The Team in Marburg

My curiosity about life science research made me complete my bachelor's and master's degrees in biotechnology in India. Knowing that immunology holds great promise for several aggressive diseases like cancer, I wanted to pursue my research in this field. I previously worked in cancer biology, focusing on the action of bioactive compounds and epigenetics. I was highly interested in the research group of Dr. Johannes Mayer, focused on dendritic cells, and am now a doctoral candidate in the DC biology lab.

In my project I aim to identify the molecular mechanisms of dendritic cell suppression leading to T-cell dysfunctionality in human ovarian and murine pancreatic cancer models. I will also analyse the tumor microenvirnoment to understand how this DC supression or unresponsiveness is mediated.

After my Abitur, I worked as a volunteer in a hospital for one year. Here I came into close contact with patients for the first time and was able to get to know people affected by different kinds of cancer. During my studies of Medicine at the University of Marburg, I therefore took an advanced course on oncology and am very happy to write my medical doctoral thesis on the interactions between tumors, their environment and dendritic cells and be part of the DC Biology Lab.

I will investigate if dendritic cells are negatively affected by interactions within the tumor microenvironment of ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Especially focusing on soluble mediators that might inhibit the ability of Dendritic cells to prime effective anti-tumor immunity temporarily or permanently. Interactions with additional cell types, such as stromal cells or myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC), that enhance this effect will also be studied.