | Strategic Alliances

At a national level, the LIT participates in translational networks comprising research institutes and academic clinical centers to foster scientific exchange, innovation, and the fast implementation of translational research.

National Center for Tumor Diseases WERA
Bavarian Center for Cancer Research, BZKF
Comprehensive Cancer Center Eastern Bavaria (CCCO)
Research Alliance Immune Medicine

03 | Pharmaceutical collaboration partners

Poseida Therapeutics
Miltenyi Biotec

04 | Institutional Support

The Federal State of Germany supports the LIT since 2022
The Free State of Bavaria supports the LIT financially since 2011

Annual Report

This annual report (2017–2019) describes the research activities undertaken by the Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy—an extramural research institute in the Free State of Bavaria—formally known as the Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology. These activities are largely made possible by financial contributions from the Free State of Bavaria, the German Research Foundation (DFG), the European Commission, German Cancer Aid, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and various other funding agencies. We would like to thank them all.