Oncology

Reichert, Maximilian

Pancreatic Cancer. Epithelial Plasticity. Metastasis

Dr. Reichert’s group focuses on pancreatic development and disease with a strong interest in the molecular underpinnings of cellular plasticity in organogenesis, regeneration, and cancer initiation and dissemination. Using system biology approaches as well as complementary in vitro and in vivo assays, the laboratory addresses questions related to both basic as well as translational biology. Expertise in development of genetic mouse models allows targeted manipulation of candidate genes and their subsequent molecular and phenotypic characterization. Using a combination of high-throughput transcriptional profiling as well as genetic lineage labeling, the laboratory can interrogate both the biochemical and cellular effects of the introduced genetic manipulation.
In particular, the generation of primary pancreatic cells lines from genetically-engineered mouse models and their analysis in three-dimensional culture systems as well as their orthotopic and intravascular re-introduction into mice allows the laboratory to address specific steps in cancer formation and the metastatic cascade.

Selected publications:

Reichert M, Takano S, Heeg S, Bakir B, Botta GP, Rustgi AK Gregory P. Botta, Anil K. Rustgi. Isolating Murine Pancreatic Ductal Cells using Magnetic Beads in Development, Regeneration and Cancer, Nature Protocols, 2013 Jun 20;8(7):1354-65. doi: 10.1038/nprot.2013.079.

Reichert M, Takano S, von Burstin J, Kim SB, Lee JS, Ihida-Stansbury K, Hahn C, Heeg S, Schneider G, Rhim AD, Stanger BZ, Rustgi AK. The Prrx1 homeodomain transcription factor plays a central role in pancreatic regeneration and carcinogenesis. Genes Dev. 2013 Feb 1;27(3):288-300. doi: 10.1101/gad.204453.112. Epub 2013 Jan 25.

Rhim AD, Mirek ET, Aiello NM, Maitra A, Bailey JM, McAllister F, Reichert M, Beatty GL, Rustgi AK, Vonderheide RH, Leach SD, Stanger BZ. EMT and dissemination precede pancreatic tumor formation. Cell. 2012 Jan 20;148(1-2):349-61. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2011.11.025.

Reichert M, Rustgi AK. Pancreatic ductal cells in development, regeneration, and neoplasia. J Clin Invest. 2011 Dec;121(12):4572-8. doi: 10.1172/JCI57131. Epub 2011 Dec 1. Review.

Reichert M, Saur D, Hamacher R, Schmid RM, Schneider G. Phosphoinositide-3-kinase signaling controls S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 transcription via E2F1 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. Cancer Res. 2007 May 1;67(9):4149-56.

https://www.med2.mri.tum.de/en/research/ag-reichert.php