Prof. Matthias Edinger
Director and Qualified Person of JCC & Head of Research Group | Immunoregulation
Professor Matthias Edinger and his team examine immunologic mechanisms in allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). They aim to better understand the biology of immune reactions between donor and host after SCT to further improve the safety and efficacy of this treatment modality. In experimental studies they showed that CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg) from the stem cell donor protect from graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) without necessarily abrogating the beneficial graft-versus-leukemia effect (GvL) of conventional donor T cells.
Recent updates
Furthermore, they showed that donor Treg can also be applied therapeutically for the treatment of ongoing acute GvHD. These experimental findings are now being tested in investigator-initiated early clinical trials (IIT).
Quote from Professor Matthias Edinger
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation proves the potency of cellular immunotherpy on a daily basis. We aim to improve the safety and efficacy of cellular therapies for the benefit of our patients.
Director of JCC and Head of Research Group Immunoregulation
Biography
Academic background and qualifications
Prof. Edinger, born 1965, went to Medical School in Freiburg, Germany, and spent his first years of clinical training in the Department of Internal Medicine I (Hematology & Oncology) at the University Hospital of Freiburg.
Professional career
From 1999 to 2002 he worked as a PostDoc then Research Associate in the Division of Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) at Stanford Medical School, CA, USA (Robert S. Negrin's laboratory). He was involved in the development of Bioluminescence In Vivo Imaging (BLI) and first described the in vivo localization and quantification of tumor cell growth as well as lymphocyte migration in living animals. These technologies are nowadays applied in basic research laboratories worldwide. Together with his cooperation partners Prof. Petra Hoffmann (Sam Strober's laboratory, Stanford) and Dr. Jörg Ermann (Garry Fathman's laboratory, Stanford) he was among the first to describe the role of donor regulatory T cells (Treg) in allogeneic SCT—a finding that changed the view on SCT immunology. Prof. Edinger joined the Deptartment of Hematology & Oncology at the University Hospital of Regensburg in fall 2002, where he performs basic and translational research in the SCT field. He is Deputy Director of the Department, heads the SCT & Cell Therapy program at the University Hospital, is Directorial Board Member at the Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy and directs the José-Carreras-Center for Somatic Cell Therapy (JCC)—a clean room facility for the manufacturing of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMP) for cell therapy trials.
Honors
Prof. Edinger was scientific coordinator at the Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology (RCI, now LIT) from 2010–2015. He headed the Regensburg Research Group within the Bavarian Immunotherapy Network (BayImmuNet) from 2008–2015 and coordinated the DFG-funded Clinical Research Group 146 (Cell-mediated suppression of auto- and allogeneic immune responses) from 2007–2013. He was awarded the Chugai Science Award 2004 as well as several scholarships and travel awards; European School of Hematology (2004); Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (2003); American Society of Hematology (ASH) (2002); Plenary Session Presentation and Travel Award ASH (2001); Plenary Session Presentation and Best Abstract Award; American Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT) (2001).
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