Leibniz Cooperative Excellence

EpiC4TT: Epigenetic control of thymic CD4+ T lymphocyte development in humans – paving the way for new iPSC-derived T cell therapies

T lymphocytes play a crucial role in the adaptive immune system by targeting pathogens and tumor cells. They are used in personalized adoptive cell therapies for leukemia treatment, but their full potential for other diseases, especially CD4+ T cell populations for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, has not been fully exploited.
The project aims to understand the epigenetic mechanisms involved in CD4+ T cell maturation and replicate them in hiPSC-based differentiation systems. By comparing DNA methylation patterns in thymocytes from human donors, humanized mice, and hiPSC-derived cell cultures, the project seeks to identify critical epigenetic regulators for human T cell development. Using CRISPR-Cas9 technology and mouse models, the researchers aim to improve hiPSC-based T cell generation protocols and enhance therapeutic T cell products.

Cooperating partners

German Rheumatism Research Centre Berlin (DRFZ)

• Julia Polansky (Coordinator)

Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)

• Claudia Waskow

Berlin Institute of Health @Charité

• Harald Stachelscheid