Martin Vaeth appointed Professor of Immunometabolism

Why do immune cells lose their effectiveness during chronic infections and cancer, yet become overactive in autoimmune diseases? What role does cellular metabolism play in these processes? And how can these insights be translated into innovative therapeutic strategies? These are the central research questions pursued by the biochemist and immunologist Martin Vaeth.

The Max Planck Research Group for Systems Immunology

Over the past seven years, Martin Vaeth has established an independent junior research group within the Max Planck Research Group for Systems Immunology, led by JMU professors Georg Gasteiger and Wolfgang Kastenmüller.

"My time as a junior group leader was instrumental in shaping and continuously developing my scientific profile," says Vaeth. "I am especially grateful to Professor Gasteiger and Professor Kastenmüller for their outstanding mentorship and support throughout this period."

Long-term continuity is particularly important in this field of research. Developing and pursuing new scientific questions takes time, making sustained research efforts essential. The new professorship provides the opportunity to continue and further expand this work in Würzburg.

Advancing the Understanding of T Cell Exhaustion

A central focus of Professor Vaeth’s research is understanding why T cells lose their function during chronic inflammation, such as within the tumour microenvironment in cancer. His work has identified a previously underappreciated role for mitochondria in this process.

“Our research has demonstrated that alterations in mitochondrial metabolism not only promote T cell exhaustion but also directly cause the development of this dysfunctional state,” the biochemist explains. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, his team was able to limit T cell exhaustion in experimental models. These findings open new avenues for improving modern immunotherapies, particularly CAR T-cell therapies, and may ultimately contribute to more effective treatments for cancer and chronic infectious diseases.

Fundamental Research Opens New Perspectives for Immunotherapy

In the coming years, Professor Vaeth and his team aim to further unravel the molecular and metabolic mechanisms that govern immune cell function and regulation. Their work is firmly rooted in fundamental research, with the goal of gaining a detailed understanding of the biological processes that shape immune responses.

In the long term, these insights could help pave the way for new therapeutic strategies that precisely modulate the immune system. For example, by mitigating harmful immune responses in autoimmune diseases or enhancing the activity of immune cells to improve cancer immunotherapies. Such advances would represent an important step towards clinical translation.

The Academic Journey of the New Professor

Martin Vaeth studied Biochemistry at the University of Ulm, Germany, and obtained his PhD summa cum laude in the field of immune tolerance at the Institute of Molecular Pathology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Germany.

He then moved to New York City, where he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the New York University (NYU) from 2013 to 2017, funded by a fellowship from the German Research Foundation (DFG). During this period, he conducted research under the supervision of Prof. Stefan Feske. He subsequently continued his academic career at NYU School of Medicine, serving as an Instructor in the Department of Pathology from 2017 onwards. His work on calcium signal transduction in immune cells was recognized with several awards, including the Fritz and Ursula Melchers Prize of the German Society for Immunology (DGfI) and the Outstanding Postdoc Award of New York University.

In 2019, he returned to Germany and established the junior research group “Metabolism and Immune Cell Signalling” at the Max Planck–affiliated Institute for Systems Immunology at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg. During this time, his research shifted its focus to metabolic processes in inflammation.

Since July 2026, Martin Vaeth has held the position of Professor of Immunometabolism at the Institute for Systems Immunology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg.

Contact

Prof. Dr. Martin Vaeth

e-mail: martin.vaeth1@uni-wuerzburg.de

Website Vaeth Lab: https://www.med.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/systemimmunologie/research/metabolism-and-immune-cell-signalling-vaeth-lab/