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
Group Leader “Dynamics of Pulmonary Inflammation”, at the institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Munich
Group Leader: “Health Effects of Nanoparticles”, Institute of Inhalation Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München
Group Leader “Gene Targeting”, Genomics Department, Ingenium Pharmaceuticals AG, Martinsried, Germany
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
Publications
2023 Front Immunol.
2022 Int J Mol Sci.
2020 Advanced Materials
2017 Part Fibre Toxicol.
2017 Part Fibre Toxicol.
Nanoparticle exposure reactivates latent herpesvirus and restores a signature of acute infection