Klinik für Innere Medizin IHämatologie, Onkologie und Stammzelltransplantation

Our laboratory is dedicated to investigating immune responses following allogeneic transplantation.

Our work focuses on dissecting immune escape mechanisms and enhancing anti-tumor immunity, while also investigating regulatory pathways that may help restrain graft-versus-host disease (GvHD).

We employ preclinical animal models and advanced imaging technologies to identify and develop innovative therapeutic strategies that improve patient outcomes.

Focus 1: Deciphering immune cell-tumor cell interactions and improving immunotherapies

We investigate how hematological malignancies evade immune surveillance, with particular emphasis on the contribution of oncogenic signaling in tumor immune escape. We also investigate the complex interactions between immune cells and tumor cells, aiming to identify mechanisms to enhance anti-tumor responses and improve immunotherapies. We use advanced in vivo imaging capabilities for monitoring tumor progression, treatment response, and immune dynamics in real time and in longitudinal studies.

Focus 2: T-Cell Regulatory Subsets for Cell Therapy in GvHD

We study T-cell regulatory subsets to develop cell-based therapies to prevent or treat graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). By characterizing their function and mechanisms of immune regulation, we aim to harness these cells to improve transplant outcomes while maintaining anti-tumor immunity.

Andrea Acerbis, visiting MD scientist, acerbis.andrea@hsr.it

Jule Ehmann, Master student (Biology M.Sc), jule_ehmann@icloud.com

• Karen O. Dixon (Basel, Switzerland)
• David Michonneau (Paris, France)
• Livius Penter (Berlin, Germany)
• Peter Van Galen (Boston, USA)
• Bruce Blazar (Minnesota, USA)
• Cathrin Wu (Boston, USA)
• Erica L. Pearce (Baltimore, USA)
• Gerard Socie (Paris, France)
• Sophie Caillat-Zucman (Paris, France)
• Robert Soiffer (Boston, USA)
• Luca Vago (Milano, Italy)
• Bukhard Becher (Zurich, Switzerland)
• Robert Zeiser (University Medical Center Freiburg)
• Kristina Maas-Bauer, University Medical Center Freiburg
• Natalie Köhler, University Medical Center Freiburg

Braun LM, Giesler S, Andrieux G, Riemer R, Talvard-Balland N, Duquesne S, Ruckert T, Unger S, Kreutmair S, Zwick M, Follo M, Hartmann A, Osswald N, Melchinger W, Chapman S, Hutchinson JA, Haferkamp S, Torster L, Kott J, Gebhardt C, Hellwig D, Karantzelis N, Wallrabenstein T, Lowinus T, Yucel M, Brehm N, Rawluk J, Pfeifer D, Bronsert P, Rogg M, Mattern S, Heikenwalder M, Fusco S, Malek NP, Singer S, Schmitt-Graeff A, Ceteci F, Greten FR, Blazar BR, Boerries M, Kohler N, Duyster J, Ihorst G, Lassmann S, Keye P, Minguet S, Schadendorf D, Ugurel S, Rafei-Shamsabadi D, Thimme R, Hasselblatt P, Bengsch B, Schell C, Pearce EL, Meiss F, Becher B, Funke-Lorenz C, Placke JM, Apostolova P*, Zeiser R*. (2025) Adiponectin reduces immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced inflammation without blocking anti-tumor immunity. Cancer Cell. 43: 269-291 e19. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2025.01.004

Chatterjee S, Ruckert T, Martin I, Michaeli E, Buescher J, Apostolova P, Erny D, Lalioti ME, Biavasco F, Hartmann A, Runge S, Braun LM, Talvard-Balland N, Adams RC, Schmitt-Graeff A, Cook J, Wenger V, Athanassopoulos D, Hasavci D, Vallejo-Janeta AP, Blank T, Schaible P, Vinnakota JM, Zahringer A, Ganal-Vonarburg SC, Melchinger W, Pfeifer D, Kohler N, Rosshart SP, Michonneau D, Socie G, Andrieux G, Cabezas-Wallscheid N, Boerries M, Prinz M, Zeiser R. (2025) Gut microbiota-derived TMAVA is a modulator of acute CNS-GVHD. J Exp Med. 222. doi: 10.1084/jem.20242180

Maas-Bauer K, Stell AV, Yan KL, de Vega E, Vinnakota JM, Unger S, Nunez N, Norona J, Talvard-Balland N, Kossmann S, Schwan C, Miething C, Martens US, Shoumariyeh K, Nestor RP, Duquesne S, Hanke K, Rackiewicz M, Hu Z, El Khawanky N, Taromi S, Andrlova H, Faraidun H, Walter S, Pfeifer D, Follo M, Waldschmidt J, Melchinger W, Rassner M, Wehr C, Schmitt-Graeff A, Halbach S, Liao J, Hacker G, Brummer T, Dengjel J, Andrieux G, Grosse R, Tugues S, Blazar BR, Becher B, Boerries M, Zeiser R. (2024) ROCK1/2 signaling contributes to corticosteroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease. Nat Commun. 15: 446. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-44703-7

Talvard-Balland N, Braun LM, Dixon KO, Zwick M, Engel H, Hartmann A, Duquesne S, Penter L, Andrieux G, Rindlisbacher L, Acerbis A, Ehmann J, Kollerer C, Ansuinelli M, Rettig A, Moschallski K, Apostolova P, Brummer T, Illert AL, Schramm MA, Cheng Y, Kottgen A, Duyster J, Menssen HD, Ritz J, Blazar BR, Boerries M, Schmitt-Graff A, Sariipek N, Van Galen P, Buescher JM, Cabezas-Wallscheid N, Pahl HL, Pearce EL, Soiffer RJ, Wu CJ, Vago L, Becher B, Kohler N, Wertheimer T, Kuchroo VK, Zeiser R. (2024) Oncogene-induced TIM-3 ligand expression dictates susceptibility to anti-TIM-3 therapy in mice. J Clin Invest. 134. doi: 10.1172/JCI177460

Talvard-Balland N, Lambert M, Chevalier MF, Minet N, Salou M, Tourret M, Bohineust A, Milo I, Parietti V, Yvorra T, Socie G, Lantz O, Caillat-Zucman S. (2024) Human MAIT cells inhibit alloreactive T cell responses and protect against acute graft-versus-host disease. JCI Insight. 9. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.166310

Talvard-Balland N, Sutra Del Galy A, Michonneau D, Le Buanec H, Chasset F, Robin M, Peffault de Latour R, Xhaard A, Sicre de Fontbrune F, Parquet N, Duchez S, Schiavon V, Rybojad M, Bergeron-Lafaurie A, Bagot M, Bensussan A, Caillat-Zucman S, Socie G, Bouaziz JD, de Masson A. (2021) Expansion of Circulating CD49b(+)LAG3(+) Type 1 Regulatory T Cells in Human Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease. J Invest Dermatol. 141: 193-197 e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2020.04.018

Tourret M*, Talvard-Balland N*, Lambert M, Ben Youssef G, Chevalier MF, Bohineust A, Yvorra T, Morin F, Azarnoush S, Lantz O, Dalle JH, Caillat-Zucman S. (2021) Human MAIT cells are devoid of alloreactive potential: prompting their use as universal cells for adoptive immune therapy. J Immunother Cancer. 9. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003123

Ho NHJG, Talvard-Balland N, Kohler N, Zeiser R. (2025) Immune Escape of Acute Myeloid Leukemia after Transplantation. Blood Cancer Discov. 6: 168-181. doi: 10.1158/2643-3230.BCD-24-0063

Category B

Patent  WO2022122961A1: Caillat-Zucman S. and Talvard-Balland N. (2021) Pending “Use of MAIT cells for controlling graft-versus-host disease”

2024                Best Poster Award at the CRC1479 Symposium - University Medical Centre Freiburg, Germany

2023                CIBSS Launchpad Grant (Cluster of Excellence CIBSS, DFG)

2021                Award for the Best Young Oral Presentation, Annual meeting of the French Society of Immunology (SFI) - Paris, France