• BCRT

Monitoring and Modulation of Immune responses to Cell and Tissue Transplants

Martina Seifert

We aim to unravel the complex molecular language between regenerative cells or their derivatives with the body´s main players of immune responses. This will ultimately enable safe and effective therapies and promotes the discovery of new therapeutic avenues.

  • Regenerative cell types (cardiac, placenta and umbilical cord derived, tendon) and their mechanisms of action
  • Stromal cell - endothelial cell - interplay
  • Extracellular vesicles as a cell free therapeutic approach for cardiovascular diseases (pro-angiogenic, anti-fibrotic and immunomodulatory effects)
  • Immunological Screening of biomaterials for cardiovascular applications (biological & synthetic scaffolds)
  • Effects of stromal cell therapies on endothelial cell phenotype and function
  •  Endothelial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME)

Akkordeon

  • Team

    Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Martina Seifert
    AG-Leiterin
    e-mail: 
    Tel: +49-30-450 539435

    Dr. rer. nat. Naima Souidi
    Postdoc, wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin
    e-mail: 
    Tel: +49-30-450 539508

    Christien Madlen Beez
    PhD Studentin
    e-mail: 
    Tel: +49-30-450 539463

    Falk Diedrichs
    MD/PhD Student
    e-mail: 
    Phone: +49-30-450 539463

    Constanze Wild
    PhD Studentin
    e-mail: 
    Tel: +49-30-450 539463

  • Publications
    • Beez CM, Haag M, Klein O, Van Linhout S, Sittinger M, Seifert M (2019). Extracellular Vesicles from regenerative human cardiac cells act as potent immune modulators by priming monocytes. J Nanobiotechnology 17(1):72. doi:10.1186/s12951-019-0504-0.
    • Beez CM, Schneider M, Haag M, Pappritz K, Van Linthout S, Sittinger M, Seifert M (2019). Cardiac Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) Released in the Presence or Absence if Inflammatory Cues Support Angiogenesis in Different Manners. Int J Mol Sci, DOI: 10.3390/ijms20246363.
    • Diedrichs F, Stolk M, Jürchott K, Haag M, Sittinger M, Seifert M (2019). Enhanced Immunomodulation in Inflammatory Environments Favors Human Cardiac Mesenchymal Stromal-Like Cells for Allogeneic Cell Therapies.Front Immunol. 10:1716. doi:10.3389/fimmu.01716. 
    • Souidi N, Stolk M, Rudeck J, Strunk D, Schallmoser K, Volk HD and Seifert M (2017). Stromal cells act as guardians for endothelial progenitors by reducing their immunogenicity after co-transplantation. Stem Cells 35(5):1233-1245. 
    • Schneider M, Stamm C, Brockbank KGM, Stock UA, Seifert M (2017). The choice of cryopreservation method affects immune compatibility of human cardiovascular matrices. Sci Rep. 7(1):17027.
  • Methods
    • Primary human cell cultures (endothelial cells, mesenchymal stromal cells, cardiac cells, tenocytes)
    • Isolation of extracellular vesicles (EVs) by differential ultracentrifugation, characterization (EM, flow cytometry, protein/BCA, NTA)
    • Immune cell isolation, separation and co-culture assays
    • Flow cytometry analysis
    • Fluorescence microscopy/ High Content Screening
    • Proliferation assays
    • Cytotoxicity assays
    • Immune cell migration
    • Apoptosis Assays
    • Monocyte/Macrophage/Dendritic cell differentiation/polarization assay
    • Endothelial assays (e.g. activation, angiogenesis)
    • Cytokine/Chemokine/Growth factor detection assays (ELISA & Multiplex assays)
    • Quantitative real time RT-PCR (mRNA; miRNA)
    • Nanostring assays (human Myeloid Panel, human miRNA Panel)
    • Immune histology
    • Raster electron microscopy (REM)
    • Humanized mouse models
  • Research projects

    Friede Springer Herzstiftung (2015- 2018), DFG Project 657/12-1 (2015-2019), EU Projekt PACE (2016-2020), Einstein Center Regenerative Medicine (ECRT) (2017-2019)

  • Collaborations

    Prof. Hans-Dieter Volk (Charité Berlin, Institute of Medical Immunol. & BCRT)Prof. Carmen Scheibenbogen (Charité Berlin, Institute of Medical Immunol.)
    Prof. Wolfram Döhner (Charité Berlin, BCRT)
    Prof. Britt Wildemann (Experimental Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Jena)
    Prof. Katja Schenke-Layland (NMI, University Tübingen)
    Prof. Ulrich Stock (Brompton Hospital, London, UK)
    Prof. Dirk Strunk (Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität Salzburg, A)
    PD Katharina Schallmoser (University Salzburg, A)
    Prof. Michael Sittinger, Dr. Marion Haag (Charité Berlin, BCRT)
    PD Dr. Sophie van Linthout/Dr. Kathleen Pappritz (Charité Berlin, BCRT)
    Prof. Carsten Tschöpe (Charité Berlin, BCRT)
    Dr. Franka Klatte-Schulz (Charité Berlin, Julius-Wolff-Institut)
    Dr. Oliver Klein (Charité Berlin, BCRT)
    Dr. Timo Nazari-Shafti (Charité Berlin, DHZB & BCRT)
    Dr. Andreas Kurtz (Charité Berlin, BCRT)
    Dr. Sven Geissler (Charité Berlin, Julius-Wolff-Institut & BCRT)
    Dr. Manfred Gossen (HZG, Teltow)