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Research Labs
Nußbaum Lab

Nußbaum Lab

Research topics

Human perinatal immune cell development
Biomarker Research in neonatal sepsis
Birth Cohort of Preterm and Term neonates (MUNICH PreTCL)
Microcirculation and Glycocalyx alteration in development and disease

Prof. Dr. med. Claudia Nußbaum

✉ claudia.nussbaum@med.uni-muenchen.de

☎ +49-89-4400-32220

Current projects:

Birth represents a critical transition in human lif, particularly for the developing immune system. During pregnancy, the fetus resides in a largely sterile environment within the womb. At birth, however, the newborn is suddenly exposed to a diverse array of microbes and environmental influences. In the first days of life, the immune system begins to rapidly adapt to this new environment. How this adaptation is orchestrated, and how it is altered by prematurity, remains a key question in current research.

With this study, we aim to advance the understanding of neonatal immune system development, to identify differences between preterm and term infants, and to determine how various factor such as environmental exposures, nutrition, and genetic influences shape this process. To achieve this, we isolate immune cells from umbilical cord blood and peripheral blood, and collect dried blood spot samples from neonates across a broad range of gestational ages. These samples are analyzed using integrated multi-omics and functional immune profiling approaches.

In the long term, this work is expected to provide novel insights that support the prevention and treatment of severe diseases in early childhood.

The project is part of the DFG-funded transregio TRR 359 PILOT

Find out more under www.perinatal-immunity.de/en

The composition and maturity of immune cells exhibits high interindividual variability in preterm and term human newborns. Quantitative and qualitative changes of neonatal neutrophils are thought to contribute to the increased susceptibility to bacterial infections and neonatal sepsis that are still a leading causes of mortality and long-lasting morbidity. This interindividual variability is shaped by genetically hard-wired programs, the rapidly changing environment, and the interaction between those two (GxE interaction). To date, the genetic basis of human perinatal immune cell variability is still poorly understood and largely understudied.

In this collaborative resarch project together with Dr. Sarah Kim-Hellmuth‘s lab and the pedatric proteomic unit (Dr. Susanne Pangratz-Führer, Dr. Johannes Müller-Reif) we will establish multi-omic profiling in neonatal dried-blood spot (DBS) samples to uncover the genetic effect on protein expression and its cell type-specificity in neonatal proteomes from 662 newborns of a wide range of gestational ages.

Infections in newborns remain a leading cause of neonatal mortality and lifelong disability. Each year, severe bacterial infections kill approximately 400,000 newborns worldwide. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial but challenging, particularly for early onset sepsis (EOS), due to the nonspecific initial symptoms and limited early-stage diagnostic tools.

This project aims to improve the diagnosis of EOS, which currently results in many neonates being unnecessarily separated from their mothers and subjected to invasive diagnostics and treatments. We will study a cohort of term newborns exposed to specific EOS risk factors (prolonged rupture of membranes, group B streptococci in the mother, and clinical signs of chorioamnionitis) but without other complications or comorbidities during pregnancy.

Our analyses will include:

a) Isolation and characterization of extracellular vesicles from the umbilical cord blood of at-risk neonates and maternal blood (collaboration PD Dr. Reithmair, LMU and Prof.. Michael Pfaffl, TUM School of Life Sciences.

b) Identification of microbiome signatures and potential infection routes in suspected EOS cases by characterizing the gut microbiome through shotgun sequencing and performing 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of blood samples (collaboration Prof. Thomas Clavel, University of Aachen)

The vascular endothelium is crucial in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. The virus targets cells via ACE2 receptors, degrades the protective glycocalyx, and causes persistent endothelial dysfunction in Long-COVID patients. Despite milder initial illness, children suffer from SARS-CoV2 related diseases including long-COVID and mutisystem inflammatory syndrom in children (MIS-C), a severe pediatric complication.

In collaboration with the the team of Andre Jacob (pediatric cardiology, LMU) we investigate microcirculatory changes and molecular signatures of SARS-CoV-2 related diseases in children. Using a longitudinal design, microcirculation parameters will be assessed in children/adolescents with acute COVID-19, PIMS, Long COVID, and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection during the acute phase and three months post-recovery.

Clinical neonatal studies

This project aims to analyze the developmental neurological outcomes of patients aged 1-6 years following perinatal asphyxia of varying severity, and the impact on parents, including any long-term effects. So far, 179 control subjects and 135 patients with perinatal asphyxia have been included in the study. The results are expected to provide insights into the extended indications for hypothermia treatment and identify factors that positively and negatively influence parental stress, helping to prevent post-traumatic stress disorders.

The goal of this project is to evaluate whether relocating the neonatal intensive care unit and the associated spatial changes have led to a reduction in pathogen transmission between patients. Additionally, the project aims to assess the benefits of targeted staff training on adherence to and improvement of hygiene measures.

Prof. Dr. med. Claudia Nußbaum

Group Leader

✉ Claudia.Nussbaum@med.uni-muenchen.de

☎ 089-4400-32220

Angela Sutterer-Verrelli

Doctoral Researcher, MD track

✉ Angela.Verrelli@med.uni-muenchen.de

Dr. med. Paula Rothämel

Clinician Scientist

✉ Paula.Rothaemel@med.uni-muenchen.de

Anastasie Vathelot

Clinician Student Assistant

Anastasia.Vathelot@med.uni-muenchen.de

Anastasie Vathelot

Clinician Student Assistant

Anastasia.Vathelot@med.uni-muenchen.de

Alessandro Mattia

Doctoral Researcher, PHD track

✉ Alessandro.Mattia@med.uni-muenchen.de

Pia Maria Koldeweihe

Doctoral Researcher, MD track

✉ Piamaria.Koldeweihe@med.uni-muenchen.de

Rosalie Ulbricht

Doctoral Researcher, FöFoLE Doctoral program

✉ Rosalie.Ulbricht@med.uni-muenchen.de

☎ 015785832453

Alumni

Fabienne Ruske

✉ Fabienne.Ruske@campus.lmu.de

Selected Publications

Human neonatal CITE-seq atlas identifies an immune transition at 32 weeks’ gestation from CD15⁺ myeloid-dominated to interferon-primed immunity. Rothämel, P., Mattia, A., Corey, M. I., Puzek, B., Wiesel, J., Michael-Kuschel, P., Klein, C., Sperandio, M., Henneke, P., Nussbaum, C.*, & Kim-Hellmuth, S*. (2026). bioRxiv, 2026.04.01.715643.

Infants' General Movements Were Not Affected by Exposure to Maternal Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infections. Neumayr K, Lippert K, Schroeder AS, Eck VG, Tacke U, Üzer S, Flemmer AW, Klemme M, Nussbaum C, Hesse N, Pujades S, Behr L, Strieker S, Heinen F, Landgraf MN.Acta Paediatr. 2026 Apr;115(4):913-922. doi: 10.1111/apa.70420. Epub 2025 Dec 21.PMID: 41424041

Microcirculatory impairment and increased arterial stiffness in pediatric Long COVID patients. Boever J, Jakob A, Paetzold C, Gomes D, Birzele LT, Baalmann K, Haas NA, Nussbaum C.Eur J Pediatr. 2026 Mar 16;185(4):186. doi: 10.1007/s00431-026-06825-6.PMID: 41840045

Development of a circadian immune system. Li X, Rothämel P, Nussbaum C, Sperandio M, Scheiermann C.Trends Immunol. 2025 Sep;46(9):614-623. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2025.06.004. Epub 2025 Jul 12.PMID: 40653412

Unlocking the genetic influence on milk variation and its potential implication for infant health. Nussbaum C, Kim-Hellmuth S.Cell Genom. 2024 Oct 9;4(10):100676. doi: 10.1016/j.xgen.2024.100676.PMID: 39389012

Changes in the rate of preterm infants during the COVID-19 pandemic Lockdown Period-data from a large tertiary German University Center. Delius M, Kolben T, Nußbaum C, Bogner-Flatz V, Delius A, Hahn L, Buechel J, Hasbargen U, Flemmer AW, Mahner S, Hertlein L.Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2024 May;309(5):1925-1933. doi: 10.1007/s00404-023-07048-y. Epub 2023 May 25.PMID: 37231277

Cyclophilin A is a ligand for RAGE in thrombo-inflammation. Seizer P, von Ungern-Sternberg SNI, Haug V, Dicenta V, Rosa A, Butt E, Nöthel M, Rohlfing AK, Sigle M, Nawroth PP, Nussbaum C, Sperandio M, Kusch C, Meub M, Sauer M, Münzer P, Bieber K, Stanger A, Mack AF, Huber R, Brand K, Lehners M, Feil R, Poso A, Krutzke K, Schäffer TE, Nieswandt B, Borst O, May AE, Zernecke A, Gawaz M, Heinzmann D.Cardiovasc Res. 2024 Mar 30;120(4):385-402. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvad189.

Association between inflammation, glycocalyx biomarkers, and endothelial function in children with hypercholesterolemia. Pastor-Villaescusa B, Meier J, Ruske F, Prell C, Gruezner J, Koenig M, Jakob A, Koletzko B, Nussbaum C. Ann Nutr Metab. 2024 Feb 5. doi: 10.1159/000536042. PMID: 38316115

Long-Term Microvascular Changes in Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children. Boever J*, Nussbaum C*, Arnold L, Haas NA, Dold SK, Oberhoffer FS, Jakob A. JAMA Pediatr. 2024 Mar 1;178(3):304-306. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.6022. PMID: 38227331 * equal contrib.

Cyclophilin A is a ligand for RAGE in thrombo-inflammation. Seizer P, von Ungern-Sternberg SNI, Haug V, Dicenta V, Rosa A, Butt E, Nöthel M, Rohlfing AK, Sigle M, Nawroth PP, Nussbaum C, Sperandio M, Kusch C, Meub M, Sauer M, Münzer P, Bieber K, Stanger A, Mack AF, Huber R, Brand K, Lehners M, Feil R, Poso A, Krutzke K, Schäffer TE, Nieswandt B, Borst O, May AE, Zernecke A, Gawaz M, Heinzmann D. Cardiovasc Res. 2024 Mar 30;120(4):385-402. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvad189. PMID: 38175781.

A20 and the noncanonical NF-κB pathway are key regulators of neutrophil recruitment during fetal ontogeny. Rohwedder I, Wackerbarth LM, Heinig K, Ballweg A, Altstätter J, Ripphahn M, Nussbaum C, Salvermoser M, Bierschenk S, Straub T, Gunzer M, Schmidt-Supprian M, Kolben T, Schulz C, Ma A, Walzog B, Heinig M, Sperandio M. JCI Insight. 2023 Feb 22;8(4):e155968. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.155968. PMID: 36633909.

Kawasaki disease and increased cardiovascular risk: Is there a link to circulating glycocalyx biomarkers?. Jakob A, Bohlig S, König M, Nussbaum C, Dalla-Pozza R, Hermann M, Haas NA, Pastor-Villaescusa B. Microvasc Res. 2022 Mar;140:104269. doi: 10.1016/j.mvr.2021.104269. Epub 2021 Oct 23. PMID: 34699846

Cohort profile: the MUNICH Preterm and Term Clinical study (MUNICH-PreTCl), a neonatal birth cohort with focus on prenatal and postnatal determinants of infant and childhood morbidity. Pangratz-Fuehrer S, Genzel-Boroviczény O, Bodensohn WE, Eisenburger R, Scharpenack J, Geyer PE, Müller-Reif JB, van Hagen N, Müller AM, Jensen MK, Klein C, Mann M, Nussbaum C. BMJ Open. 2021 Jun 24;11(6):e050652. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050652. PMID: 34168035

Effect of gestational age and postnatal age on the endothelial glycocalyx in neonates. Puchwein-Schwepcke A, Artmann S, Rajwich L, Genzel-Boroviczény O, Nussbaum C. Sci Rep. 2021 Feb 4;11(1):3133. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-81847-8. PMID: 33542284

Maturation of Platelet Function During Murine Fetal Development In Vivo. Margraf A*, Nussbaum C*, Rohwedder I, Klapproth S, Kurz ARM, Florian A, Wiebking V, Pircher J, Pruenster M, Immler R, Dietzel S, Kremer L, Kiefer F, Moser M, Flemmer AW, Quackenbush E, von Andrian UH, Sperandio M. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2017 Jun;37(6):1076-1086. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.116.308464. Epub 2017 Apr 20. PMID: 28428216

Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 3 promotes leukocyte rolling by mobilizing endothelial P-selectin. Nussbaum C, Bannenberg S, Keul P, Gräler MH, Gonçalves-de-Albuquerque CF, Korhonen H, von Wnuck Lipinski K, Heusch G, de Castro Faria Neto HC, Rohwedder I, Göthert JR, Prasad VP, Haufe G, Lange-Sperandio B, Offermanns S, Sperandio M, Levkau B. Nat Commun. 2015 Apr 2;6:6416. doi: 10.1038/ncomms7416. PMID: 25832730

Full publication list