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Helmholtz Munich | Doris Hammerschmidt, LHI

Tobias Stöger, Dr. rer. nat.

Group Leader, Dynamics of Pulmonary Inflammation / Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI)

“My vision: Identify mechanisms of sterile inflammation relevant for acute and chronic lung inflammation upon inhalation of airborne stressors such as nanoparticles. Study how particle-cell interactions trigger acute and sustained inflammatory effects in various biological models, and apply the knowledge to drug targeting concepts using nanocarriers and inhalation therapy.”

“My vision: Identify mechanisms of sterile inflammation relevant for acute and chronic lung inflammation upon inhalation of airborne stressors such as nanoparticles. Study how particle-cell interactions trigger acute and sustained inflammatory effects in various biological models, and apply the knowledge to drug targeting concepts using nanocarriers and inhalation therapy.”

Academic career and research areas

Dr. Stoeger received his diploma in Biology in 1994 and his Ph.D. in 1999 from the Technische Universität München. Receiving a Ph.D.-scholarship of the Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds, he spent one year at the Jackson Laboratory, Maine, USA, to start his thesis “Molecular analysis of the osteogenic differentiation” which he finished in the research lab of Prof. Dr. Rudi Balling, Institute of Mammalian Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, focusing on developmental biology and mouse genetics. 

 

After working 4 years for the pharmaceutical industry at Ingenium Pharmaceuticals AG, Martinsried, Germany, developing mouse models for drug targeting as “Gene Targeting” group leader, he joined the Helmholtz Zentrum München again in 2003 as a group leader “Health Effects of Nanoparticles” at the Institute of Inhalation Biology.

His research interests are focused on mechanisms of sterile pulmonary inflammation due to inhalation of nanoparticles. Focusing on lung macrophages and the impact of particle characteristics on mechanisms of particle-cell interactions as well as the translation of that knowledge for pulmonary drug delivery using nanocarriers. Methods of investigation are based on alveolar tissue culture models and controlled animal exposures with special emphasis on reporter cell systems and reporter mouse strains combined with lung intravital microscopy in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Markus Rehberg. 

In cooperation with Dr. Otmar Schmid (LHI) he coordinates the EU project HARMLESS ‘Advanced High Aspect Ratio and Multicomponent materials: towards comprehensive intelLigent tEsting and Safe by design Strategies

Dr. Stoeger serves as Associate Editor, for the Taylor & Francis, Journal: Nanotoxicology, and the Public Library of Science, Journal: PLOS ONE, as well as for the Editorial board, of the BioMed Central Journal: Particle and Fibre Toxicology.

Skills

 Mouse Genetics Gene expression analysis Macrophage biology Advanced Lung Cell Culture Models 

Professional Background

Since 2009

Group Leader “Dynamics of Pulmonary Inflammation”, at the institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich

2003 - 2008

Group Leader: “Health Effects of Nanoparticles”, Institute of Inhalation Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München

2001 - 2002

Group Leader “Gene Targeting”, Genomics Department, Ingenium Pharmaceuticals AG, Martinsried, Germany

1999 - 2001

Senior scientist, Genomics Department, Ingenium Pharmaceuticals AG, Martinsried, Germany

Honors and Awards

  • 2022 - PHOENIX Pharmazie Wissenschaftspreis for “Polymer-related Off-Target Effects in Non-Viral siRNA Delivery”, Berlin, Germany

  • 2018 - Particle and Fibre Toxicology “Best Paper of the Year 2017”, Germany

  • 1995 - Ph.D. - Scholarship “Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds”, The Jackson Laboratory, USA

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