Dr. Christian Schmidl
Head of Research Group | Epigenetic Immuno-oncology
The Epigenetic Immuno-oncology Research Group has a particular focus on the non-coding genome. We investigate this using high-throughput (single-cell) sequencing approaches to study immune cells and their interactions with friend and foe. We also collaborate closely with other clinical partners to address the topics of cancer and inflammation. Our goal is to translate our findings for the patient’s well-being.
Specifically, we focus on CD8+ T cells that can detect and destroy malignant cells. In this context, we observe that their effectiveness can sometimes be compromised in the tumour itself and that they can become dysfunctional as a result. On the cellular level, chronic antigen exposure and the suppressive microenvironment drive the process of dysfunction, which is accompanied by a remodeling of the T cells’ chromatin landscapes. Our Research Group dissects the heterogeneous chromatin and transcriptional patterns of human tumor-infiltrating T cells to obtain deeper insights into the underlying molecular processes that shape T-cell function and dysfunction. Based on this data, we seek to learn how specific signals sent during the immune response direct gene expression in T cells.
Part of our remit is to explore the potential to delete T cell-exhaustion driver genes in immunotherapeutic products such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, so as to improve their function. With our technical focus on CRISPR gene manipulation and epigenome profiling, our work extends to research fields such as cancer metastasis and stem-cell transplantation in leukemia patients.
Open chromatin profiles and predicted enhancer-promoter interaction at immunologically relevant genes in different cell states of CD8+ tumo-infiltrating T cells.
Quote from Dr. Christian Schmidl
My team and I are fascinated by the molecular mechanisms of gene regulation.
Head of Research Group Epigenetic Immuno-oncology
Biography
Academic background and qualifications
Dr. Christian Schmidl studied Biology and obtained his PhD in 2013 at the University of Regensburg under the supervision of Michael Rehli. Here, he studied DNA methylation patterns in lymphocytes. During this time, Dr. Schmidl was also involved in the international Functional Annotation of the Human Genome (FANTOM) project, where he got increasingly interested in how different cells in the human body regulate expression of their genes. This led him to study cell type-specific gene expression in regulatory and conventional T cells.
Professional career
Dr. Schmidl joined CeMM, Vienna Austria, as an Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellow. He worked in Christoph Bock’s lab, where he applied his knowledge to better understand molecular regulation of malignant immune cells with a focus on chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. For this purpose, Dr. Schmidl developed new chromatin-mapping methods (ChIPmentation) that allow epigenome profiling from scarce patient material. In 2017, Dr. Schmidl established his own research group at the Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, where he is studying gene-regulatory mechanisms in T cells fighting cancer.
Honors
In 2013 Dr. Schmidl received a PhD thesis award from the Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine from the University of Regensburg, Germany. From 2014 until 2017 he was awarded the Feodor Lynen Postdoc scholarship by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. In 2023 he received the Regensburg Oncology Award.
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