Kobold Lab
Immunopharmacology - AG Kobold
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Prof. Dr. med. Sebastian Kobold
Director
Lindwurmstraße 2a089/4400-5 7325 089/4400-5 7330
80337 Münchencijgcblgutoüjüämvimsfulh;vfiuyziuD/DmiCVResearch Topics
1. CAR T-cell therapy against solid tumors and leukemias
2. Enabling add-on-strategies for cellular therapies in solid tumors
3. Antibody therapies against several cancer entities
4. Influence of the cytokine Interleukin-22 on promoting tumor growth and metastases
Grants and Networks
Erkrankungsspezifische Modifikation von CAR T-Zellen mit Chemokinrezeptoren.
Funder: DFG
T-RAFICTracking and controlling therapeutic immune cells in cancer
Funder: Horizon Europe MSCA
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Welcome to the homepage of the Kobold lab “immunopharmacology“!
The goal of our group is to contribute to preclinical development and advancement of novel drugs and immunotherapies against human’s biggest foe: cancer.
Research topics and goals
Within this raising field of immuno-oncology, we mainly focus on engineering of genetically modified T cells, with not only the famous Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cells, but also own proprietary platforms, in several solid tumor type and leukemias. Within this field, we further develop approaches to enhance T cell´s full potential to approach and kill tumor cells via tumor infiltration and trafficking, T cell activation despite antigen escape and inhibition of local immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment (TME) in vitro and in vivo. [Publications: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
In addition, we also examine how bi- and polyspecific antibodies may bring T cells in the proximity of tumor cells both for enhanced killing in vitro and survival in vivo [Publication: 8]. As the majority of these novel and uncharted approaches to attack solid tumors and leukemias are not approved the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA), our mission is clear: To Make That Happen.
Our group also investigates the interactions of tumor cells and the immune system within the tumor microenvironment (TME), especially at the level of cytokines secreted by tumor and immune cells. For example, we were able to identify the cytokine Interleukin-22 as a unique protein, as it is secreted by immune cells within the TME, but acts on its native Interleukin-22 receptor on tumor cells to promote cancer progression in several cancer models. In our work, we examine its detailed interaction partners and implications for immune cell exhaustion in vitro and in vivo [Publications: 9, 10].
As very little is known about its pro-tumoral and pro-metastastic characteristic,our mission is clear: To Shed Light On The Mechanisms Behind.
Challenges for CAR T-cell therapy in solid tumors
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Principal InvestigatorProf. Dr. med. Sebastian KoboldInstitut für Klinische PharmakologieTel: +49 89 4400 57300 (-57325)cijgcblgnu oüjüämvim-ful#;vfiuyziusmiProject Management
Simone Gautier, M.A., M.E.U.SProject Management089 4400-57320clvüuisxgfblipvimsfulY+vfiuyziu-m;i
Dr. rer. nat. Kerstin AlthausProject Manager IOLINoipcblu-gäbzgfcvim fuWl#vfiuyziuemi
Dr. rer. nat. Rosa Elena Andrade AguirreProject Manager BAYCELLatorp:üc,gsgumpgmivimasfulGvfiuyziusmiTechnical Assistants - Labor
Susanne WenkCTAcfcguui éiuovWim ful_vfiuyziu-mi
Disha ShahTA (since 2025)mlczgtczg;zvi,m/faulGvfiuyziu mi
Weronika SzulejkoTA (since 2025)éipüulogtcJßfäSikoüvimeaful_avfiuyziu mi
Sayantan Nandi, Ph. D.Research Assistent (since 2022)cgјgubgueugumlavimeful_vfiuyziu-miPost-Docs
Dr. rer. nat. Daria BriukhovetskaPost-Doc (since 2018)mgplg jplfozüqibcogvim ful+vfiuyziu-mi
Dr. med. Adrian GottschlichPost-Doc (since 2019)gmplgu xübbcyzäSlyzvim fnul_vfSiuyziusmi
Dr. med. Sophia Stock, MHBAPost-Doc (since 2021)cüözlgscbüyovim/ful_vfiuyziu-mi
Dr. rer. nat. Donjete SimnicaPost-Doc, funded by Walter-Benjamin Fellowships, active since 2022müukibi clvu:lyg,vimeful_vfiuyziJuS-mi
Dr. med. Ngoc-Thien-Thu NguyenPost-Doc. IOLINbzf-uxfјiuYvimtfulGvfiuyziu-mJiJanina Dörr, Ph. D.Post-Doc. BZKF Young Scientist Fellowkgulug müippvimsful_vfiuyziu-mi
Arman ÖnerPost-Docgpvgu/üiuipvimsful_vf,iSuyziu mi
Dr. phil. Marcel TrefnyPost-Doc. Marie Curie Fellowshipvgpyiä bpdiwYu;dјvimeful+vfiuyziuemi
Stefanos MichaelidesPost-Doc. IOLIN (since 2025)cbiwguüc vly;zgiälmicnviYmsful_vfiuyziu mi
Dr. med. Tengis TschaidsePost-Doc. IOLIN (since 2025)biuxlc bcyzglmcivimJeful_dvfiuyziud mi
Dr. Bernhard Ransmayr
Natasha Samson, Ph. D.Post-Doc. Marie Curie Fellowshipugb;gczgecgvcüuviam fulhvfDiuayziusmi
Emanuele Carlini, M. Sc.Doctoral Researcher (PhD track), T-OP - (seit 2021)ivgufiäi/y:gpälulvSidm fulGvfiuyziusnmiDoctoral Researchers
David Andreu Sanz, M. Sc.Doctoral researcher (PhD track), T-OP - (seit 2021)mgqlm gumpifvimsfulGvfiuyziuemi
Mara HenrichDoctoral Researcher. LETSimmun CRC TRR 338. (PhD track) (since 2023)vgpgsziuplWyzYviJm-fSulrvfiuyziusmi
Philipp Jie MüllerDoctoral researcher (MD track). Deutsche Krebshilfe - (seit 2021)özsvfiääipvimnefnulGvfiuyzi:u-mi
Vivien MenkhoffDoctoral Researcher (MD track, FöFoLe) (since 2023)qlqliusviuozüwwvimtfu,l+;vfiuyziutmi
Emre ErdoganDoctoral researcher (PhD track, BAYCELLator - Bayerische Transformations und Forschungsstiftung) (since 2023)idsipmüxguvimeful+,vfiuyziu/mi
Rasmus MüllerDoctoral researcher (MD track) (since 2023)p:gcvfceSvfiääipvimtful_vfiuyWziu/mi
Charlotte CarcopinoDoctoral researcher (PhD track, BAYCELLator, Bayerische Transformations und Forschungsstiftung) (since 2023)yzgpäübbi-ygpyüöluüvim fulGvfiuyziu-mi
Jakob HarwoodDoctoral researcher (PhD track) (since 2024)kgoüjszgpéüümvimefuJl+vfiuyzi;uemi
Thomas JanertDoctoral researcher. FöFoLe (MD track) (since 2024)bSzüdvgc-kguipbvim-ful_vfiuyziutmi
Seoyoung JangDoctoral researcher. MD track - Deutschlandstipendium (since 2024)ciüјüfux kguxvimsful_vfiuyziu-mi
Kathrin GabrielDoctoral researcher (PhD track) Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft (since 2024)ogbzplu xgjpliäY:vim fuYl_vfiuyziu mi
Wendy den HartogDoctoral researcher (PhD track) (since 2024)éiumјemSiuDvimeful_vfiuyziu-mi
Anna BöhmDoctoral researcher (MD track) (since 2024)guugejüizvvim/f,Yul_vfiuyziuDsmi
Lilli BallheimerDoctoral researcher (MD track) (since 2025)äläälJ jgäädzilvi,pvSim ful_vfiuyziuemi
Jana EngesserDoctoral researcher (MD track) FöFoLe (since 2025)kgug iuxiccipviYamtful_vfiuyziueDmi
Mara Rachel ManieriDoctoral researcher (MD track) FöFoLe (since 2025)vgpg vg;un;liplviDmefulhvfiuyziu-mi
Philipp Daniel PenoviciDoctoral researcher (MD track) FöFoLe (since 2025)özlälöö-öiuüqlylvim ful_vfiuyziusmi
Simon DelahaisDoctoral researcher (PhD track. Stipendium: Bayerische Transformations und Forschungsstiftung) (since 2025)clvüu-miägzglcvim funl#vfiuyz;iu-mi
Naima GierlichsDoctoral researcher (MD track) Deutsche Krebshilfe (since 2025)ugWlvg-xYlipälyzcvim;eful_vfWiuyziu mi
Philipp SchnellDoctoral researcher (MD track, since 2025)özlälöö cyzuJiääWvim-fu:lhvfi,uyziusmi
Leïla Munaretto, M.Sc.Doctoral researcher (PhD track, Marie Skłodowska-Curie program T-RAFIC ) (since 2025)DäilägsvfugpiJbbüJvim-ful+vfiuyaziusmi
Iona Elisabeth KlepserDoctoral Researcher (MD track) funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hämatologie und Medizinische Onkologie (DGHO), active since 2025.lüugsoäaiöcipygvöfceävfem;i
Martina de VizioDoctoral researcher (PhD track, Marie Skłodowska-Curie program T-RAFIC ) (since 2025)vgpblYug-mivim Jfulhvfiuyziu-mi -
Top Publications (Updated December 2025)
Doctoral students as co-authors are underlined (starting in 1998)
Gottschlich A, Grünmeier R, Hoffmann GV, Nandi S, Kavaka V, Müller PJ, Jobst J, Oner A, Kaiser R, Gärtig J, Piseddu I, Frenz-Wiessner S, Fairley SD, Schulz H, Igl V, Janert TA, Di Fina L, Mulkers M, Thomas M, Briukhovetska D, Simnica D, Carlini E, Tsiverioti CA, Trefny MP, Lorenzini T, Märkl F, Mesquita P, Brabenec R, Strzalkowski T, Stock S, Michaelides S, Hellmuth J, Thelen M, Reinke S, Klapper W, Gelebart PF, Nicolai L, Marr C, Beltrán E, Megens RTA, Klein C, Baran-Marszak F, Rosenwald A, von Bergwelt-Baildon M, Bröckelmann PJ, Endres S, Kobold S. Dissection of single-cell landscapes for the development of chimeric antigen receptor T cells in Hodgkin lymphoma. Blood. 2025 Apr 3;145(14):1536-1552. doi: 10.1182/blood.2023022197. JIF20. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006497124114607
Lacher SB, Dörr J, de Almeida GP, Hönninger J, Bayerl F, Hirschberger A, Pedde AM, Meiser P, Ramsauer L, Rudolph TJ, Spranger N, Morotti M, Grimm AJ, Jarosch S, Oner A, Gregor L, Lesch S, Michaelides S, Fertig L, Briukhovetska D, Majed L, Stock S, Busch DH, Buchholz VR, Knolle PA, Zehn D, Dangaj Laniti D, Kobold S*, Böttcher JP*. PGE2 limits effector expansion of tumour-infiltrating stem-like CD8+ T cells. Nature, 2024; May;629(8011):417-425. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07254-x. * share senior authorship. JIF 64.8. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07254-x
Märkl F, Schultheiß C, Ali M, Chen SS, Zintchenko M, Egli L, Mietz J, Chijioke O, Paschold L, Spajic S, Holtermann A, Dörr J, Stock S, Zingg A, Läubli H, Piseddu I, Anz D, Minden MD, Zhang T, Nerreter T, Hudecek M, Minguet S, Chiorazzi N, Kobold S*, Binder M*. Mutation-specific CAR T cells as precision therapy for IGLV3-21R110 expressing high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Nature Communications, 2024; Feb 2;15(1):993. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-45378-w. * share senior authorship. JIF 17. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-45378-w
Wagenbauer KF, Pham N, Gottschlich A, Kick B, Kozina V, Frank C, Trninic D, Stömmer P, Grünmeier R, Carlini E, Tsiverioti CA, Kobold S*, Funke JJ*, Dietz H*. Programmable multispecific DNA-origami-based T-cell engagers. Nat Nanotechnology, 2023; Nov;18(11):1319-1326. doi: 10.1038/s41565-023-01471-7. * share senior authorship. JIF40. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-023-01471-7
- Gottschlich A, Thomas M, Grünmeier R, Lesch S, Rohrbacher L, Igl V, Briukhovetska D, Benmebarek MR, Vick B, Dede S, Müller K, Xu T, Dhoqina D, Märkl F, Robinson S, Sendelhofert A, Schulz H, Umut Ö, Kavaka V, Tsiverioti Ch, Carlini E, Nandi S, Strzalkowski T, Lorenzini T, Stock S, Müller P, Dörr J, Seifert M, Cadilha B, Brabenec R, Röder N, Rataj F, Nüesch M, Modemann F, Wellbrock J, Fiedler W, Kellner Ch, Beltrán E, Herold T, Paquet D, Jeremias I, von Baumgarten L, Endres S, Subklewe M, Marr C, Kobold S. (2023). Single-cell transcriptomic atlas-guided development of CAR-T cells for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. Nature Biotechnology, 41 (11), 1618-1632. doi:10.1038/s41587-023-01684-0. JIF2022=68,2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36914885/
- Briukhovetska, D., Suarez-Gosalvez, J., Voigt, C., Markota, A., Giannou, A. D., Schubel, M., Jobst, J., Zhang, T., Dorr, J., Markl, F., Majed, L., Muller, P. J., May, P., Gottschlich, A., Tokarew, N., Lucke, J., Oner, A., Schwerdtfeger, M., Andreu-Sanz, D., Grunmeier, R., Seifert, M., Michaelides, S., Hristov, M., Konig, L. M., Cadilha, B. L., Mikhaylov, O., Anders, H. J., Rothenfusser, S., Flavell, R. A., Cerezo-Wallis, D., Tejedo, C., Soengas, M. S., Bald, T., Huber, S., Endres, S., & Kobold, S. (2023). T cell-derived interleukin-22 drives the expression of CD155 by cancer cells to suppress NK cell function and promote metastasis. Immunity, 56(1), 143-161 e111. doi:10.1016/j.immuni.2022.12.010. JIF2021=43,4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36630913/
- Briukhovetska, D., Dorr, J., Endres, S., Libby, P., Dinarello, C. A., & Kobold, S. (2021). Interleukins in cancer: from biology to therapy. Nature Reviews Cancer, 21(8), 481-499. doi:10.1038/s41568-021-00363-z. JIF2021=69,8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34083781/
- Lesch S, Blumenberg V, Stoiber S, Gottschlich A, Ogonek J, Cadilha B, Dantes Z, Rataj F, Dorman K, Lutz J, Karches C, Heise C, Kurzay M, Larimer B, Grassmann S, Rapp M, Nottebrock A, Kruger S, Tokarew N, Metzger P, Hoerth Ch, Benmebarek MR, Dhoqina D, Gruenmeier R, Seifert M, Oener A, Umut Ö, . . . Rothenfusser S, Duewell P, Koenig L, Schnurr M, Subklewe M, Liss A, Halama N, Reichert M, Mempel T, Endres S, Kobold S. (2021). T cells armed with C-X-C chemokine receptor type 6 enhance adoptive cell therapy for pancreatic tumours. Nature Biomedical Engineering, 5 (11), 1246-1260. doi:10.1038/s41551-021-00737-6. JIF2021=29,23. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41551-021-00737-6
- Cadilha B, Benmebarek MR, Dorman K, Oener A, Lorenzini T, Obeck H, Väntinnen M, Di Pilato M, Pruessmann JN, Stoiber S, Huynh D, Maerkl F, Seifert M, Manske K, Suarez-Gosalvez J, Zeng Y, Lesch S, Karches CH, Heise C, Gottschlich A, Thomas M, Marr C, Zhang J, Pandey D, Feuchtinger T, Subklewe M, Mempel TR, Endres S, Kobold S. (2021). Combined tumor-directed recruitment and protection from immune suppression enable CAR T cell efficacy in solid tumor. Science Advances, 7 (24). doi:10.1126/sciadv.abi5781. JIF2022=13,6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34108220/
- Benmebarek MR, Cadilha B, Hermman M, Lesch S, Schmitt S, Stoiber S, Darwich A, Augsberger Ch, Brauchle B, Rohrbacher L, Oener A, Seifert M, Schwerdtfeger M, Gottschlich A, Rataj F, Fenn NC, Klein Ch, Subklewe M, Endres S, Hopfner KP, Kobold S. (2021). A modular and controllable T cell therapy platform for acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia, 35, 2243-2257. JIF2021=12,88. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33414484/
- Di Pilato M*, Kfuri-Rubens R*, Pruessmann J*, Ozga AJ*, Messemaker, M, Cadilha B, Sivakumar R, Cianciaruso Ch, Warner RD, Marangoni F, Carrizosa E, Lesch S, Billingsley J, Perez-Ramos D, Zavala F, Rheinbay E, Luster AD, Gerner MY, Kobold S, Pittet MJ, Mempel TR. (2021). CXCR6 positions cytotoxic T cells to receive critical survival signals in the tumor microenvironment. Cell, 184 (17), 4512-4530. *contributed equally. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2021.07.015. JIF2022=66,85. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092867421008564?dgcid=co author
Liu X, Li J, Cadilha B, Markota A, Voigt C, Huang Z, Lin P, Wang D, Juncheng D, Kranz G, Krandick A, Libl D, Zitzelsberger H, Zagorski I, Braselmann H, Pan M, Zhu S, Huang Y, Niedermeyer S, Reichel Ch, Uhl B, Briukhovetska D, Suarez Gosalvez J, Kobold S, Gires O, Wang H. (2019). Epithelial-type systemic breast carcinoma cells with a restricted mesenchymal transition are a major source of metastasis. Science Advances, 5 (6), eaav4275.doi:10.1126/sciadv.aav4275. JIF2022=13,6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31223646/
Ferrari de Andrade, L., Tay, R. E., Pan, D., Luoma, A. M., Ito, Y., Badrinath, S., Tsoucas, D., Franz, B., May, K. F., Jr., Harvey, C. J., Kobold, S., Pyrdol, J. W., Yoon, C., Yuan, G. C., Hodi, F. S., Dranoff, G., & Wucherpfennig, K. W. (2018). Antibody-mediated inhibition of MICA and MICB shedding promotes NK cell-driven tumor immunity. Science, 359(6383), 1537-1542. doi:10.1126/science.aao0505. JIF2021=47,73. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29599246/
Voigt C*, May P*, Gottschlich A*, Markota A, Wenk D, Gerlach I, Voigt S, Stathopoulos GT, Arendt K, Heise C, Rataj F, Janssen KP, Königshoff M, Winter H, Himsl I, Thasler W, Schnurr M, Rothenfußer S, Endres S, Kobold S. (2017). Cancer cells induce interleukin-22 production from memory CD4+ T cells via interleukin-1 to promote tumor growth. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 114 (49), 12994-12999. *contributed equally. doi:10.1073/pnas.1705165114. JIF2021=12,77. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29150554/
Kobold* S, Grassmann* S, Chaloupka M, Lampert C, Wenk S, Kraus F, Rapp M, Duewell P, Zeng Y, Schmollinger J, Schnurr M, Endres S#, Rothenfußer S#. (2015). Impact of a new fusion receptor on PD-1-mediated immunosuppression in adoptive T cell therapy. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 107. *contributed equally to this study, # share senior authorship. JIF2021=11,81. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26105028
Kobold S, Steffen J, Chaloupka M, Grassmann S, Henkel J, Castoldi R, Zeng Y, Chmielewski M, Schmollinger J, Schnurr M, Rothenfußer S, Schendel DJ, Abken H, Sustmann C, Niederfellner CG, Klein C, Bourquin C, Endres S. (2014). Selective bispecific T cell recruiting antibody enhances anti-tumor activity of adoptive T cell transfer. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 107:364. JIF2021=11,81. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25424197/
Kobold S, Völk S, Clauditz T, Küpper NJ, Minner S, Tufmann A, Düwell P, Lindner M, Koch I, Heidegger S, Merk M, Rothenfußer S, Schnurr M, Huber RM, Sauter G, Wilczak W, Endres S. (2013). Interleukin-22 is frequently expressed in small-and large- cell lung cancer and promotes growth in chemotherapy-resistant cancer cells. Journal of Thoracic Oncology, 8:1032-1042. JIF2021=20,12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23774470/
All Publications
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Application
We welcome unsolicited applications at all levels: for doctoral students of medicine and natural sciences, research assistant, technician and post-doctoral researcher. Please send your motivation letter, along with your CV and the contact of two references to:
cijgcblgnu oüjünämvim ful_vfaiuyziu miPromotionssprechstunde
Die Promotionssprechstunde findet jede Woche Montags zwischen 10 und 11 Uhr statt. Wir bitten um vorheriger Anmeldung unter:
cijgcblgueoüjüämvim-fulW#vfiuynziu miUniv.-Prof. Dr. med. Sebastian Kobold bietet Studierenden der Medizin und Naturwissenschaftlicher Fächer eine persönliche Beratung rund um Fragen der Promotion zum Dr. med., Dr. hum. biol, Dr. rer. nat. oder PhD, insbesondere an der medizinischen Fakultät der LMU an. Ziel ist es über Chancen und Hürden der Promotion im Bezug auf die persönliche Situation zu informieren und zur Orientierung zu verhelfen.