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Keywords

Oncolytic viruses, Influenza A viruses, Cancer therapy, Lung cancer, Immune activation

Summary

In this episode, Pia Madeleine Leipe talks with Dr. Ramona Meissner about an exciting frontier in cancer research: oncolytic viruses. Together, they explore how Influenza A viruses can be used to selectively target and destroy tumor cells, why these viruses are particularly promising againstlung cancer , and how the immune system plays a key role in this approach.

Ramona shares insights from her research, explaining how engineered viruses can both kill cancer cells and stimulate anti-tumor immune responses. The conversation also touches on current challenges, safety considerations, and the future potential of this innovative therapeutic strategy.

Takeaways

• Viruses can selectively target and destroy tumor cells.
• Influenza A shows promise as an oncolytic virus for lung cancer treatment.
• Combines direct tumor killing with immune activation.
• Research results reveal high potential of influenza A as OV.

Resources & Links

• Review: Oncolytic viruses: advanced strategies in cancer therapy (Nature 2026)
• Replication-incompetent influenza A viruses armed with IFN-γ effectively mediate immune modulation and tumor destruction in mice harboring lung cancer (Molecular Therapy Oncolytics 2023)

Connect with Dr. Ramona Meissner

• Postdoc in Claudia Rössig´s Group (Cellular Immunotherapy) at Princess Máxima Centerfor Pediatric Oncology in Utrecht
• LinkedIn

Support the show

The Podcast is hosted by Pia Madeleine Leipe -
www.linkedin.com/in/pia-madeleine-l-75b749207

The podcast is supported by the German Association of Immunology (DGfI) - Young Immunologists (YI)
https://dgfi.org/
https://dgfi.org/young-immunologists/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dgfi-yi/
https://twitter.com/YI_dgfi

Become a member today! --> https://dgfi.org/dgfi-en/dgfi-membership/?noredirect=en_US
https://www.yefis.org/

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Keywords:

Gut Microbiome, Autoimmunity, Lupus, Microbiome Research, Enterococcus gallinarum, Immunological Tolerance, Microbiome Therapies

Summary:

In this episode of the Young Immunologist Podcast ImmunoChat, Pia Madeleine Leipe talks with Carina Brune about the role of the gut microbiome in the immune system and its connection to autoimmune diseases. They discuss the importance of gut microbes, the challenges in researching autoimmune diseases, and the potential therapeutic approaches emerging from microbiome research.

Takeaways:

• The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in regulating the immune system.
• Dysbiosis in the microbiome can lead to autoimmune diseases.
• Enterococcus gallinarum is a bacterium linked to the development of lupus.
• Future therapies may target microbiome modulation, including vaccines and phage therapy.

Please find here links to publications referred to in this Episode:

General Info:

• Family size, infection and atopy: the first decade of the 'hygiene hypothesis' | Thorax
• Host–microbiota interactions in immune-mediated diseases | Nature Reviews Microbiology

SLE and microbiome:

• Translocation of a gut pathobiont drives autoimmunity in mice and humans | Science
• Within-host evolution of a gut pathobiont facilitates liver translocation | Nature
• Translocating gut pathobiont Enterococcus gallinarum induces TH17 and IgG3 anti-RNA–directed autoimmunity in mouse and human | Science Translational Medicine
• Lupus and inflammatory bowel disease share a common set of microbiome features distinct from other autoimmune disorders | Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases

Phage therapy

• Targeted suppression of human IBD-associated gut microbiota commensals by phage consortia for treatment of intestinal inflammation: Cell

YouTube Video

Hinter den Kulissen des Tierlaboratoriums der Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover

Contact details

Carina Brune – University of Münster | LinkedIn

Immune-Microbiota Interactions Lab (@agkriegel.bsky.social) — Bluesky

Die Abteilung Translationale Rheumatologie und Immunologie

Support the show

The Podcast is hosted by Pia Madeleine Leipe -
www.linkedin.com/in/pia-madeleine-l-75b749207

The podcast is supported by the German Association of Immunology (DGfI) - Young Immunologists (YI)
https://dgfi.org/
https://dgfi.org/young-immunologists/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dgfi-yi/
https://twitter.com/YI_dgfi

Become a member today! --> https://dgfi.org/dgfi-en/dgfi-membership/?noredirect=en_US
https://www.yefis.org/

Send us Fan Mail

Keywords

HIV, immunology, virology, immunological niches, Cytotoxic CD4 T cells, , CD137, HIV reservoirs

Summary

In this episode of the Young Immunologist Podcast ImmunoChat, Pia Leipe engages with Dr. Anna Malyshkina to explore the complexities of HIV, its interaction with the immune system, and the innovative research being conducted to combat this virus. They discuss the roles of various immune cells, the challenges of antiretroviral therapy, and the significance of immunological niches where HIV can hide. Dr. Malyshkina shares insights into her research on cytotoxic CD4 T follicular helper cells and the potential of CD137 as a target for immunotherapy.

Takeaways

• HIV primarily targets CD4 T cells, disrupting the immune system's coordination.
• Antiretroviral therapy suppresses HIV but does not eliminate it.
• Immunological niches provide safe harbors for HIV, complicating treatment.
• CD4 T follicular helper cells can be armed to target HIV.
• CD137 is a promising target for enhancing T cell responses.

Please find here links to publications referred to in this Episode:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37965314/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37883584/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30635687/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30782653/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28798348/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26608920/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37910505/

Contact details

· Dr. Anna Malyshkina

· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-malyshkina-776324178/

· Institute of Physiology Essen: https://www.uni-due.de/physiologie/

· Institute for Virology Essen: https://www.uni-due.de/virologie/

· ELAN Proposal UDE: https://www.unidue.de/med/promotionskolleg/evaluierte_projekte.php

Support the show

The Podcast is hosted by Pia Madeleine Leipe -
www.linkedin.com/in/pia-madeleine-l-75b749207

The podcast is supported by the German Association of Immunology (DGfI) - Young Immunologists (YI)
https://dgfi.org/
https://dgfi.org/young-immunologists/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dgfi-yi/
https://twitter.com/YI_dgfi

Become a member today! --> https://dgfi.org/dgfi-en/dgfi-membership/?noredirect=en_US
https://www.yefis.org/