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Georg A. HolländerUniversity of Basel, Switzerland Email: Georg-A.Hollaender@unibas.ch
Georg Holländer , a Professor in Molecular Pediatric, is head of the laboratory of Pediatric Immunology at the Department of Biomedicine of the University of Basel and Head of the department of research at University Children’s Hospital of Basel. He is also an Associate Professor at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Montreal, Canada. Dr. Holländer is a researcher and paediatric immunologist interested in the development and function of the immune system in health and disease. His particular scientific interests are focused on two topics: the molecular and cellular control of thymus development and function, the damage to thymic structure and function as a consequence of bone marrow transplantation. The thymus constitutes the primary lymphoid organ for the development and selection of T lymphocytes, a cell type critical for the function of the adaptive immune system. The thymus is composed of different cell types and only their correct differentiation and architectural organisation assure a normal function. Several genetic disorders and acquired pathologies have been identified that affect not only the regular development but also the function of the thymus. To study the physiology of thymic development and to further characterize the pathologies, that evolve as a consequence of damage to the thymus, the laboratory has developed mouse models to study aberrant thymic development and function. In this context, the group has been among the first to propose a thymic role for Aire. Over the last few years, Dr. Holländer’s work has contributed to a better understanding of the molecular and cellular controls that shape the normal formation of the thymus. With his research team, he identified novel molecules and evolutionary well conserved signalling pathways that are intimately involved in these processes. The results from these studies form the basis to identify thymic epithelial precursor/stem cells that can be used in the future for cell replacement therapies in individuals deficient of a normal thymus function. Group members :
The group consists in total of 9 PhDs, 3 PhD students, 1 MD/PhD student and 2.5 technicians. Links: http://cbm.unibas.ch/frontpage/research-groups/group-hollaender/ |
