Center for Medicine
Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology &
Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency
Medical Center – University of Freiburg
Hugstetter Str. 55
79106 Freiburg i. Brsg.
- +49 (0) 761/ 270 – 62170
- marta.rizzi@uniklinik-freiburg.de
- Homepage
Current position
Heisenberg Professor, Group leader, Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Center for Medicine, Medical Center – University of Freiburg
Academic training
| 2007 | Specialization in Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Genoa (Italy) |
| 1993 – 1999 | Study of Medicine in Genoa, Italy |
Scientific qualifications
| since 2023 | Heisenberg Professor, Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg |
| since 2022 | Full professorship in Clinical and Experimental Immunology at the MedUni Vienna (part-time appointment) |
| 2018 | Habilitation in Experimental Medicine, University of Freiburg (Mentor: Prof. Dr. Reinhard Voll) |
| 2000 – 2004 | PhD Thesis in Clinical and Experimental Immunology, University of Genoa and University of California San Diego, USA (Supervisors: Prof. Dr. F. Indiveri – University of Genoa and Prof. Dr. M. Zanetti - UCSD) |
Postgraduate Positions
| 2021 | Heisenberg Professorship (German Research Foundation) |
| since 2014 | Group leader, Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg |
| 2011 – 2014 | Postdoctorate, Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, Medical Center – University of Freiburg |
| 2007 – 2011 | Postdoctorate, Department of Rheumatology, University of Freiburg |
| 2004 – 2007 | Assistant physician in Allergology and Clinical Immunology, University of Genoa, Italy |
| 2000 – 2003 | Research Fellow, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, USA |
Miscellaneous (Honors, Awards)
| 2021 | Heisenberg Professorship (DFG) |
| 2018 | Mathilde-Wagner Habilitation Prize, Gender Equality Office, Faculty for Medicine, University of Freiburg |
| 2015 | Fellowship of the Elite program for postdocs (Baden-Württemberg Foundation) |
| 2014 – 2018 | Speaker of the B-cell study group of the German Society of Immunology (DGfI) |
| 2014 – 2018 | Margarete von Wrangell Habilitation Fellowship (Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst Baden-Württemberg) |
| 2014 – 2016 | Walter-Hitzig Fellowship (Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency) |
| 2006 – 2007 | DAAD Fellowship |
| 2002 – 2003 | A. P. Giannini Foundation: Postdoctorate Fellowship |
link to all publications from M. Rizzi: Pubmed
Publications based on CRC1160 funding
Saller BS, Wöhrle S, Fischer L, Dufossez C, Ingerl IL, Kessler S, Mateo-Tortola M, Gorka O, Lange F, Cheng Y, Neuwirt E, Marada A, Koentges C, Urban C, Aktories P, Reuther P, Giese S, Kirschnek S, Mayer C, Pilic J, Falquez-Medina H, Oelgeklaus A, Deepagan VG, Shojaee F, Zimmermann JA, Weber D, Tai YH, Crois A, Ciminski K, Peyronnet R, Brandenburg KS, Wu G, Baumeister R, Heimbucher T, Rizzi M, Riedel D, Helmstädter M, Buescher J, Neumann K, Misgeld T, Kerschensteiner M, Walentek P, Kreutz C, Maurer U, Rambold AS, Vince JE, Edlich F, Malli R, Häcker G, Kierdorf K, Meisinger C, Köttgen A, Jakobs S, Weber ANR, Schwemmle M, Groß CJ, Groß O. 2024. Acute suppression of mitochondrial ATP production prevents apoptosis and provides an essential signal for NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Immunity. S1074-7613(24)00492-8. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2024.10.012.
Kögl T, Chang HF, Staniek J, Chiang SCC, Thoulass G, Lao J, Weißert K, Dettmer-Monaco V, Geiger K, Manna PT, Beziat V, Momenilandi M, Tu SM, Keppler SJ, Pattu V, Wolf P, Kupferschmid L, Tholen S, Covill LE, Ebert K, Straub T, Groß M, Gather R, Engel H, Salzer U, Schell C, Maier S, Lehmberg K, Cornu TI, Pircher H, Shahrooei M, Parvaneh N, Elling R, Rizzi M, Bryceson YT, Ehl S, Aichele P, Ammann S. 2024. Patients and mice with deficiency in the SNARE protein SYNTAXIN-11 have a secondary B cell defect. J Exp Med. 221(7):e20221122. doi: 10.1084/jem.20221122.
Thiel J, Schmidt FM, Lorenzetti R, Troilo A, Janowska I, Nießen L, Pfeiffer S, Staniek J, Benassini B, Bott MT, Korzhenevich J, Konstantinidis L, Burgbacher F, Dufner AK, Frede N, Voll RE, Stuchly J, Bakardjieva M, Kalina T, Smulski CR, Venhoff N, Rizzi M. 2024. Defects in B-lymphopoiesis and B-cell maturation underlie prolonged B-cell depletion in ANCA-associated vasculitis. Ann Rheum Dis. ard-2024-225587. doi: 10.1136/ard-2024-225587.
Kessler S, Burke B, Andrieux G, Schinköthe J, Hamberger L, Kacza J, Zhan S, Reasoner C, Dutt TS, Kaukab Osman M, Henao-Tamayo M, Staniek J, Villena Ossa JF, Frank DT, Ma W, Ulrich R, Cathomen T, Boerries M, Rizzi M, Beer M, Schwemmle M, Reuther P, Schountz T, Ciminski K. 2024. Deciphering bat influenza H18N11 infection dynamics in male Jamaican fruit bats on a single-cell level. Nat Commun. 2024 May 27;15(1):4500. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-48934-6.
Schaffer AM, Fiala GJ, Hils M, Natali E, Babrak L, Herr LA, Romero-Mulero MC, Cabezas-Wallscheid N, Rizzi M, Miho E, Schamel WWA, Minguet S. 2024. Kidins220 regulates the development of B cells bearing the λ light chain. Elife. 13:e83943. doi: 10.7554/eLife.83943.
Staniek J, Kalina T, Andrieux G, Boerries M, Janowska I, Fuentes M, Díez P, Bakardjieva M, Stancikova J, Raabe J, Neumann J, Schwenk S, Arpesella L, Stuchly J, Benes V, García Valiente R, Fernández García J, Carsetti R, Piano Mortari E, Catala A, de la Calle O, Sogkas G, Neven B, Rieux-Laucat F, Magerus A, Neth O, Olbrich P, Voll RE, Alsina L, Allende LM, Gonzalez-Granado LI, Böhler C, Thiel J, Venhoff N, Lorenzetti R, Warnatz K, Unger S, Seidl M, Mielenz D, Schneider P, Ehl S, Rensing-Ehl A, Smulski CR, Rizzi M. 2024. Non-apoptotic FAS signaling controls mTOR activation and extrafollicular maturation in human B cells. Sci Immunol. Jan 12;9(91):eadj5948. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adj5948.
Cox EM, El-Behi M, Ries S, Vogt JF, Kohlhaas V, Michna T, Manfroi B, Al-Maarri M, Wanke F, Tirosh B, Pondarre C, Lezeau H, Yogev N, Mittenzwei R, Descatoire M, Weller S, Weill JC, Reynaud CA, Boudinot P, Jouneau L, Tenzer S, Distler U, Rensing-Ehl A, König C, Staniek J, Rizzi M, Magérus A, Rieux-Laucat F, Wunderlich FT, Hövelmeyer N, Fillatreau S. 2023. AKT activity orchestrates marginal zone B cell development in mice and humans. Cell Rep. 2023 Apr 14;42(4):112378. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112378.
Jacobsen, E. M., D. Fabricius, M. Class, F. Topfstedt, R. Lorenzetti, I. Janowska, F. Schmidt, J. Staniek, M. Zernickel, T. Stamminger, A. N. Dietz, A. Zellmer, M. Hecht, P. Rauch, C. Blum, C. Ludwig, B. Jahrsdorfer, H. Schrezenmeier, M. Heeg, B. Mayer, A. Seidel, R. Gross, J. Munch, F. Kirchhoff, S. F. N. Bode, G. Strauss, H. Renk, R. Elling, M. Stich, R.E. Voll, B. Tonshof, A. R. Franz, P. Henneke, K. M. Debatin, M. Rizzi, and A. Janda. 2022. High antibody levels and reduced cellular response in children up to one year after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nat Commun 13: 7315. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-35055-1.
Ho, J., D. Schmidt, T. Lowinus, J. Ryoo, E. P. Dopfer, N. Gonzalo Nunez, S. Costa-Pereira, C. Toffalori, M. Punta, V. Fetsch, T. Wertheimer, M. C. Rittmann, L. M. Braun, M. Follo, C. Briere, J. M. Vinnakota, M. Langenbach, F. Koppers, K. Shoumariyeh, H. Engel, T. Ruckert, M. Marklin, S. Holzmayer, A. L. Illert, F. Magon, G. Andrieux, S. Duquesne, D. Pfeifer, J. Staniek, M. Rizzi, C. Miething, N. Kohler, J. Duyster, H. D. Menssen, M. Boerries, J. M. Buescher, N. Cabezas-Wallscheid, B. R. Blazar, P. Apostolova, L. Vago, E. L. Pearce, B. Becher, and R. Zeiser. 2022. Targeting MDM2 enhances antileukemia immunity after allogeneic transplantation via MHC-II and TRAIL-R1/2 upregulation. Blood 140: 1167-1181. doi: 10.1182/blood.2022016082.
Lehr, S., F. Felber, I. Tantcheva-Poor, C. Kessler, R. Eming, A. Nystrom, M. Rizzi, and D. Kiritsi. 2022. Occurrence of autoantibodies against skin proteins in patients with hereditary epidermolysis bullosa predisposes to development of autoimmune blistering disease. Front Immunol 13: 945176. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.945176.
Susana Minguet, Alexander Nyström, Dimitra Kiritsi, Marta Rizzi. 2022. Inborn errors of immunity and immunodeficiencies: Antibody-mediated pathology and autoimmunity as a consequence of impaired immune reactions. Eur J Immunol, First published: 20 April 2022; doi.org/10.1002/eji.202149529
Oberhardt V, Luxenburger H, Kemming J, Schulien I, Ciminski K, Giese S, Csernalabics B, Lang-Meli J, Janowska I, Staniek J, Wild K, Basho K, Marinescu MS, Fuchs J, Topfstedt F, Janda A, Sogukpinar O, Hilger H, Stete K, Emmerich F, Bengsch B, Waller CF, Rieg S, Sagar, Boettler T, Zoldan K, Kochs G, Schwemmle M, Rizzi M, Thimme R, Neumann-Haefelin C, Hofmann M. 2021. Rapid and stable mobilization of CD8+ T cells by SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine. Nature. 28. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03841-4.
Micheau O, Rizzi M, Smulski CR. 2021. Editorial: TNFR Superfamily Oligomerization and Signaling. Front Cell Dev Biol. 9:682472.
Kury, P., J. Staniek, O. Wegehaupt, I. Janowska, M. Eckenweiler, R. Korinthenberg, N. Japaridze, M. Pendziwiat, I. Helbig, E. Verhoeyen, J. Jung, A. C. Garcia de Oteyza, M. Proietti, T. Phirtskhalaishvili, I. Rtskhiladze, P. J. Nielsen, S. Ehl, C. Speckmann, and M. Rizzi. 2021. Agammaglobulinemia with normal B-cell numbers in a patient lacking Bob1. J Allergy Clin Immunol. S0091-6749(21)00174-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2021.01.027.
Maccari, M. E., S. Fuchs, P. Kury, G. Andrieux, S. Volkl, B. Bengsch, M. R. Lorenz, M. Heeg, J. Rohr, S. Jagle, C. N. Castro, M. Gross, U. Warthorst, C. Konig, I. Fuchs, C. Speckmann, J. Thalhammer, F. G. Kapp, M. G. Seidel, G. Duckers, S. Schonberger, C. Schutz, M. Fuhrer, R. Kobbe, D. Holzinger, C. Klemann, P. Smisek, S. Owens, G. Horneff, R. Kolb, N. Naumann-Bartsch, M. Miano, J. Staniek, M. Rizzi, T. Kalina, P. Schneider, A. Erxleben, R. Backofen, A. Ekici, C. M. Niemeyer, K. Warnatz, B. Grimbacher, H. Eibel, A. Mackensen, A. P. Frei, K. Schwarz, M. Boerries, S. Ehl, and A. Rensing-Ehl. 2021. A distinct CD38+CD45RA+ population of CD4+, CD8+, and double-negative T cells is controlled by FAS. J Exp Med 218(2):e20192191. doi: 10.1084/jem.20192191.
Kalina, T., R. S. Abraham, Rizzi, and M. van der Burg. 2020. Editorial: Application of Cytometry in Primary Immunodeficiencies. Front Immunol 11: 463.
Troilo, A., C. Wehr, I. Janowska, N. Venhoff, J. Thiel, J. Rawluk, N. Frede, J. Staniek, R. Lorenzetti, M. T. Schleyer, G. W. Herget, L. Konstantinidis, M. Erlacher, M. Proietti, N. Camacho-Ordonez, R. E. Voll, B. Grimbacher, K. Warnatz, U. Salzer, and M. Rizzi. 2020. Nonpermissive bone marrow environment impairs early B-cell development in common variable immunodeficiency. Blood 135: 1452-1457.
Lorenzetti R, Janowska I, Smulski CR, Frede N, Henneberger N, Walter L, Schleyer MT, Hüppe JM, Staniek J, Salzer U, Venhoff A, Troilo A, Voll RE, Venhoff N, Thiel J, Rizzi M. 2019. Abatacept modulates CD80 and CD86 expression and memory formation in human B-cells. J Autoimmun. 101:145-152.
Staniek J, Lorenzetti R, Heller B, Janowska I, Schneider P, Unger S, Warnatz K, Seidl M, Venhoff N, Thiel J, Smulski CR, Rizzi M. 2019. TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2 Mediate TRAIL-Dependent Apoptosis in Activated Primary Human B Lymphocytes. Front Immunol. 10:951.
Rizzi, M., R. Lorenzetti, K. Fischer, J. Staniek, I. Janowska, A. Troilo, V. Strohmeier, M. Erlacher, M. Kunze, B. Bannert, D. Kyburz, E. Voll, N. Venhoff, and J. Thiel. 2017. Impact of tofacitinib treatment on human B-cells in vitro and in vivo. J Autoimmun 77: 55-66.
Janda A, Schwarz K, van der Burg M, Vach W, Ijspeert H, Lorenz MR, Elgizouli M, Pieper K, Fisch P, Hagel J, Lorenzetti R, Seidl M, Roesler J, Hauck F, Traggiai E, Speckmann C, Rensing-Ehl A, Ehl S, Eibel H, Rizzi M. 2016. Disturbed B-lymphocyte selection in autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome. Blood 127:2193-2202.
