MAAS-BAUER LABORATORY
Scientific focus
The research of our group is focused on invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells and their role within the immune system. We aim to better understand iNKT cell subtypes and functions in humans, especially in the field of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT). Moreover, we are investigating ways to make iNKT cells suitable for cell therapy in the context of alloHCT to prevent acute graft-versus-host-disease without dampening graft-versus-tumor-effects. Furthermore, we are exploring iNKT cells as cell therapy for solid cancers.
TEAM
Head of Maas-Bauer Laboratory
Principal Investigator
Dr. Kristina Maas-Bauer
Zentrum Translationale Zellforschung (ZTZ)
Breisacher Str. 115
D- 79106 Freiburg
Stefanie Koßmann
Anna Stell
COOPERATIONS
Internal Cooperations
Robert Zeiser (Klinik für Innere Medizin I)
Natalie Köhler (Klinik für Innere Medizin I)
Michael Quante (Klinik für Innere Medizin II)
Anne Rensing-Ehl (Institut für Transfusionsmedizin und Gentherapie)
Alexandra Nieters (Zentrum für Biobanking)
Dietrich Ruess (Klinik für Allgemein- und Viszeralchirurgie)
Melanie Börries (Institut für Bioinformatik und System-Medizin)
External Cooperations
Federico Simonetta (University of Geneva, Switzerland)
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2023
Single-cell Transcriptomics Reveal Different Maturation Stages and Sublineages Commitment of Human Thymic Invariant Natural Killer T cells.
Maas-Bauer K, Köhler N, Stell AV, Zwick M, Acharya S, Rensing-Ehl A, König C, Kroll J, Baker J, Koßmann S, Pradier A, Wang S, Docquier M, Lewis DB, Negrin RS, Simonetta F.
J Leukoc Biol. 2023 Sep 23:qiad113.
doi: 10.1093/jleuko/qiad113.
Online ahead of print. PMID: 37742056
Invariant Natural Killer T Cell Subsets Have Diverse Graft-Versus-Host-Disease-Preventing and Anti-Tumor Effects.
Kristina Maas-Bauer*, Juliane K. Lohmeyer*, Toshihito Hirai, Teresa Lopes Ramos, Furqan M. Fazal, Ulrike M. Litzenburger, Karthryn E. Yost, Jessoca V. Ribado, Neeraja Kambham, Arielle S. Wenokur, Po-Yu Lin, Maite Alvarez, Melissa Mavers, Jeanette Baker, Ami S. Bhatt, Howard Y. Chang, Federico Simonetta and Robert S. Negrin.
Blood. 2021 Sep 9;138(10):858-870.
doi: 10.1182/blood.2021010887. PMID: 34036317
Allogeneic CAR-invariant Natural Killer T Cells Exert Potent Antitumor Effects Through Host CD8 T Cell Cross-Priming.
Federico Simonetta, Juliane Lohmeyer, Toshihito Hirai, Kristina Maas-Bauer, Maite Alvarez, Arielle Wenokur, Jeanette Baker, Amin Aalipour, Xuhuai Ji, Samuel Haile, Crystal Mackall, and Robert Negrin.
Clin Cancer Res 2021 Aug 10.
Doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-21-1329.
Online ahead of print.
Activation of natural killer T cells enhances the function of regulatory T cell therapy in suppressing murine GvHD.
Toshihito Hirai, Federico Simonetta, Kristina Maas-Bauer, Mustafa Turkoz, Melissa Mavers, Jeanette Baker and Robert S Negrin.
Blood Adv. 2021 Jun 8;5(11):2528-2538.
doi:10.1182/bloodadvances.2020003272. PMID: 34100904
Ruxolitinib-ECP combination treatment for refractory severe chronic graft-versus-host disease.
Kristina Maas-Bauer*, Chrissoula Kiote-Schmidt*, Hartmut Bertz, Petya Apostolova, Ralph Wäsch, Gabriele Ihorst, Jürgen Finke, Robert Zeiser.
Bone Marrow Transplant. 2021 Apr;56(4):909-916.
doi: 10.1038/s41409-020-01122-8. Epub 2020 Nov 17
Ruxolitinib in corticosteroid-refractory graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: a multicenter survey.
Zeiser R, Burchert A, Lengerke C, Verbeek M, Maas-Bauer K, Metzelder SK, Spoerl S, Ditschkowski M, Ecsedi M, Sockel K, Ayuk F, Ajib S, de Fontbrune FS, Na IK, Penter L, Holtick U, Wolf D, Schuler E, Meyer E, Apostolova P, Bertz H, Marks R, Lübbert M, Wäsch R, Scheid C, Stölzel F, Ordemann R, Bug G, Kobbe G, Negrin R, Brune M, Spyridonidis A, Schmitt-Gräff A, van der Velden W, Huls G, Mielke S, Grigoleit GU, Kuball J, Flynn R, Ihorst G, Du J, Blazar BR, Arnold R, Kröger N, Passweg J, Halter J, Socié G, Beelen D, Peschel C, Neubauer A, Finke J, Duyster J, von Bubnoff N.
Leukemia. 2015 Oct;29(10):2062-8.
Inhibition of protein geranylgeranylation and farnesylation protects against graft-versus-host disease via effects on CD4 effector cells.
Hechinger AK*, Maas K* (Maas-Bauer K), Dürr C, Leonhardt F, Prinz G, Marks R, Gerlach U, Hofmann M, Fisch P, Finke J, Pircher H, Zeiser R.
Haematologica. 2013 Jan; 98(1):31-40.
AWARDS
2022 Jon van Rood Award, EBMT Annual Meeting
2021 Berta-Ottenstein-Program for Clinician Scientists, University of Freiburg
2020 Fill in the Gap Stipend, University of Freiburg
2018 EIRA Mentoring Program for women in science, University of Freiburg
2018 Abstract Achievement Award, ASH Annual Meeting, USA
2015 Mildred-Scheel Postdoctoral Fellowship, Deutsche Krebshilfe
