Research
Group leader (SNSF Ambizione 2020)
Neuroimmunology unit, Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich
My aim is to contribute to a deeper understanding of immune-mediated CNS disorders and to unravel the impact of CNS/immune cell-crosstalk during disease but, importantly, also under physiological conditions.
To tackle complex neuroimmune interactions, I apply a combinational approach of:
1) multi-omic single cell profiling coupled with computational data analysis for a comprehensive characterisation and
2) systematic conditional gene targeting to provide valuable insights into underlying mechanisms and functions of immune cells within the CNS.
Email - Google Scholar- ORCID - Research Gate - Linkedin - Twitter
Peer reviewed publications
Andreadou, M.; Ingelfinger, F.; De Feo, D.; Friebel, E.; Tuzlak, S.; Cramer, T. M. L.; Schreiner, B.; Eede, P.; Schneeberger, S.; Geesdorf, M.; Ridder, F.; Welsh, C.; Kirschenbaum, D.; Tyagarajan, S. K.; Greter, M.; Heppner, F. L.; Mundt, S.*; Becher, B.* IL-12 sensing in neurons induces neuroprotective CNS tissue adaptation and attenuates neuroinflammation in mice. Accepted for publication in Nature Neuroscience 2023 (preprent available: bioRxiv 2022, 2022.09.14.506749. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.09.14.506749.) *Shared last authorship, I conceptualized the study, supervised the PhD student, wrote the manuscript and acquired funding
Nuñez, N. G., Schmid, J., Power, L., Alberti, C., Krishnarajah, S., Kreutmair, S., Unger, S., Blanco, S., Konigheim, B., Marín, C., Onofrio, L., Kienzler, J. C., Costa-Pereira, S., Ingelfinger, F., InmunoCovidCba, InViV working group, Pasinovich, M. E., Castelli, J. M., Vizzotti, C., Schaefer, M., … Becher, B. (2023). High-dimensional analysis of 16 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine combinations reveals lymphocyte signatures correlating with immunogenicity. Nature immunology, 10.1038/s41590-023-01499-w. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-023-01499-w
Ingelfinger, F., Kramer, M., Lutz, M., Widmer, C. C., Piccoli, L., Kreutmair, S., Wertheimer, T., Woodhall, M., Waters, P., Sallusto, F., Lanzavecchia, A., Mundt, S., Becher, B., & Schreiner, B. (2023). Antibodies Produced by CLL Phenotype B Cells in Patients With Myasthenia Gravis Are Not Directed Against Neuromuscular Endplates. Neurology(R) neuroimmunology & neuroinflammation, 10(2), e200087. https://doi.org/10.1212/NXI.0000000000200087 doi:10.1212/NXI.0000000000200087.
Mundt, S., Greter, M., & Becher, B. (2022). The CNS mononuclear phagocyte system in health and disease. Neuron, 110(21), 3497–3512. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2022.10.005. First authorship; I conceptualized and wrote the manuscript
Ingelfinger, F., Sparano, C., Bamert, D., Reyes-Leiva, D., Sethi, A., Rindlisbacher, L., Zwicky, P., Kreutmair, S., Widmer, C. C., Mundt, S., Cortés-Vicente, E., Tugues, S., Becher, B., & Schreiner, B. (2022). Azathioprine therapy induces selective NK cell Depletion and IFN-γ Deficiency predisposing to herpes virus reactivation. The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, S0091-6749(22)01187-3. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2022.09.010. Co-authorship; Mentorship of the PhD student, providing intellectual input for the experimental approach and data analysis, critical review of the manuscript
Ingelfinger, F., Gerdes, L. A., Kavaka, V., Krishnarajah, S., Friebel, E., Galli, E., Zwicky, P., Furrer, R., Peukert, C., Dutertre, C. A., Eglseer, K. M., Ginhoux, F., Flierl-Hecht, A., Kümpfel, T., De Feo, D., Schreiner, B., Mundt, S., Kerschensteiner, M., Hohlfeld, R., Beltrán, E., … Becher, B. (2022). Twin study reveals non-heritable immune perturbations in multiple sclerosis. Nature, 603(7899), 152–158. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04419-4 Co-authorship; Mentorship of the PhD student, providing intellectual input for the experimental approach and revised the manuscript
Krishnarajah, S., Ingelfinger, F., Friebel, E. et al. Single-cell profiling of immune system alterations in lymphoid, barrier and solid tissues in aged mice. Nat Aging 2, 74–89 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-021-00148-x
Zwicky, P., Ingelfinger, F., Silva de Melo, B. M., Ruchti, F., Schärli, S., Puertas, N., Lutz, M., Phan, T. S., Kündig, T. M., Levesque, M. P., Maul, J. T., Schlapbach, C., LeibundGut-Landmann, S., Mundt, S. *, & Becher, B. * (2021). IL-12 regulates type 3 immunity through interfollicular keratinocytes in psoriasiform inflammation. Science immunology, 6(64), eabg9012. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciimmunol.abg9012 *Shared last authorship; I conceptualized the study, supervised the PhD student, revised the manuscript and acquired funding
Ingelfinger, F., Krishnarajah, S., Kramer, M., Utz, S. G., Galli, E., Lutz, M., Zwicky, P., Akarca, A. U., Jurado, N. P., Ulutekin, C., Bamert, D., Widmer, C. C., Piccoli, L., Sallusto, F., Núñez, N. G., Marafioti, T., Schneiter, D., Opitz, I., Lanzavecchia, A., Jung, H. H., … Becher, B. (2021). Single-cell profiling of myasthenia gravis identifies a pathogenic T cell signature. Acta neuropathologica, 141(6), 901–915. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-021-02299-y. Co-authorship; Mentorship of the PhD student, providing intellectual input for the experimental approach and data analysis and revised the manuscript
Mundt, S., Keller, A., & Greter, M. (2021). The dural sinus hub: more than just a brain drain. Cell, 184(4), 858–860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.01.040
Keller, C. W., Kotur, M. B., Mundt, S., Dokalis, N., Ligeon, L. A., Shah, A. M., Prinz, M., Becher, B., Münz, C., & Lünemann, J. D. (2021). CYBB/NOX2 in conventional DCs controls T cell encephalitogenicity during neuroinflammation. Autophagy, 17(5), 1244–1258. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548627.2020.1756678 Co-authorship; Performed high-dimensional flow cytometry and data analysis of the steady state brain cDC compartment
Phan, T. S., Schink, L., Mann, J., Merk, V. M., Zwicky, P., Mundt, S., Simon, D., Kulms, D., Abraham, S., Legler, D. F., Noti, M., & Brunner, T. (2021). Keratinocytes control skin immune homeostasis through de novo-synthesized glucocorticoids. Science advances, 7(5), eabe0337. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abe0337. Co-authorship; Providing intellectual input for the experimental approach and data analysis and revised the manuscript
Mundt, S., Greter, M., Flügel, A., & Becher, B. (2019). The CNS Immune Landscape from the Viewpoint of a T Cell. Trends in neurosciences, 42(10), 667–679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2019.07.008. First authorship; I conceptualized and wrote the manuscript
Mundt, S., Mrdjen, D., Utz, S. G., Greter, M., Schreiner, B., & Becher, B. (2019). Conventional DCs sample and present myelin antigens in the healthy CNS and allow parenchymal T cell entry to initiate neuroinflammation. Science immunology, 4(31), eaau8380. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciimmunol.aau8380. First authorship; I planned and performed all experiments, analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript
Keller, C. W., Sina, C., Kotur, M. B., Ramelli, G., Mundt, S., Quast, I., Ligeon, L. A., Weber, P., Becher, B., Münz, C., & Lünemann, J. D. (2017). ATG-dependent phagocytosis in dendritic cells drives myelin-specific CD4+ T cell pathogenicity during CNS inflammation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 114(52), E11228–E11237. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1713664114. Co-authorship; Performed high-dimensional flow cytometry and data analysis of the steady state brain cDC compartment
Basler, M., Mundt, S., & Groettrup, M. (2018). The immunoproteasome subunit LMP7 is required in the murine thymus for filling up a hole in the T cell repertoire. European journal of immunology, 48(3), 419–429. https://doi.org/10.1002/eji.201747282
Mundt, S., Basler, M., Sawitzki, B., & Groettrup, M. (2017). No prolongation of skin allograft survival by immunoproteasome inhibition in mice. Molecular immunology, 88, 32–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molimm.2017.05.022. First authorship; I planned and performed all experiments, analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript
Mundt, S., Basler, M., Buerger, S., Engler, H., & Groettrup, M. (2016). Inhibiting the immunoproteasome exacerbates the pathogenesis of systemic Candida albicans infection in mice. Scientific reports, 6, 19434. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep19434. First authorship; I planned and performed all experiments, analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript
Buerger, S., Herrmann, V. L., Mundt, S., Trautwein, N., Groettrup, M., & Basler, M. (2015). The Ubiquitin-like Modifier FAT10 Is Selectively Expressed in Medullary Thymic Epithelial Cells and Modifies T Cell Selection. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 195(9), 4106–4116. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1500592
Mundt, S., Groettrup, M., & Basler, M. (2015). Analgesia in mice with experimental meningitis reduces pain without altering immune parameters. ALTEX, 32(3), 183–189. https://doi.org/10.14573/altex.1502021. First authorship; I planned and performed all experiments, analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript
Mundt, S., Engelhardt, B., Kirk, C. J., Groettrup, M., & Basler, M. (2016). Inhibition and deficiency of the immunoproteasome subunit LMP7 attenuates LCMV-induced meningitis. European journal of immunology, 46(1), 104–113. https://doi.org/10.1002/eji.201545578. First authorship; I planned and performed all experiments, analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript
Basler, M., Mundt, S., Bitzer, A., Schmidt, C., & Groettrup, M. (2015). The immunoproteasome: a novel drug target for autoimmune diseases. Clinical and experimental rheumatology, 33(4 Suppl 92), S74–S79. Co-authorship; I conceptualized and wrote a part of the manuscript
Basler, M.*, Mundt, S.*, Muchamuel, T.*, Moll, C., Jiang, J., Groettrup, M., & Kirk, C. J. (2014). Inhibition of the immunoproteasome ameliorates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. EMBO molecular medicine, 6(2), 226–238. https://doi.org/10.1002/emmm.201303543. *Shared first authorship; I planned and performed experiments, analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript
Contribution to international conferences and workshops
P: poster T: talk
P: poster T: talk
Agean 10th International Conference on Autoimmunity: Mechanisms and Novel Treatments, Chania, Crete (Greece), 2022 (P)
World Immune regulation meeting (WIRM), Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), Davos (Switzerland), 2022 (T)
International Congress of Neuroimmunology (ISNI) – virtual 2021
MS State of the Art Symposium, Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Society - virtual 2020 (P)
Cell Symposia: The Neuro-Immune Axis – Long Beach (USA), 2019 (P)
Joint Meeting of the German Society for Immunology (DGfl) and the Italian Society of Immunology, Clinical Immunology and Allergology (SIICA) – Munich (Germany), 2019 (P)
International Congress of Neuroimmunology (ISNI) – Brisbane (Australia), 2018 (T)
International Symposium on Dendritic Cells - Aachen (Germany), 2018 (P)
Salvisberg Symposium on Advances in Neuropathology (SSAN) – Bludenz (Austria), 2017 (T)
CRPP Symposium "Heterogeneity of autoimmune diseases" - Zurich (Switzerland), 2017 (P)
SFB 969-Symposium "Two Days of Proteostasis in Konstanz" - Konstanz (Germany), 2014 (T)
Annual Meeting of the German Society for Immunology – Bonn (Germany), 2014 (T)
Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting – Lindau/ Mainau (Germany), 2014 (P)
International Workshop on “Antigen Processing & Presentation“- Philadelphia (USA), 2014 (P)
Annual Meeting of the German Society for Immunology - Mainz (Germany), 2013 (P)
Swiss MS Researcher Meeting - University of Bern (Switzerland), 2013 (P)
Scientific presentations as invited speaker
Data presentation (invited speaker): “Algorithm guided high-dimensional data analysis using R” – Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Allschwil (Switzerland), May 2019
Lecture (invited speaker): “Characterization of CNS APCs - who tells encephalitogenic T cells they have arrived?” - University of Konstanz (Germany), December 2018