Featured Scientist
I am a physician-scientist working in the department of hematology and oncology at the University of Regensburg. For almost ten years, I have been involved in CAR T cell research seeking to improve the battle against refractory hematological malignancies and solid tumors with novel CAR T cells generated via synthetic biology. My particular interests are the identification of novel CAR target antigens, improving CAR T cells fitness, and the investigation of innovative CAR designs. To this end, I joined the group of Professor Hinrich Abken, pioneer in the field of CAR research, at the Leibnitz Institute for Immunotherapy in Regensburg. Furthermore, I teamed up with Professor Luca Gattinoni, who is a leading researcher in the field of T memory stem cells, to leverage the potential of CAR-modified T memory stem cells for the battle against cancer. Specifically, within the TRR 221 our project is centered on enhancing Graft versus leukemia responses using donor-derived CAR-modified CD8-positive T memory stem cells. Finally, we managed to acquire funding from German cancer aid to further refine the approach of CAR-modified T memory stem cells predicated on an early phase clinical trial enrolling patients with recalcitrant Richter-transformed large B cell lymphoma. After the completion of my residency, I intend to intensify my work on CAR T cells both regarding preclinical studies and with respect to conducting our early phase clinical trial.
Dennis Harrer's Bio
Personal Data
Title: PD. Dr. med.
First name: Dennis
Surname: Harrer
Current position: Postdoc, resident
Current institution(s)/site(s), country:
University Hospital Regensburg
Department of Internal Medicine III – Hematology and Oncology
Germany
Identifiers/ORCID: Not applicable.
Qualifications and Career
Degree programme:
Medicine, 2012–2019, University of Erlangen, Germany
Doctorate:
2020, Professor Niels Schaft, Medicine (MD thesis on T cell immunotherapy), University of Erlangen, Germany
Habilitation:
2024, University Regensburg, “Breaking barriers to CAR T cell therapy”
Principal investigator:
Since 2022, with Prof. Luca Gattinoni, CRC TRR 221 (subproject A07)
Clinician Scientist:
Since 2021, Else Kröner Clinician Scientist Program at Regensburg University (supervisor: Prof. Hinrich Abken)
Resident & Postdoc:
Since 2019, Dept. of Internal Medicine III – Hematology and Oncology, Regensburg
Supplementary Career Information
Not applicable.
Activities in the Research System
- 2024, University Regensburg, Habilitation: “Breaking barriers to CAR T cell therapy”
- Regular involvement in teaching (hematology and molecular medicine)
Supervision of Researchers in Early Career Phases
- Gabriele Inchingolo – PhD thesis (Ongoing)
- Matthias Eder – MD thesis (Ongoing)
Scientific Results
Category A
- Harrer DC, Schlierkamp-Voosen T, Barden M, Pan H, Xydia M, Herr W, Dörrie J, Schaft N, Abken H. Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T Cells Releasing Soluble SLAMF6 Isoform 2 Gain Superior Anti-Cancer Cell Functionality in an Auto-Stimulatory Fashion. Cells. 2025; Jun 14;14(12):901.
- Harrer DC, Eder M, Barden M, Pan H, Herr W, Abken H. Ectopic PU.1 Expression Provides Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T Cells with Innate Cell Capacities Including IFN-β Release. Cancers 2024; 16, 2737.
- Harrer DC, Li SS, Kaljanac M, Bezler V, Barden M, Pan H, Herr W, Abken H. Magnetic CAR T cell purification using an anti-G4S linker antibody. J Immunol Methods 2024; May; 528:113667.
- Harrer DC, Li SS, Kaljanac M, Barden M, Pan H, Abken H. Fine-tuning the antigen sensitivity of CAR T cells: emerging strategies and current challenges. Front Immunol 2023; Nov 27;14:1321596.
- Harrer DC, Bezler V, Hartley J, Herr W, Abken H. IRF4 downregulation improves sensitivity and endurance of CAR T cell functional capacities. Front Immunol 2023; May 23; 14:1185618.
- Harrer DC, Schenkel C, Bezler V, Kaljanac M, Hartley J, Barden M, Pan H, Holzinger A, Herr W, Abken H. CAR Triggered Release of Type-1 Interferon Limits CAR T-Cell Activities by an Artificial Negative Autocrine Loop. Cells 2022; 30;11(23):3839.
- Harrer DC, Schenkel C, Berking C, Herr W, Abken H, Dörrie J, Schaft N. Decitabine-Mediated Upregulation of CSPG4 in Ovarian Carcinoma Cells Enables Targeting by CSPG4-Specific CAR-T Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14;14(20):5033.
- Harrer DC, Heidenreich M, Fante MA, Müller V, Haehnel V, Offner R, Burkhardt R, Herr W, Edinger M, Wolff D, Thomas S, Brosig A. Apheresis for chimeric antigen receptor T-cell production in adult lymphoma patients. Transfusion 2022; 62(8):1602-1611.
- Harrer DC, Schuler G, Dörrie J, Schaft N. CSPG4-Specific CAR T Cells for High-Risk Childhood B Cell Precursor Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20,2764.
- Harrer DC*, Simon B*, Fujii SI, Shimizu K, Uslu U, Schuler G, Gerer KF, Hoyer S, Dörrie J, Schaft N. RNA-transfection of γ/δ T cells with a chimeric antigen receptor or an α/β T-cell receptor: a safer alternative to genetically engineered α/β T cells for the immunotherapy of melanoma. BMC Cancer 2017;17:551.
Category B
- Harrer, D.C., Abken, H. Immuntherapie mit CAR-T-Zellen: der Durchbruch in der Krebsbehandlung. In: Fehse, B., Schickl, H., Bartfeld, S., Zenke, M. (eds) Gen- und Zelltherapie 2.023 - Forschung, klinische Anwendung und Gesellschaft. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg 2023; https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-67908-1_10.
Academic Distinctions
- 2024 – Sander Foundation Research Grant
- 2024 – Helga-Reifert Award for cancer research
- 2024 – BZKF – Young Scientist Fellowship
- 2021–2023 – Else Kröner Fresenius Foundation (“Erstantragsteller Programm”)
- 2020 – ReForM A (intramural funding) grant of Medical Faculty
- 2020 – Gerok scholar within the CRC TRR 221
interview to the authors
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Contact to Principal Investigators
Dr. med. Dennis Harrer
Universitätsklinikum Regensburg
Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III
Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11
93053 Regensburg
T: +49 941 944-15557
dennis.harrer(at)ukr.de
Prof. Dr. med. Luca Gattinoni
LIT – Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (former RCI)
c/o Universitätsklinikum Regensburg
Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11
93053 Regensburg
T: +49 941 944-38131
luca.gattinoni(at)ukr.de
