Research group Quantitative systems immunology

Aims

The aim of our group is to define how immune cells organize membrane receptors to guide the recognition and killing of cancer cells, and how cancer cells can hijack or block this process. There is increasing evidence that suggests that this is a highly coordinated process that operates with nanoscale precision. To decode this at the required throughput and scale, we develop and use innovative quantitative technologies. In particular proteomics, high resolution microscopy, and single cell multiomics are central. 

In short, our research focuses on:

1. Identification and interpretation of surface markers on immunce cells.
2. Define the protein composition of the immunological synapse between immune and cancer cells in various models and contexts.
3. Use high-throughput omics data for stratification of patients receiving drugs targeting the immune system.

Achievements

In particular, we have derived various proteomics technologies that in an off the shelf manner allow to derive protein colocalization in the cell membrane and intracellularly (Nature Communcations, 2021; Nature Protocols, 2023). Such technologies provide the basis for decoding the receptor interactome in the immune-cancer interaction (Trends in Immunology, 2026).