IMMediate Group Berlin
What we do
The focus of our group is the understanding of the immunological underpinnings in metastasized stage 4 colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant health concern globally, ranking as the second most common cancer in women and the third most common in men. While localized CRC can often be effectively treated, metastatic CRC, particularly with peritoneal involvement, remains a major cause of mortality. Understanding the complex process of metastasis, including the distinct tumor microenvironments in different metastatic sites, is crucial for developing effective treatments. Advanced peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC), characterized by limited treatment options and poor survival rates, is often associated with a mesenchymal subtype driven by cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Our research focuses on unraveling the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying CRC metastasis to develop novel therapeutic strategies.
Methods
State-of-the-Art mouse models, organoid systems (human and murine), co-culture systems, scTranscriptomics, spatialTranscriptomics, Metagenomics, Metabolomics, Biobanking, Clinical data analysis.
Collaborations
- F. Greten / Frankfurt
- P. Briquez und R. Reuten / Freiburg
- A. Weigert / Frankfurt
- R. Kesselring / Freiburg
- R. Sankowski und M. Prinz / Freiburg
- K.H. Plate / Frankfurt
- B. Bengsch / Freiburg
- A. Tasdogan / Essen
- O. Groß / Freiburg
- M. Neurath und E. Naschberger / Erlangen
- M. Börries / Freiburg
Lab Members
- Christopher Berlin, MD, PhD (PI)
- Lisa Marx (Postdoc)
- Celine Enderle (technical assistant)
- Lina Urban (PhD student)
- Janina König (Master student)
- Luisa Schäfer, MD (clinician scientist)
- Christian Hillebrecht, MD (clinician scientist)
- Francesca Reimer, MD (clinician scientist)
- Luis Klimpe (cand. Dr. med.) MOTI-VATE, Alumnus
- Naomi Rühl (cand. Dr. med.), Alumnus
- Zacharias Zander (cand. Dr. med.), Alumnus
- Melissa Benz (cand. Dr. med. dent.)
- Wencke Grütter (cand. Dr. med. dent.)
We are located at ZTZ Freiburg, 2nd floor.
IMMediate Group Berlin - 2024
Recent Publications
1. Laessle C, Mauerer B, Marx L, Feuerstein R, Braumueller H, Broghammer V, Schaefer L, Enderle C, Luenstedt J, Seifert G, Marjanovic G, Zheng Z, Holzner P, Fichtner-Feigl S, Berlin C* and Kesselring R*. Metabolic surgery reduces CRC disease progression mediated by circulating bile acid diversion. Sci. Transl. Med. 2025 Jun 25;17(804):eads9705. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.ads9705. Epub 2025 Jun 25. PMID: 40561000. *contributed equally.
2. Rühle A*, Krausz M*, Monroy Ordonez EB, Heyer J, Thomsen AR, Schäfer H, Kafkaletos A, Bronsert P, Kesselring R, Al-Ahmad A, Schlueter N, Wüster J, Knopf A, Grosu AL, Proietti M, Henke M, Berlin C*, Nicolay NH*. Oral Lachnoanaerobaculum Levels and Survival in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2025 Sep 11:e252816. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2025.2816. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40932704; PMCID: PMC12426861. *contributed equally.
3. Schäfer L, Holzner PA, Menzel M, Stöger GJ, Gengenbach A, Hillebrecht HC, Reimer F, Kesselring R, Le UT, Fichtner-Feigl S, Berlin C. Iterative Hepatic and Pulmonary Metastasectomy in Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Impact on Survival and Surgical Outcomes. Ann Surg Oncol. 2025 Sep 30. doi: 10.1245/s10434-025-18407-1
4. Berlin C, Mauerer B, Cauchy P, Luenstedt J, Sankowski R, Marx L, Feuerstein R, Schaefer L, Greten FR, Pesic M, Groß O, Prinz M, Ruehl N, Miketiuk L, Jauch D, Laessle C, Jud A, Biesel EA, Neeff H, Fichtner-Feigl S, Holzner PA, Kesselring R. Single-cell deconvolution reveals high lineage- and location-dependent heterogeneity in mesenchymal multivisceral stage 4 colorectal cancer. J Clin Invest. 2023 Dec 28;134(5):e169576. doi: 10.1172/JCI169576. PMID: 38153787; PMCID: PMC10904044.
5. Berlin C, Cottard F, Willmann D, Urban S, Tirier SM, Marx L, Rippe K, Schmitt M, Petrocelli V, Greten FR, Fichtner-Feigl S, Kesselring R, Metzger E, Schüle R. KMT9 Controls Stemness and Growth of Colorectal Cancer. Cancer Res. 2022 Jan 15;82(2):210-220. doi: 10.1158/0008- 5472.CAN-21-1261. Epub 2021 Nov 4. PMID: 34737213.
6. Berlin C, Andrieux G, Menzel M, Stöger GJ, Gengenbach A, Schäfer L, Hillebrecht HC, Kesselring R, Le U-T, Fichtner-Feigl S, et al. Long-Term Outcome After Resection of Hepatic and Pulmonary Metastases in Multivisceral Colorectal Cancer. Cancers. 2024; 16(22):3741. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16223741
7. Jia Y, Wang S, Urban S, Müller JM, Sum M, Wang Q, Bauer H, Schulte U, Rampelt H, Pfanner N, Schüle KM, Imhof A, Forné I, Berlin C, Sigle A, Gratzke C, Greschik H, Metzger E, Schüle R. Mitochondrial KMT9 methylates DLAT to control pyruvate dehydrogenase activity and prostate cancer growth. Nat Commun. 2025 Jan 30;16(1):1191. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-56492-8. PMID: 39885202; PMCID: PMC11782658.
8. Stockinger E, Luxenburger H, Bettinger D, Berlin C, Obwegs D, Sagar, Sturm L, Gromak M, Gairing SJ, Foerster F, Labenz C, MacNelly S, Boettler T, Holzner P, Bronsert P, Bengsch B, Thimme R, Hofmann M, Roehlen N. MCAM is a prognostic biomarker in patients with liver cirrhosis and HCC. Hepatol Commun. 2024 Oct 3;8(10):e0532. doi: 10.1097/HC9.0000000000000532.
9. Neuwirt E, Magnani G, Ćiković T, Wöhrle S, Fischer L, Kostina A, Flemming S, Fischenich NJ, Saller BS, Gorka O, Renner S, Agarinis C, Parker CN, Boettcher A, Farady CJ, Kesselring R, Berlin C, Backofen R, Rodriguez-Franco M, Kreutz C, Prinz M, Tholen M, Reinheckel T, Ott T, Groß CJ, Jost PJ, Groß O. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors can activate the NLRP3 inflammasome in myeloid cells through lysosomal damage and cell lysis. Sci Signal. 2023 Jan 17;16(768):eabh1083. doi: 10.1126/scisignal.abh1083. Epub 2023 Jan 17. PMID: 36649377.
ORCID Link: 0000-0001-9727-1533
Funding
Are you interested?
Feel free to reach out if you're interested in pursuing a MD or PhD and exploring research opportunities in our field!
Dr. med. Dr. rer. nat. Christopher Berlin
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