Previous and current research
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Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is considered the most fatal type of leukemia in adults, with a high risk of relapse even after immunochemotherapies, targeted therapies and after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Our research group is investigating why relapses of AML occur not only in the bone marrow and/or peripheral blood, but also frequently as solid tumor masses in extramedullary (EM) sites such as the skin, lymph nodes, and CNS. EM AML are rare manifestations of AML consisting of leukemia cells that displace and destroy the surrounding tissue and have expansive growth outside the bone marrow.
Our research focuses on the longitudinal analysis of cases of AML that originate in the bone marrow and reappear in EM sites after stem cell transplantation which offers a unique opportunity to analyze the differences in the immune contexture between bone marrow and EM sites, and identify modifications in malignant cells and immune cells that are responsible for the altered localization.
Previously, we have shown that AML cells isolated from an EM AML manifestation exhibit mutations or genetic changes relevant for the prognosis of AML and often also for therapeutic targets (Li Z et al. Leukemia 2015; Mirza MK, Leuk Res. 2014) that were not present at the initial diagnosis of AML in the bone marrow and peripheral blood, i.e., that so-called clonal evolution has occurred (Stolzel F, Transplantation 2012).
Understanding how the microenvironment of AML influences the effectiveness of therapies is essential for the development of improved treatment options.
Research activities and goals
Analysis of involved cell types and their activation status in extramedullary leukemias while preserving the spatial context
Identify the molecular mechanisms driving EM AML relapses
Methods
DNA Capture Seq
CRISPR/Cas9
Multicolor flow cytometry
Immunofluorescence staining
Drug response profiling
Spatial transcriptomics (Visium 10x)
Spatial proteomics (MACSima)
Lab members and Contact
Heads of research group
Prof. Dr. med. Friedrich Stölzel
MD, Professor and Chair for Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Immunotherapies
Dr. rer. nat. Annette Garbe
PhD, Scientific Lab Head
Lab Manager
Miriam Denker
M.Sc. Molecular Cell Biology
Postdoctoral researchers
Hossein Emami
PhD
Clinician Scientists
Dr. med. Julia Frimmel
MD, Specialist in internal medicine, hematology, and oncology, Clinician Scientist
Karin Huber
MD, Medical Resident, Clinician Scientist
Affiliated Scientists
Dr. rer. nat. Sophie Steinhäuser
PhD, Affiliated Scientist
Study Groups and Funding Partners
Our research is embedded in different cooperations and larger national and international research consortia, such as the Studienallianz Leukämie (SAL), and the German Consortium of Translational Cancer Research (DKTK).
We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funding partners, such as the Deutsche Krebshilfe and the ERA-NET on Translational Cancer Research" (TRANSCAN)/Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF).
Furthermore, our research group is associated to the DFG-funded Clinical research unit CATCH-ALL – Towards a Cure for Children and Adults with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (KFO 50/10).
Selected Publications
2025
Rautenberg C, Middeke JM, Röllig C, Stelljes M, Gaidzik V et al. Real-world experience with first-line CPX-351 treatment in patients with acute myeloid leukemia - long-term follow-up with focus on younger patients. Blood Cancer J. 2025 Apr 8;15(1):60. doi: 10.1038/s41408-025-01274-0.
Ruhnke L, Bill M, Zukunft S, Eckardt JN, Schäfer S, et al. Validation of the revised 2022 European LeukemiaNet risk stratification in adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Blood Adv. 2025 Mar 25;9(6):1392-1404. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2024013304.
Pagliuca S, Malard F, Mooyaart JE, Daskalakis M, Gabellier L, et al. The landscape of immune monitoring in CAR-T cell therapy: A comprehensive review and survey study by the Cellular Therapy and Immunobiology Working Party of the EBMT. Blood Rev. 2025 May;71:101272. doi: 10.1016/j.blre.2025.101272. Epub 2025 Feb 15.
Stelljes M, Sockel K, Floeth M, Schetelig J, Bornhäuser M, et al. Real world outcome analysis of treosulfan-based conditioning prior to allo-HCT in patients with MDS compared to clinical trial data.
Bone Marrow Transplant. 2025 Jan;60(1):103-106. doi: 10.1038/s41409-024-02456-3. Epub 2024 Nov 5.
Stelljes M, Middeke JM, Bug G, Wagner-Drouet EM, Mueller LP, et al. Disease risk but not remission status determines transplant outcomes in AML: long-term outcomes of the ASAP trial.
Blood. 2025 Jul 30:blood.2025028730. doi: 10.1182/blood.2025028730. Online ahead of print.
2024
Schroeder T, Martens T, Fransecky L, Valerius T, Schub N et al, Management of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell-associated toxicities. Intensive Care Med. 2024 Sep;50(9):1459-1469. doi: 10.1007/s00134-024-07576-4. Epub 2024 Aug 22.
Stelljes M, Sockel K, Floeth M, Schetelig J, Bornhäuser M, et al.Real world outcome analysis of treosulfan-based conditioning prior to allo-HCT in patients with MDS compared to clinical trial data. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2025 Jan;60(1):103-106. doi: 10.1038/s41409-024-02456-3. Epub 2024 Nov 5.
Spath N, Nakov P, Schuster SO, Kownatzki-Danger D, Steppat D, et al. Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation From a CD36+ Donor in an Immunized Patient With Type I Hereditary CD36 Deficiency. Transplantation. 2024 Dec 1;108(12):e430-e432. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000005213. Epub 2024
2023
Liebers N, Bruch PM, Terzer T, Hernandez-Hernandez M, Paramasivam N, et al. Ex vivo drug response profiling for response and outcome prediction in hematologic malignancies: the prospective non-interventional SMARTrial. Nat Cancer. 2023 Dec;4(12):1648-1659. doi: 10.1038/s43018-023-00645-5. Epub 2023 Oct
Stölzel F, Fordham SE, Nandana D, Lin WY, Blair H, et al. Biallelic TET2 mutations confer sensitivity to 5'-azacitidine in acute myeloid leukemia. JCI Insight. 2023 Jan 24;8(2):e150368. doi:10.1172/jci.insight.150368.
2022,2021, 2020
Eckardt JN, Stolzel F, Kunadt D, Rollig C, Stasik S, Wagenfuhr L, et al. Molecular profiling and clinical implications of patients with acute myeloid leukemia and extramedullary manifestations. J Hematol Oncol. 2022;15(1):60. doi: 10.1186/s13045-022-01267-7.
Liberatore C, Stanghellini MTL, Lorentino F, Vago L, Carrabba MG, Greco R, et al. Azacitidine and donor lymphocytes infusions in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome relapsed after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from alternative donors. Ther Adv Hematol. 2022;13:20406207221090882. doi: 10.1177/20406207221090882.
Kunadt D, Herold S, Poitz D, Wagenfuhr L, Kretschmann T, Sockel K, et al. Spatial heterogeneity and differential treatment response of acute myeloid leukemia and relapsed/refractory extramedullary disease after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Ther Adv Hematol. 2022;13:20406207221115005. doi: 10.1177/20406207221115005.
von Bonin M, Jambor HK, Teipel R, Stolzel F, Thiede C, Damm F, et al. Clonal hematopoiesis and its emerging effects on cellular therapies. Leukemia. 2021;35(10):2752-8. doi: 10.1038/s41375-021-01337-8. Epub 2021 Jul 2.
Kunadt D, Stolzel F. Effective Immunosurveillance After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancer Manag Res. 2021;13:7411-doi: 10.2147/CMAR.S261721. eCollection 2021.
Kunadt D, Kramer M, Dill C, Altmann H, Wagenführ L, Mohr B, Thiede C, Röllig C, Schetelig J, Bornhäuser M, Schaich M, Stölzel F. Lysyl oxidase expression is associated with inferior outcome and Extramedullary disease of acute myeloid leukemia. Biomark Res. 2020 Jun 12;8:20. doi: 10.1186/s40364-020-00200-9. eCollection 2020.
Stolzel F, Luer T, Lock S, Parmentier S, Kuithan F, Kramer M, et al. The prevalence of extramedullary acute myeloid leukemia detected by 18FDG-PET/CT: final results from the Prospective PETAML Trial. Haematologica. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2019.223032.
2018-2011
Mathew NR, Baumgartner F, Braun L, O'Sullivan D, Thomas S, Waterhouse M, et
Sorafenib promotes graft-versus-leukemia activity in mice and humans through IL-15
production in FLT3-ITD-mutant leukemia cells. Nat Med. 2018;24(3):282-91. doi: 10.1038/nm.4484.
Stölzel F, Brosch M, Horvath S, Kramer M, Thiede C, von Bonin M, Ammerpohl O, Middeke M, Schetelig J, Ehninger G, Hampe J, Bornhäuser M. Dynamics of epigenetic age following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Haematologica. 2017 Aug;102(8):e321-e323. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2016.160481
Li Z, Stolzel F, Onel K, Sukhanova M, Mirza MK, Yap KL, et al. Next-generation sequencing reveals clinically actionable molecular markers in myeloid sarcoma. Leukemia. 2015;29(10):2113-6. doi: 10.1038/leu.2015.81.
Mirza MK, Sukhanova M, Stolzel F, Onel K, Larson RA, Stock W, et al. Genomic aberrations in myeloid sarcoma without blood or bone marrow involvement: characterization of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples by chromosomal microarrays. Leuk Res.2014;38(9):1091-6. doi: 10.1016/j.leukres.2014.05.004.
Stolzel F, Hackmann K, Kuithan F, Mohr B, Fussel M, Oelschlagel U, et al. Clonal evolution including partial loss of human leukocyte antigen genes favoring extramedullary acute myeloid leukemia relapse after matched related allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Transplantation. 2012;93(7):744-9. doi: 10.1097/TP.0b013e3182481113.
Stolzel F, Rollig C, Radke J, Mohr B, Platzbecker U, Bornhauser M, et al. (1)(8)F- FDG-PET/CT for detection of extramedullary acute myeloid leukemia. Haematologica. 2011;96(10):1552-6. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2011.045047.