AG PD Dr. Yvonne Reiss

Anti-Angiogenesis & Immunotherapy

The research of the Reiss lab is focused on mechanisms of cerebrovascular dysfunction with an emphasis on Tie2 signaling (I) at the the blood-brain barrier, (II) in tumor angiogenesis, (III) tumor inflammation, (IV) brain metastasis and (V) vascular leakage in neurological disorders.
Ongoing research activities involve the application of transgenic mouse models (gain- & loss-of-function, reporter models) to study angiogenic growth factors during cancer progression. We additionally aim to decipher mechanisms that contribute to resistance mechanisms following anti-angiogenic cancer therapy. A complementary interest is the combination of anti-angiogenic and immunotherapy in experimental brain tumors.
The Angiopoietin / Tie2 system has emerged as multifaceted growth factor system with a newly defined link to immune signaling. Angiopoietins have wide-ranging effects on the vasculature that include angiogenesis, vascular stabilization & permeability, and the recruitment of inflammatory cells.
The understanding that angiogenesis and inflammation are linked by common signaling pathways presents striking opportunities for novel cancer treatment strategies by the combinatorial blockade of vessel growth and immune cell recruitment. New promising therapeutic avenues have been explored recently and results from ongoing pre-clinical and clinical studies will prove efficacy and suitablility for future cancer therapy.