Prof. Graham Pawelec
Participant code: UNITÜ
Prof. Graham Pawelec
University of Tübingen (UNITÜ)
Zentrum für Medizinische Forschung, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen , Germany.
Group’s experience:
Graham Pawelec is Professor of Experimental Immunology and Head of the Tübingen Tumour Immunology and Ageing Group (TATI). Presently, he coordinates the 5th Framework RTD cost-shared projects “T Cells in Ageing” (T-CIA, QLK6-CT-2002-02283; http://www.medizin.uni-tuebingen.de/t-cia/) and the “European Searchable Tumour Cell Line Database” (ESTDAB, QLRI-CT-2001-01325; http://www.medizin.uni-tuebingen.de/estdab/). Previously, he coordinated the Thematic Network “Immunology and Ageing in Europe” (ImAginE, QLK6-CT-1999-02031; http://www.medizin.uni-tuebingen.de/imagine/) and the concerted action EUCAMBIS on the molecular basis of immunosenescence (BMHI-CT94-1209) from which the ImAginE and T-CIA projects evolved. Zincage participants no. 1,12, and 14-16 were members of ImAginE and thereby accustomed to working together in the context of EU projects.
P17 has an independent long-standing collaboration with P12, also in the context of functional foods and nutritional immunology. GP has over 25 years of experience in cellular and molecular immunology focussing on the study of T cell biology in ageing and cancer. He is Deputy Editor of the new BioMedCentral Open Access journal “Immunity and Ageing”, and is founding Associate Editor of the specialist journal Biogerontology. He is also on the editorial boards of Mech Ageing Dev, Exp Gerontol and Rejuvenation Research (ex-J Anti-Aging Medicine). He is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Cancer Immunol Immunother.
The philosophy of the group is that T cell dysfunction is crucial in many diverse disease states, particularly those associated with chronic antigenic stress. We believe that these include cancer (tumour antigenic stress), ageing (we believe viral antigenic stress to be critical here), autoimmunity (self antigens) and organ transplantation (alloantigens). We are seeking a “unifying hypothesis” to explain and to provide a basis for intervening in, the immune system in these diverse conditions.
Personnel involved:
1. Graham Pawelec, MA, PhD, will be responsible for the group´s work and for WP6
2. Ludmila Müller, PhD: cellular and molecular immunology, specializing in the in vitro sensitisation and characterization of T cells and their in vitro analysis.
3. Sven Koch, Dipl. Biol.: ex vivo analyses of T cell immunity in the elderly, using tetramer technology, cell sorting, ELISPOT et al.
4. Jürgen Kempf, Dipl. Biol.: T cell cloning, hsp transfection
5. Ashley Knights, MSc, constructing tetramers; T cell immunology
6. Evelyna Badalians, Dipl. Biol.: cell culture, 3D-in vitro models of cell interactions
7. Arnika Rehbein, technologist: extensive experience in generating and maintaining T cell clones
8. Karin Hähnel, technologist, with extensive experience in generating and maintaining T cell clones
9. Lilly Wedel, technologist: cell line culture, DNA fingerprinting, surface marker analysis
Recent relevant publications:
1. Ouyang Q, Wagner WM, Voehringer D, Wikby A, Klatt T, Walter S, Müller CA, Pircher H, Pawelec G: Age-associated accumulation of CMV-specific CD8+ T cells expressing the inhibitory killer cell lectin-like receptor G1 (KLRG1). Exp Gerontol 38:911-920, 2003
2. Pawelec G: Immunosenescence and human longevity. Biogerontology 4: 167-179, 2003
3. Pawelec G, Caruso C: Immunology and ageing in Europe: ImAginE-ation in the EU. Mech Ageing Dev 124: 357-360, 2003
4. Ross OA, Hyland P, Curran MD, McIlhatton BP, Wikby A, Johansson B, Tompa A, Pawelec G, Barnett CR, Middleton D, Barnett YA: Mitochondrial DNA damage in lymphocytes: a role in immunosenescence? Exp Gerontol 37:329, 2002
5. Pawelec G, Barnett Y, Mariani E, Solana R: Human CD4+ T cell clone longevity in tissue culture: lack of influence of donor age or cell origin. Exp Gerontol 37:265, 2002
6. Ouyang Q, Wagner W, Walter S, Wikby A, Aubert G, Müller CA, Klatt T, Stevanovic S, Rammensee HG, Dodi T, Travers P, Pawelec G: The age-related increase in CD8+ T cells carrying receptors for an immunodominant Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) epitope is counterbalanced by decreased antigen-specific responsiveness. Mech Ageing Dev 124: 477, 2003
7. Ouyang Q, Wagner W, Wikby A, Walter S, Aubert G, Dodi T, Travers P, Pawelec G: Large numbers of dysfunctional CD8+ T lymphocytes bearing receptors for a single dominant CMV epitope in the very old. J Clin Immunol 23:247-257, 2003
8. Pawelec G, Ouyang Q, Colonna-Roman G, Candore G, Lio D, Caruso C: Is human immunosenescence clinically relevant? Looking for “immunological risk phenotypes”. Trends Immunol 23:330, 2002
9. Hyland P, Barnett C, Pawelec G, Barnett Y: Increased levels of oxidative DNA damage and alterations in the levels of the mitotic inhibitors p16INK4a/CDKN2a, p21WAF1/CIP1/SDI1, p27KIP1 leads to T cell replicative senescence in vitro. Mech Ageing Dev 122:1151, 2001