Dr. Eickelberg's research focus centers on deciphering the mechanisms of tissue fibrosis, particularly in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) after transplantation. His team seeks to investigate disease pathobiology, identify biomarkers to stratify patient subgroups, and develop novel treatment options for patients with the above-mentioned diseases. His research mechanistically interrogates profibrotic signaling pathways that control the dynamics of extracellular matrix (ECM) composition during tissue injury, repair, and fibrosis. Dr. Eickelberg has contributed significantly to provide the entire proteome during lung injury, repair, fibrosis, and regeneration, in animal models as well as human disease. He has extensive expertise in interpreting large datasets of tissue samples, as well as using complex phenotypic in vitro models that recapitulate aspects of human disease.
Dr. Eickelberg's clinical interests focus on more accurate and rapid diagnostic measures for onset and progression of lung fibrosis, as well as predicting disease outcome. He also pursues to identify predictors of chronic rejection after lung transplantation.
Dr. Eickelberg has a longstanding interest in pre- and postgraduate education in molecular medicine. He has established two graduate programs with a focus in lung biology and disease. He most recently acts as a principal investigator in an NIH Program to Increase Diversity Among Individuals Engaged in Health-Related Research (PRIDE) on the use of omics in chronic lung disease.
- MD, Medical University of Lübeck, Germany, 1996
- Internship, University of Basel School of Medicine, Switzerland, 1998
- Fellowship, Yale University School of Medicine, 2002
Education & Training
Conlon TM, John-Schuster G, Heide D, Pfister D, Lehmann M, Hu Y, Ertüz Z, Lopez MA, Ansari M, Strunz M, Mayr C, Angelidis I, Ciminieri C, Costa R, Kohlhepp MS, Eickelberg O, Schiller HB, Königshoff M, Heikenwalder M, Yildirim AÖ. Inhibition of LTßR signalling activates WNT-induced regeneration in lung. Nature. 2020; Dec;588(7836): 151-156.
Eickelberg O, Misharin AV, Sime PJ. Reproducible Single-Cell Genomic Research in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020; Dec 1;202(11): 1495-1497.
Smirnova NF, Conlon TM, Morrone C, Dorfmuller P, Humbert M, Stathopoulos GT, Umkehrer S, Pfeiffer F, Yildirim AÖ, Eickelberg O. Inhibition of B cell-dependent lymphoid follicle formation prevents lymphocytic bronchiolitis after lung transplantation. JCI Insight. 2019; Feb 7;4(3): e123971.
Poczobutt JM, Eickelberg O. Defining the Cell Types That Drive Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Using Single-Cell RNA Sequencing. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2019; Jun 15;199(12): 1454-1456.
Burgstaller G, Sengupta A, Vierkotten S, Preissler G, Lindner M, Behr J, Königshoff M, Eickelberg O. Distinct niches within the extracellular matrix dictate fibroblast function in (cell free) 3D lung tissue cultures. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2018; May 1;314(5): L708-L723.
Benam KH, Königshoff M, Eickelberg O. Breaking the In Vitro Barrier in Respiratory Medicine. Engineered Microphysiological Systems for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Beyond. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2018; Apr 1;197(7): 869-875.
Burgstaller G, Oehrle B, Gerckens M, White ES, Schiller HB, Eickelberg O. The instructive extracellular matrix of the lung: basic composition and alterations in chronic lung disease. Eur Respir J. 2017; Jul 5;50(1): 1601805.
Schiller HB, Mayr CH, Leuschner G, Strunz M, Staab-Weijnitz C, Preisendörfer S, Eckes B, Moinzadeh P, Krieg T, Schwartz DA, Hatz RA, Behr J, Mann M, Eickelberg O. Deep Proteome Profiling Reveals Common Prevalence of MZB1-Positive Plasma B Cells in Human Lung and Skin Fibrosis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2017; Nov 15;196(10): 1298-1310.
Fernandez IE, Greiffo FR, Frankenberger M, Bandres J, Heinzelmann K, Neurohr C, Hatz R, Hartl D, Behr J, Eickelberg O. Peripheral blood myeloid-derived suppressor cells reflect disease status in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Eur Respir J. 2016; Oct;48(4): 1171-1183.
Schiller HB, Fernandez IE, Burgstaller G, Schaab C, Scheltema RA, Schwarzmayr T, Strom TM, Eickelberg O, Mann M. Time-and compartment-resolved proteome profiling of the extracellular niche in lung injury and repair. Mol Syst Biol. 2015; Jul 14;11(7): 819.
- Feodor Lynen Stipend, Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation, 1998
- Sofja Kovalevskaja Award, “Investment into the Future” Program (ZIP, BMB+F and Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation), 2001
- Faculty Transition Award, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International, 2002
- Gay-Lussac-Humboldt Prize, French Ministry of Research, 2013
- Elected Fellow of European Respiratory Society (FERS), 2014
- Elected American Thoracic Society Fellow (ATSF), 2018
- Elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI), 2018
