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Porträt Dr. Maria Szente-Pasztoi
Helmholtz Munich | Matthias Tunger Photodesign

Dr. rer. nat. Maria Szente-Pasztoi

Senior Scientist at Institute of Allergy Research - Mucosal Immunology

“ Gaining insight into the molecular mechanisms whereby intestinal stromal cells contribute to tolerance and type 2 immunity anticipates therapeutic roadmaps for the treatment of type 2 gastrointestinal disorders.

“ Gaining insight into the molecular mechanisms whereby intestinal stromal cells contribute to tolerance and type 2 immunity anticipates therapeutic roadmaps for the treatment of type 2 gastrointestinal disorders.

Academic Pathway & Research Area

Maria Szente-Pasztoi is an immunologist studying the contribution of tissue-resident stromal cells to intestinal tolerance and immunity with the focus on type 2 immunity including food allergy and parasite infections. Her approaches include multicolour flow cytometry, low input RNA-Seq, scRNA-Seq, genetically modified mouse models and in vitro culture assays such as organoid cultures.

Maria obtained her Master's degree in Biology and finished her PhD in Immunology.

After her PhD and postdoc period at the Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary, she joined the lab of Prof Huehn at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Braunschweig. In the framework of her Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship, she has found that stromal cells in gut draining mesenteric lymph nodes possess tolerogenic properties by promoting peripheral regulatory T cell induction and tolerogenic features of dendritic cells. Later she joined the lab of Dr Ohnmacht and started to investigate the physiological and immunomodulatory functions of tissue-resident stromal cells. Currently, she is working in the framework of her research grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG) where she aims to understand the responsiveness of intestinal stromal cells to diverse inflammatory cues, and what kind of tissue niches are provided by them for local immune cells.

Fields of Work and Expertise

MesenchymeStromal CellsFibroblastsRegulatory T CellsToleranceMucosal ImmunityParasitesType 2 Immunity

Professional Background

Since 2018

Senior Scientist, Group of Mucosal Immunology, Technical University and Helmoltz Munich

2017-2018

Senior Scientist, Walter Brendel Centre of Experimental Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany (laboratory of Prof. Dr. Barbara Schraml)

2014-2017

Research Scientist, Department of Experimental Immunology, Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany (laboratory of Prof. Dr. Jochen Huehn)

2010-2014

Research Scientist, Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary (laboratory of Prof. Dr. Edit Buzas)

2005-2010

PhD Student, Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary (laboratory of Prof. Dr. Edit Buzas)

Honors and Awards

  • 2022
    German Research Foundation (DFG) Individual Research Grant

  • 2019
    Poster Prize at the 1st Immunology and Inflammation Conference

  • 2015
    Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship

  • 2012
    German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Fellowship

Publications

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