Research group Jordan
Group leader: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Stefan Jordan
RESEARCH INTERESTS
We are the Laboratory of Nutritional Microbiology and Immunology (NuMI)
What we eat affects our microbiome and immune system. High calorie diets as they are typical in the western world cause systemic low-grade chronic inflammation contributing to many diseases including metabolic, cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders. In contrast, reduced calorie intake and fasting regimens are associated with improved outcomes for numerous diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD), asthma, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. In addition, caloric restriction has been proven to extend the healthy lifespan of many organisms.
The focus of our research is to understand the anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects of caloric restriction and fasting on the cellular and molecular level. We are particularly interested in the role of the microbiome in these processes.
Our goal is to develop advanced immunomodulatory therapies for the maintenance of health, and the prevention or treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disorders, and cancer affecting millions of patients worldwide.
To this aim, we combine cutting-edge technologies in the fields of microbiome research and immunology. We analyze samples from clinical intervention trials as well as perform pre-clinical research in mice with a natural microbiome.
Selected Publications
(complete list ORCID ID 0000-0001-9330-1715)
Rebecca B. Delconte, Mark Owyong, Endi K. Santosa, Katja Srpan, Sam Sheppard, Tomi J. McGuire, Aamna Abbasi, Carlos Diaz-Salazar, Jerold Chun, Inez Rogalsky, Katharine C. Hsu, Stefan Jordan, Miriam Merad, Joseph Sun. Fasting reshapes tissue-specific niches to improve NK cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity. Immunity. S1074-7613(24)00275-9. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2024.05.021 (2024)
Stefan Jordan+, Navpreet Tung, Maria Casanova-Acebes, Christie Chang, Claudia Cantoni, Dachuan Zhang, Theresa H. Wirtz, Shruti Naik, Samuel A. Rose, Chad N. Brocker, Anastasiia Gainullina, Daniel Hornburg, Sam Horng, Barbara B. Meier, Paolo Cravedi, Derek LeRoith, Frank J. Gonzalez, Felix Meissner, Jordi Ochando, Adeeb Rahman, Jerry E. Chipuk, Maxim N. Artyomov, Paul S. Frenette, Laura Piccio, Marie-Luise Berres, Emily J. Gallagher, Miriam Merad+. Dietary intake regulates the circulating inflammatory monocyte pool. Cell 178:1102-1114 (2019). + = corresponding author
Funding
Curriculum vitae
Since 2024: Professor (W3) for Host – Microbiome Interactions, Dept. of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg
Since 2024: Coordinator of the Charité 3R-funded consortium “Wildling mice in Health and Disease” (C3R HeaD)
2023: Member of the organizing committee, “20th International Fasting Congress” organized in collaboration with the Medical Society Fasting & Nutrition (ÄGHE e.V.)
2019 – 2023: Member of the DFG priority programme 1937 “Innate lymphoid cells”
2019 – 2024: Independent group leader, Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
2018 – 2019: Associate Scientist, Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
2013 – 2018: Postdoctoral fellow, Immunology, advisor: Prof. Miriam Merad MD/PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
2012 – 2013: Postdoctoral fellow, Virology / Immunology, Max von Pettenkofer-Institute and Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
2007 – 2011: Doctorate, Virology / Immunology, advisor: Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Ulrich H. Koszinowski, Max von Pettenkofer-Institute and Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
2000 – 2006: Studies of Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Universidad de Granada, Harvard University, Technical University of Munich (TUM)
1999 – 2000: General studies, Leibniz Kolleg, Tübingen, Germany
Lab members
We are just starting in Heidelberg. Applications are welcome!
| Amelie Weber, M. Sc. | PhD student |
| Elif Özeren, M. Sc. | PhD student |
| Vivian Joy Polenz, M. Sc. | PhD student |
| Sören Dethleffs | MD / PhD student |
| Gabriele Sonnenmoser | technician |
If you are interested in joining our team, contact us! We are always looking for passionate researchers (interns, Bachelor’s, Master’s or doctorate students and Postdoctoral fellows).
Send your CV or resume and cover letter to stefan.jordan[at]uni-heidelberg.de
