Prof. Dr. med. Irmela Jeremias
Head of the “Research Unit Apoptosis in Hematopoietic Stem Cells” at Helmholtz Munich“I am a Pediatrician interested in improving treatment of children with acute leukemias. Focusing on leukemia stem cells, we use preclinical models and genetic engineering to identify novel therapeutic targets and treatment options.”
“I am a Pediatrician interested in improving treatment of children with acute leukemias. Focusing on leukemia stem cells, we use preclinical models and genetic engineering to identify novel therapeutic targets and treatment options.”
Academic Career
I am working as a Medical Doctor at Dr. von Haunersches Kinderspital of LMU Munich since 1993, starting as a Resident, later Attending Physician in Intensive Care and board certified Pediatrician, currently with a focus on Molecular Tumor Board. After my PostDoc at the German Cancer Research Center I started my own lab in Munich in 1998. In 2005 I started with a Junior Research group at Helmholtz Munich where I still work today, as tenured group leader and later as head of Department. I was and I am part of the German Cancer Research Center, several Collaborative Research Centers and Leukemia Study Groups.
My research aim is improving treatment of children and adults suffering acute leukemia, both the lymphoblastic (ALL) as well as the myeloid (AML) subtype. By generating genetically engineered patient-derived xenograft (PDX) leukemia models, I am collaborating with partners worldwide to identify and validate novel treatment options for these patients. My focus is on eliminating leukemia stem cells to prevent disease relapse and improve outcome.
Fields of Work and Expertise
Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse modelsGenetic engineering of patients´ leukemia cells Preclinical in vivo treatment trials
Professional Background
Head of the “Research Unit Apoptosis in Hematopoietic Stem Cells” at Helmholtz Munich
Mildred Scheel Professorship of the German Cancer Aid at the Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität (LMU), Munich
Head of the Research Group „Apoptosis“ at Helmholtz Munich, tenured since 2012
Postdoctoral Position at German Cancer Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, under guidance of Prof. K.-M. Debatin working on mechanisms of apoptosis in pediatric tumors
Resident, Pediatrician, Attending Physician at Dr. von Haunersches Kinderspital, LMU, Munich
Honors and Awards
Mildred Scheel Professorship of German Cancer Aid
2017-2022Consolidator Grant of European Research Council (ERC CoG)
2016-2021Award for „Excellent Women“
within the Impuls- and Integration Fond (IVF) by the Helmholtz Association (HGF)
2013-2018Postdoctoral Fellowship of the German Research Foundation (DFG)
1996-1998
Highlight Publications
Read more2023 Molecular Cancer
Combined proteomics and CRISPR‒Cas9 screens in PDX identify ADAM10 as essential for leukemia in vivo
2023 EMBO Mol Med
2022 Leukemia
2019 Experimental Hematology
Networks and Affiliations
Bettina-Bräu-Stiftung
LMU Haunersches Kinderspital
