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SEIFERT LAB - Tumor Immunology

                                                       

Lena and Adrian Seifert are principal investigators of the Seifert Laboratory in the Department of Surgery at the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden. The laboratory is studying immune regulators of pancreatic, gastric, hepatocellular and colorectal cancer and is using immunologic, genomic, molecular, and computational techniques to understand the fundamental immunologic and metabolic processes in these diseases. The goal is to deepen the understanding of T cell immunobiology and discover novel ways to modulate and treat gastrointestinal cancers.

Principal Investigators:

PhD Candidates:

  • Carolin Beer, M.Sc.
  • Tido Willms, M.Sc.
  • Sarah Cronjaeger, M.Sc.
  • NN

Research Fellows:

  • Dr. med. David Digomann
  • Dr. med. Loreen Natusch (ForwarDD Clinician Scientist)

Technical Staff:

  • Franziska Hoffmann, M.Sc.
  • Cosima Sagurna, M.Sc.

Medical Students:

  • Alina Solbrig (2025/26; MSZN MD Scholarship 2026)
  • Max Blaud (2025/26)
  • Philipp Lyons (2026/27)
  • Hannah von der Ecken (2026/27)
  • NN

Previous Lab Members:

  • Charlotte Reiche (Medical Student, 2016/17)
  • Stephanie Baier (Medical Student, 2016/17)
  • Silvio Reinhold (Medical Student, 2017)
  • Dr. med. Philipp Nitschke (Research Fellow, 2017/18)
  • Patrick Richter (Medical Student, 2017/18)
  • Julian List (Medical Student, 2017/18)
  • Johannes Strack (Medical Student, 2017/18)
  • Simone Nicolaus (Medical Student, 2017/18)
  • Miriam Mazouz (Medical Student, 2018)
  • Anna Tannert (Medical Student, 2018/19)
  • Jakob Langsdorf (Medical Student, 2018/19)
  • Ann-Christin Meinecke (Technical Staff, 2017-2019)
  • Elisabeth Kalb (Medical Student, 2020/21)
  • Noemi Balbi (Medical Student, 2020/21)
  • Jessica Glück (Technical Staff, 2020-2022)
  • Dr. med. Rahel Decker (Research Fellow, 2019-2022)
  • Dr. med. Charlotte Reiche (Research Fellow 2021-2023; currently Research Fellow in the Balachandran Lab/MSKCC, New York/USA)
  • Dr. med. Janusz von Renesse (Research Fellow 2019-2023; currently Research Fellow in the Ho Lab/Ludwig Cancer Research, Lausanne/Switzerland)
  • Carolin Melzig (Technical Staff, 2023)
  • Dr. rer. nat. Max Heiduk (PhD-Student & Postdoc 2018-2023)
  • Sophia Brüninghaus (Medical Student, 2024/25)
  • Jamie Kölbel (Medical Student, 2024/25)
  • Antonia König (Medical Student, 2024/25)
  • Paul Bergauer (Medical Student, 2024/25)
  • Theres Golle (Research Associate, 2024-2026)
  • Luisa Kranich (Technical Staff, 2024-2026)

Lab Photo 2025

Lab Photo 2024

Lab Poto 2022

Lab Photo 2021

Lab Photo 2019

Lab Photo 2018

Lab Photo 2017

Lab Photo 2016

Current Funding:

Previous Funding:

  • Preiss-Daimler Promotionsstipendium (Paul Bergauer)
  • Carus-Promotionskolleg 2024/25 (Antonia König)
  • Carus-Promotionskolleg 2024/25 (Jamie Kölbel)
  • NCT/UCC OCT2 Incubator Fund
  • Mildred-Scheel Nachwuchszentrum (MSNZ) MD Scholarship 2024 (Sophia Brüninghaus)
  • DFG Sachbeihilfe SE 2980/5-1
  • DKTK (Deutsches Konsortium für Transnationale Krebsforschung) Förderprogramm 2021
  • Monika Kutzner Stiftung Projektförderung 2021
  • Mildred-Scheel Nachwuchszentrum (MSNZ) MD Scholarship 2021 (Noemi Balbi)
  • TU Dresden - MeDDrive Grant 2020, Projektnummer 60478
  • TU Dresden - MeDDrive Start 2019/20, Projektnummer 60446
  • TU Dresden - MeDDrive Start 2019/20, Projektnummer 60441
  • DKTK (Deutsches Konsortium für Transnationale Krebsforschung) Förderprogramm 2019
  • Else Kröner-Promotionskolleg 2018 (Anna Tannert)
  • DKTK (Deutsches Konsortium für Transnationale Krebsforschung) Förderprogramm 2018
  • Monika Kutzner Stiftung Projektförderung 2018
  • Preiss-Daimler Promotionspreis 2017 (Simone Nicolaus)
  • TU Dresden - MeDDrive Grant 2017, Projektnummer 60407
  • TU Dresden - MeDDrive Grant 2017, Projektnummer 60393

2026

Natusch Bufe L, Seifert AM*, Seifert L*. ASO Visual Abstract: sCD40 as a preoperative predictor in pancreatic cancer surgery. Ann Surg Oncol 2026.

Natusch Bufe L*, Crede M*, Digomann D, König AMA, Klimova A, Willms T, Beer C, Cronjaeger T, Hempel S, Oehme F, Ghadimi M, Bösch F, Weitz J, Seifert AM*, Seifert L*. ASO Author Reflections: Combined preoperative risk score including sCD40, leucocytes, and BMI predicts pancreas-specific complications after pancreatic cancer surgery. Ann Surg Oncol 2026.

Natusch Bufe L*, Crede M*, Digomann D, König AMA, Klimova A, Willms T, Beer C, Cronjaeger T, Hempel S, Oehme F, Ghadimi M, Bösch F, Weitz J, Seifert AM*, Seifert L*. Combined preoperative risk score including sCD40, leucocytes, and BMI predicts pancreas-specific complications after pancreatic cancer surgery. Ann Surg Oncol 2026.

Cronjaeger S, Seifert L*, Seifert AM*. The rationale for targeting nectin-4 in pancreatic cancer. Trends in Cancer 2026.

2025

Heiduk M*, Beer C*, Cronjaeger S, Kawaler EA, Sommer U, Baenke F, Digomann D, Natusch Bufe L, Reiche C, Glück J, Hoffmann F, Kim S, Stange DE, Simeone DM, Weitz J, Seifert L*, Seifert AM*. Nectin-4 reduces T cell effector function and is a therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer. JCI Insight 2025.

Digomann D, Reiche C, Stammberger A, Willms T, Rudek LS, Grabenkamp A, Klimova A, Koelbel J, Merboth F, Natusch L, Beer C, Golle T, Cronjaeger S, Hoffmann F, Kranich L, Schmitz M, Bruns CJ, Schlößer HA, Weitz J, Seifert L*, Seifert AM*. Soluble TIM-3 and galectin-9 predict survival in gastric and gastroesophageal cancer. iScience 2025.

Baenke F*, Stammberger A*, Sommer U, Brückmann S, Merboth F, Polster H, Digomann D, Natusch L, Rupp L, Aust DE, Weitz J, Stange DE, Schmitz M, Seifert L*, Seifert AM*. Intratumoral regulatory T cells are associated with treatment response and prognosis in gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. OncoImmunology 2025.

Natusch L, Heiduk M, Klimova A, Beer C, Willms T, Digomann D, Reiche C, Hempel S, Oehme F, Distler M, Weitz J, Seifert AM*, Seifert L*. The value of blood T cell frequencies for risk prediction of postoperative complications in pancreatic cancer surgery. Ann Surgery Open 2025

2023

Digomann D, Heiduk M, Reiche C, Glück J, Kahlert C, Mirtschink P, Klimova A, Bösch F, Tonn T, Gaedcke J, Ghadimi M, Weitz J, Seifert L, Seifert AM. Serum immune profiling identifies soluble CD40 as a biomarker for pancreatic cancer. NPJ Precis Oncol 2023.

Heiduk M, Klimova A, Reiche C, Digomann D, Beer C, Aust DE, Distler M, Weitz J, Seifert AM*, Seifert L*. TIGIT expression delineates T cell populations with distinct functional and prognostic impact in pancreatic cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2023.

Digomann D, Strack J, Heiduk M, Plesca I, Rupp L, Reiche C, Nicolaus S, Beer C, Sommer U, Schmitz M, Distler M, Weitz J, Seifert AM, Seifert L. VISTA ligation reduces anti-tumor T cell activity in pancreatic cancer. Cancers 2023.

2022

Heiduk M, Glück J, Müller L, Plesca I, Digomann D, Reiche C, von Renesse J, Kahlert C, Sommer U, Aust DE, Schmitz M, Weitz J, Seifert L*, Seifert AM*. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy drives intratumoral T cells toward a pro-inflammatory profile in pancreatic cancer. JCI Insight 2022.

2021

Seifert L*, Plesca I*, Müller L, Sommer U, Heiduk M, Digomann D, von Renesse J, Glück J, Klimova A, Weitz J, Schmitz M, Seifert AM. LAG-3-expressing tumor-infiltrating T cells are associated with reduced disease-free survival in pancreatic cancer. Cancers 2021.

2020

Seifert AM*, Eymer A*, Heiduk M, Wehner R, Tunger A, von Renesse J, Decker R, Aust DE, Welsch T, Reißfelder C, Weitz J, Schmitz M, Seifert L. PD-1 expression by lymph node and intratumoral regulatory T cells is associated with lymph node metastasis in pancreatic Cancer. Cancers 2020.

Seifert AM*, List J*, Heiduk M, Decker R, von Renesse J, Meinecke A, Aust DE, Welsch T, Weitz J, Seifert L. Gamma-delta T cells stimulate IL-6-production by pancreatic stellate cells in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2020.

Seifert AM*, Reiche C*, Heiduk M, Tannert A, Meinecke A, Baier S, von Renesse J, Kahlert C, Distler M, Welsch T, Reissfelder C, Aust DE, Miller G, Weitz J, Seifert L. Detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with galectin-9 serum Levels. Oncogene. 2020.

ORCID

ORCID iD icon orcid.org/0000-0002-5329-3164

ORCID iD icon orcid.org/0000-0003-4763-8127

Job Opportunities

The Seifert Lab in the Department of Surgery at the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden Center is seeking highly motivated medical or PhD students to work in the basic research lab. She/he will use immunologic, molecular, and computational techniques to understand immunobiology in gastrointestinal cancers. She/he will routinely participate in lab meetings, and conferences to develop the basics of literature review, data analysis, hypothesis generation, grant writing, and oral presentation. Close mentorship from both principle investigators, senior PhD students and research fellows is routine.

Application Requirements

  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Cover letter, indicating current and future research interests
  • Expected availability date

2026

  • David Digomann received the ESMO GI 2026 Merit Award.
  • Combined preoperative risk score including sCD40, leucocytes, and BMI predicts pancreas-specific complications after pancreatic cancer surgery was published in Ann Surg Oncol.
  • The rationale for targeting nectin-4 in pancreatic cancer was published in Trends in Cancer.
  • Loreen Natusch Bufe received a prize for best poster presentation from the Deutsche Pankreasclub.
  • David Digomann received a travel grant from the Deutsche Pankreasclub.
  • Alina Solbrig received the Mildred-Scheel Nachwuchszentrums (MSNZ) MD Scholarship.
  • Our study 'Nectin-4 reduces T cell effector function and is a therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer' was featured on the cover of JCI Insight Vol. 11 Issue 2.

2025

  • Nectin-4 reduces T cell effector function and is a therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer was published in JCI Insight.
  • Dr. med. Loreen Natusch Bufe received the prize for best poster at the VTG Science Club 2025.
  • Soluble TIM-3 and galectin-9 predict survival in gastric and gastroesophageal cancer was published in iScience.
  • Intratumoral regulatory T cells are associated with treatment response and prognosis in gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in OncoImmunology.
  • Dr. med. David Digomann received the AIO Congress Scholarschip for the ESMO 2025.
  • Dr. med. David Digomann received the award from the German Centers for Health Research (DZG).
  • Jamie Kölbel received the prize for best presentation at the Dresden School of Clinical Science 2025.
  • Dr. med. Loreen Natusch and Dr. med. Philipp Wand became DKTK School of Oncology Fellows.
  • Sarah Cronjaeger received the Werner-Creutzfeldt Prize from the Deutsche Pankreasclub.
  • The value of blood T cell frequencies for risk prediction of postoperative complications in pancreatic cancer surgery was published in Ann Surgery Open.
  • Jakob Langsdorf defended his MD thesis with magna cum laude.

2024

  • Paul Bergauer received the Preiss-Daimler MD scholarship.
  • Dr. med. Loreen Natusch received the ForwarDD Clinician Scientist Scholarship.
  • Silvio Reinhold defended his MD thesis with magna cum laude.
  • Miriam Mazouz defended her MD thesis with magna cum laude.
  • Jamie Kölbel joined the Carus-Promotionskolleg.
  • Loreen Natusch received the MeDDrive Grant 2025/26.
  • Antonia König joined the Carus-Promotionskolleg.
  • Dr. med. David Digomann became DKTK School of Oncology Fellow.
  • Dr. med. Charlotte Reiche received the DGAV Walter-Brendel Prize.
  • Sophia Brüninghaus received the Mildred-Scheel Nachwuchszentrums (MSNZ) MD Scholarship.
  • Dr. med. Charlotte Reiche received the Carl Gustav Carus Förderpreis for outstanding dissertations 2023.
  • Anna Tannert defended her MD thesis with magna cum laude.

2023

  • Max Heiduk defended his PhD thesis with magna cum laude.
  • Serum immune profiling identifies soluble CD40 as a biomarker for pancreatic cancer was published in NPJ Precis Oncol.
  • PD Dr. med. Adrian Seifert received a Best Presentation Award from the United European Gastroenterology.
  • Prof. Dr. med. Lena Seifert was named one of the UEG Rising Stars 2023.
  • TIGIT expression delineates T cell populations with distinct functional and prognostic impact in pancreatic cancer was published in Clinical Cancer Research.
  • VISTA ligation reduces anti-tumor T cell activity in pancreatic cancer was published in Cancers.
  • Max Heiduk received a travel award from the German Pancreas Club.
  • Charlotte Reiche defended her MD thesis with summa cum laude.

2022

  • PD Dr. med. Adrian Seifert received BMBF-funding within the CAMINO-program (Career Advancement in MultIdimeNsional TumOr Targeting)
  • PD Dr. med. Lena Seifert received an Else Kröner Clinician Scientist Professorship.
  • Our study 'Neoadjuvant chemotherapy drives intratumoral T cells toward a pro-inflammatory profile in pancreatic cancer' was featured on the cover of JCI Insight Vol. 7 Issue 22.
  • Neoadjuvant chemotherapy drives intratumoral T cells toward a pro-inflammatory profile in pancreatic cancer was published in JCI Insight.
  • Julian List defended his MD thesis with summa cum laude.
  • Dr. med. David Digomann received the Carl Gustav Carus Förderpreis for outstanding dissertations 2022.
  • Dr. med. Rahel Decker received the DGAV Abstract Prize.
  • Johannes Strack defended his MD thesis with magna cum laude.

2021

  • Simone Nicolaus defended her MD thesis with magna cum laude.
  • Noemi Balbi received the Mildred-Scheel Nachwuchszentrums (MSNZ) MD Scholarship.
  • Dr. med. Adrian Seifert received the Ferdinand-Sauerbruch Research Award.
  • PD Dr. med. Lena Seifert received the DGAV Rudolf Nissen Prize.
  • LAG-3-expressing tumor-infiltrating T cells are associated with reduced disease-free survival in pancreatic cancer was published in Cancers.

2020

  • PD-1 expression by lymph node and intratumoral regulatory T cells is associated with lymph node metastasis in pancreatic Cancer was published in Cancers.
  • Gamma-delta T cells stimulate IL-6-production by pancreatic stellate cells in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma was published in Cancer Research Clinical Oncology.
  • Detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with galectin-9 serum Levels was published in Oncogene.

2019

2018

  • PD Dr. med. Lena Seifert was admitted to the DGAV Acamedy of Excellence.
  • Anna Tannert joined the Else-Kröner-Promotionskolleg.

2017