Prof. Dr. Markus Gerhard

Academic Career and Research Areas

The research work of Professor Gerhard (b. 1968) explores how pathogens interact with the host in gastrointestinal infections. Professor Gerhard’s research group investigates the mechanisms that suppress the immunoresponse of the host to allow the occurrence of infection as well as inflammatory factors involved in the development of cancer.

Professor Gerhard studied medicine in Heidelberg and Hamburg from 1988 to 1996. He earned his MD in 1996 (summa cum laude). From 1997 to 2004 he completed his medical training leading to German medical board certification in internal medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine (II. Medizinische Klinik) at Klinikum rechts der Isar. From 2004 to 2006 he worked at the Netherlands Institute for Developmental Biology in the research group of Professor Hans Clevers. From 2006 he headed a research group in the Department of Internal Medicine (II. Medizinische Klinik) at Klinikum rechts der Isar, where he also acquired his postdoctoral teaching qualification (habilitation) in internal medicine in 2009. In 2010 he was appointed associate professor of medical microbiology and immunology at the Institute for Medical Microbiology and Immunology, a unit within TUM. He is Academic Director of the TUM Venture Labs Healthcare.

    Awards

    • DZIF Prize for Translational Infection Research (2015)
    • 2nd place in the Munich Business Plan Competition (2013)
    • Werner-Creutzfeldt Research Fellowship, German Society for Gastroenterology, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS) (2006)
    • Bavarian Habilitation Award (2003)
    • Award of the European Helicobacter pylori Study Group (2000)

    Gong R, Huang B, Ralser A, Friedrich V, Mibus C, Engelsberger V, Koch MRA, Skerhut M, Giese T, Andrä I, Vieth M, van Gisbergen KPJM, Semper RP, Gerhard M, Mejías-Luque R. CagA-dependent Hobit+ gastric tissue-resident memory T cells confer full protection from Helicobacter pylori reinfection. Gut. 2025 Jun 5:gutjnl-2025-334781.  doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2025-334781.

    Abstract

    Pan KF, Li WQ, Zhang L, Liu WD, Ma JL, Zhang Y, Ulm K, Wang JX, Zhang L, Bajbouj M, Zhang LF, Li M, Vieth M, Quante M, Wang LH, Suchanek S, Mejías-Luque R, Xu HM, Fan XH, Han X, Liu ZC, Zhou T, Guan WX, Schmid RM, Gerhard M, Classen M, You WC. Gastric cancer prevention by community eradication of Helicobacter pylori: a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Nat Med. 2024 Jul 30. doi: 10.1038/s41591-024-03153-w. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39079993.

    Abstract

    Ralser A, Dietl A, Jarosch S, Engelsberger V, Wanisch A, Janssen KP, Middelhoff M, Vieth M, Quante M, Haller D, Busch DH, Deng L, Mejías-Luque R, Gerhard M. Helicobacter pylori promotes colorectal carcinogenesis by deregulating intestinal immunity and inducing a mucus-degrading microbiota signature. Gut. 2023 Apr 4:gutjnl-2022-328075. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2022-328075. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37015754.

    Abstract

    Koch MRA, Gong R, Friedrich V, Engelsberger V, Kretschmer L, Wanisch A, Jarosch S, Ralser A, Lugen B, Quante M, Vieth M, Vasapolli R, Schulz C, Buchholz VR, Busch DH, Mejías-Luque R, Gerhard M. CagA-specific Gastric CD8+ Tissue-Resident T Cells Control Helicobacter pylori During the Early Infection Phase. Gastroenterology. 2023 Apr;164(4):550-566. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2022.12.016. Epub 2022 Dec 30. PMID: 36587707.

    Abstract

    Javaheri A, Kruse T, Moonens K, Mejías-Luque R, Debraekeleer A, Asche CI, Tegtmeyer N, Kalali B, Bach NC, Sieber SA, Hill DJ, Königer V, Hauck CR, Moskalenko R, Haas R, Busch DH, Klaile E, Slevogt H, Schmidt A, Backert S, Remaut H, Singer BB, Gerhard M: "Helicobacter pylori adhesin HopQ engages in a virulence-enhancing interaction with human CEACAMs". Nat Microbiol. 2016; 2:16189.

    Abstract

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