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Young Research Talents

Young Research Talents

In 2019, young scientists from the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut received the Langen Junior Science Award for outstanding research achievements.

Every year, the Association for the Promotion of the Langen Science Award honors talented scientists for their successful research at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut. The prize is funded by the Sparkasse Langen-Seligenstadt.

1st prize 2019: Dr Anett Pfeiffer and Dr Frederic Thalheimer succeeded in generating CAR T cells directly in mice. CAR T cells are genetically modified T cells with antigen-specific receptors for the treatment of certain types of leukaemia. This procedure could make therapy significantly easier. Up until now, it has been necessary to remove T cells from the patient and modify them outside the body to form CAR T cells.

2nd prize 2019: Dr Kerstin Schott conducted research into how SAMHD1, a cellular inhibitor of HIV, is controlled. Restriction factors inhibit viral infection and proliferation in somatic cells. SAMHD1 is also involved in the development of autoimmune diseases and cancer. Dr Schott demonstrated that the cell controls SAMHD1 activity via the detachment of phosphate groups.

3rd prize 2019: Dr Cindy Nürnberger and Dr Bianca Bodmer, in collaboration with other research teams, developed an experimental vector vaccine against Zika virus infections. Zika virus infections occur in more than 80 countries and can lead to malformations of the brain in unborn babies.

On the photo
Prof. Klaus Cichutek; Dr Kerstin Schott; Dr Frederic Thalheimer; Dr Cindy Nürnberger; Frieder Gebhardt, Mayor of Langen; Prof. Johannes Löwer

Literature

Pfeiffer A, Thalheimer FB, Hartmann S, Frank AM, Bender RR, Danisch S, Costa C, Wels WS, Modlich U, Stripecke R, Verhoeyen E, Buchholz CJ (2018): In vivo generation of human CD19-CAR T cells results in B cell depletion and signs of cytokine release syndrome.
EMBO Mol Med 10: e9158.

Schott K, Fuchs NV, Derua R, Mahboubi B, Schnellbächer E, Seifried J, Tondera C, Schmitz H, Shepard C, Brandariz-Nuñez A, Diaz-Griffero F, Reuter A, Kim B, Janssens V, König R (2018): Dephosphorylation of the HIV-1 restriction factor SAMHD1 is mediated by PP2A-B55α holoenzymes during mitotic exit.
Nat Commun 9: 2227.

Nürnberger C, Bodmer BS, Fiedler AH, Gabriel G, Mühlebach MD (2019): A measles virus-based vaccine candidate mediates protection against Zika virus in an 1 allogenic mouse pregnancy model.
J Virol 93: e01485-18.