Podcast “Wirkstoffradio”: Interview with Prof. Philipp Beckhove about immunotherapies against cancer

Prof. Philipp Beckhove, Scientific Director of the Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), was a guest on the podcast “Wirkstoffradio” and talked to the host Bernd Rupp about the cutting-edge research at the LIT (in German).

Listen here!

Date Published

June 26, 2025

At the beginning, Prof. Beckhove explains the central components of the immune system, with a particular focus on the various immune cells and their respective functions. While B lymphocytes are mentioned, the emphasis is particularly on T lymphocytes, as they play a central role in his research on cancer immunotherapy.

Prof. Beckhove then elaborates on the most important immunotherapeutic approaches: he describes the mode of action of checkpoint inhibitors, provides an overview of the current state of research on mRNA-based cancer vaccines, and explains how his team utilizes CAR T cells in the fight against cancer.

In closing, he reports on current discoveries made by his research group, including the decoding of the SIK3 mechanism, which has led to the identification of a new class of drugs. Additionally, he offers an exciting insight into the development of so-called TRUCKs (T cells redirected for antigen-unrestricted cytokine-initiated killing) – a new generation of immune cells with therapeutic added value.