Home | Facilities | José-Carreras-Center José-Carreras-Center Profile Dedicated to the pharmaceutic development of cell-therapy products The José-Carreras-Center (JCC) is specialized in the GMP-compliant development and manufacturing of cell therapy products, which include Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP) and engineered stem cell grafts for patients requiring allogenic stem cell transplantation. The GMP facility operates clean rooms covering classes A-D (ISO 4.8/5 to ISO 8) and quality control laboratories. In addition to high-speed GMP FACS-sorting for the purification of rare cell populations, the JCC has established magnetic cell separation technologies as well as cell-stimulation procedures for the efficient in vitro expansion of T-cell subpopulations. José Carreras José Carreras, the Spanish star tenor, has supported medical research in Regensburg for many years via the German José Carreras Leukemia Foundation. With match-funding from the European Union under the EFRE program (European Regional Development Funds), the José Carreras Leukemia Foundation co-funded the José-Carreras-Center (JCC). To honor his support and commitment, the GMP-facility at the Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy was named after him and opened in his presence in 2009. In 2010 the JCC was integrated into the Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology (RCI)—renamed the Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy in 2022. Projects Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) such as in vitro-expanded primary cells or genetically modified cell therapeutics are among the specialized cellular-therapy products that the JCC produces under GMP conditions. Our current projects are: Regulatory T-cells Treg for the treatment of acute or chronic GvHD after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) Treg for tolerance induction after solid organ transplantation Stem cell grafts Treg enriched stem cell products for allogeneic SCT TCR alpha/beta depleted stem cell products for haploidentical transplantation CAR T-cells Validated CAR T-cell manufacturing Partner University Hospital of Regensburg The UKR is the lead collaboration partner of the JCC for clinical translation. Cell therapy products manufactured by the JCC are tested in clinical trials at the University Hospital Regensburg and its trial partner sites. Within the UKR main cooperators are the Department for Internal Medicine III (Haematology & Oncology), the Division of Transfusion Medicine, the Early Clinical Trial Unit (ECTU) and the Center for Clinical Studies (ZKS). UKR University Hospital of Vienna The JCC provides advanced cell-therapy products (ATMP) for phase-I clinical trials exploring the potential of Treg to prevent transplant rejection after living-donor kidney transplantation. These trials are headed by Professor Thomas Wekerle, Department of Surgery, at the University Hospital of Vienna. University Hospital of Vienna Bavarian Center for Cancer Research (BZKF) In conjunction with the BZKF, the JCC cooperates with other regional GMP facilities to develop new cell-therapy products as well as align standard operating procedures (SOPs) and regulatory requirements. BZKF Miltenyi Biotec GmBH Miltenyi Biotec is a world-leading corporation specializing in the magnetic isolation of cell subpopulations. The JCC has worked with Miltenyi for many years on the development and implementation of cell selection and in vitro expansion technologies. Miltenyi Biotec GmBH BD Biosciences BD Biosciences is a world leader in flow-cytometry. The JCC works in partnership with BD in the field of GMP-approved FACS-sorting under GMP conditions. BD Biosciences Team Part of the Team JCC GMP team Prof. Matthias Edinger Director and Qualified Person of JCC & Head of Research Group | Immunoregulation Assoc. Prof. Petra Hoffmann Head of Research Group | Immunoregulation & Head of FACS Core Dr. Andreas Mitsch Head of Quality Control Dr. Christin Albrecht Head of Manufacturing & Head of Immune Monitoring at JCC Dr. Stefanie Windschüttl Quality Assurance & Manufacturing Kristina Kolodova Immune Monitoring & Quality Control Christine Luginger Head of Cleanroom Technology & Manufacturing Sandra Böhm Quality Control & Immune Monitoring at JCC Rüdiger Eder GMP Cell Sorting | R&D (JCC) & Leading Technician (RG Immunoregulation) Julia Kefer Manufacturing & Cleanroom Technology Sandra Kneidl Quality Assurance Ramona Saller Quality Control & Immune Monitoring at JCC Anna Weigl Manufacturing & Cleanroom Technology Susanne Ohmayer Head of Quality Assurance & Manufacturing Steffi Pann Manufacturing Verena Heindl Quality Control Previous Next Close Dr. Andreas Mitsch Head of Quality Control José-Carreras-Centrum Tel: +49 941 944-5101 Email: Andreas.Mitsch@ukr.de Andreas Mitsch studied Pharmacy at the University of Marburg and holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. After first positions in drug development and clinical development of oligonucleotide-based drug candidates for oncological indications in different biotech companies, he joined the José-Carreras-Center in 2015, where he is in charge of quality control of cell therapy products. Close Dr. Christin Albrecht Head of Manufacturing & Head of Immune Monitoring at JCC José-Carreras-Center Tel: +49 941 944-5101 Email: Christin.Albrecht@ukr.de Christin Albrecht (née Riegel) studied biology at the Eberhard-Karls University of Tübingen and graduated with a diploma in neuropharmacology. She performed her PhD thesis in the group of Prof. Edinger/Hoffmann at the University Hospital Regensburg. She showed that in vitro expanded donor Treg efficiently ameliorate acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). In 2020, she joined the JCC, where she first led the immune monitoring unit. In 2022, she took over the responsibility as Head of Manufacturing and is thus in charge for maintaining the clean room status of the facility and the production of high quality cell therapeutics. Close Dr. Stefanie Windschüttl Quality Assurance & Manufacturing José-Carreras-Center Tel: +49 941 944-5101 Email: Stefanie.Windschuettl@ukr.de Stefanie Windschüttl studied biology at the University Regensburg and did her PhD thesis in cell biology at the Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich. In former positions as Clinical Research Associate and GMP scientist, she ensured that quality and functionality of new drugs adhere to required standards. In 2020, she joined the JCC where she is deputy head of quality assurance and manufacturing. Thus, she ensures the maintenance of the clean room status and assures the production of high-quality cell therapeutics in compliance with all GMP and regulatory requirements. Close Kristina Kolodova Immune Monitoring & Quality Control José-Carreras-Centrum Tel: +49 941 944-5101 Email: kristina.kolodova@ukr.de Close Christine Luginger Head of Cleanroom Technology & Manufacturing José-Carreras-Centrum Tel: +49 941 944-5101 Email: Christine.Luginger@ukr.de Christine Luginger trained as a biology technical assistant. Since 2006, she worked in basic immunology research groups at the UKR and then in the stem cell facility of the division of Transfusion Medicine. She joined the JCC in 2010 and contributed to the planning and construction of the GMP facility. Upon further training, she received the honorius degree as biotechnician. She is head of clean room technologies and thus responsible for the continuous maintenance of the GMP-facility. She is involved in the testing, qualification, validation and release of equipment and manufacturing technologies. Furthermore, she is an expert in manufacturing and supports quality assurance. Close Sandra Böhm Quality Control & Immune Monitoring at JCC José-Carreras-Centrum Tel: +49 941 944-5101 Email: Sandra.Boehm@ukr.de Close Rüdiger Eder GMP Cell Sorting | R&D (JCC) & Leading Technician (RG Immunoregulation) José-Carreras-Center + Immunoregulation Tel: +49 941 944-5549 Email: Ruediger.Eder@ukr.de Close Julia Kefer Manufacturing & Cleanroom Technology José-Carreras-Centrum Tel: +49 941 944-5101 Email: Julia.Kefer@ukr.de Close Sandra Kneidl Quality Assurance José-Carreras-Centrum Tel: +49 941 944-5101 Email: Sandra.Kneidl@ukr.de Close Ramona Saller Quality Control & Immune Monitoring at JCC José-Carreras-Centrum Tel: +49 941 944-5101 Email: Ramona.Saller@ukr.de Close Anna Weigl Manufacturing & Cleanroom Technology José-Carreras-Centrum Tel: +49 941 944-5101 Email: Anna.Weigl@ukr.de Close Susanne Ohmayer Head of Quality Assurance & Manufacturing José-Carreras-Centrum Tel: +49 941 944-5101 Email: Susanne.Ohmayer@ukr.de Susanne Ohmayer studied chemistry at the University Regensburg and joined the JCC in 2012, where she supported the manufacturing team. Since 2019, she took over the management of the Quality Assurance Unit and thus is responsible for the implementation, optimization and continuous adaption of the pharmaceutical quality system. Close Steffi Pann Manufacturing José-Carreras-Centrum Tel: +49 941 944-5101 Email: Steffi.Pann@ukr.de Steffi Pann studied biochemistry at the University of Potsdam, where she focused on immunology. After receiving her master’s degree in 2012, she worked in the field of therapeutic antibodies (4-Antibody AG, Jena). In 2015, Ms Pann joined Juno Therapeutics GmbH (later acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb) to develop end-to-end manufacturing platforms for the BMS cell therapy pipeline to enable next-generation cellular therapies. Ms Pann was recruited to the JCC to further increase the manufacturing capacity for ATMPs. Close Verena Heindl Quality Control José-Carreras-Centrum Tel: +49 941 944-5101 Email: Verena.Heindl@ukr.de Contact Light symbolizes hope! The José-Carreras-Center was given a special new look in 2009 as a visual reminder to the outside world of the JCC's incredible work. The colorful illuminations are visible from afar, with the concept representing the work happening inside the clean-room laboratories—and the diverse applications and potential of cellullar therapies. José-Carreras-Center for Somatic Cell Therapy LIT – Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy c/o University Hospital of Regensburg Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11 93053 Regensburg, Germany Tel: + 49 941 944–5101 Fax: + 49 941 944–5102 24h emergency number: +49 941 944–0 Email: jcc.info@ukr.de Get directions here!
Prof. Matthias Edinger Director and Qualified Person of JCC & Head of Research Group | Immunoregulation
