Martin Eichmann | The Medical School

Dr Martin Eichmann

Lecturer in Immunology

M.Eichmann@exeter.ac.uk

RILD Building Level 4

University of Exeter Medical School, RILD Building, RD&E Hospital Wonford, Barrack Road, Exeter, EX2 5DW, UK

Overview

Martin is a Lecturer in Immunology at the University of Exeter Medical School. He has a particular interest for mechanisms of antigen processing and presentation, and the characterisation of autoreactive T cells in the setting of autoimmune type 1 diabetes.

Before joining Exeter in 2020, he conducted is postdoctoral and PhD training with Prof. Mark Peakman at King’s College London, UK.

Qualifications

PhD in Immunology, King’s College London, U.K.

BSc (hons) in Bioengeneering, Munich University of Applied Sciences, Germany

Fellow Higher Education Academy (FHEA), Advanced HE, U.K.

Research

Research interests

Martin’s research focuses on the question as to why T cell-directed immunotherapy strategies in autoimmune type 1 diabetes are of limited efficacy. His work approaches this via two distinct research settings: 1) phenotypically characterising beta-cell-specific T cells, and 2) elucidating mechanisms of antigen processing and presentation.

New research findings from this work could form the basis to adapt existing or initiate novel strategies for immunotherapy and to allow to better monitor disease progression in individuals at risk to develop type 1 diabetes.

Research projects

Novel Mechanisms for Generation of Islet Autoantigens
The Effects of Genetic Predisposition on T cells

Research in the lab is generously funded by (ongoing/past):

UKRI, JDRF UK, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust

Publications

Journal articles

Kronenberg-Versteeg D, Eichmann M, Russell MA, de Ru A, Hehn B, Yusuf N, van Veelen PA, Richardson SJ, Morgan NG, Lemburg MK, et al (In Press). Molecular pathways for immune recognition of preproinsulin signal peptide in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes

Sioofy-Khojine A-B, Richardson SJ, Locke JM, Oikarinen S, Nurminen N, Laine A-P, Downes K, Lempainen J, Todd JA, Veijola R, et al (2022). Detection of enterovirus RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells correlates with the presence of the predisposing allele of the type 1 diabetes risk gene IFIH1 and with disease stage. Diabetologia, 65(10), 1701-1709. Abstract.

Jones AG, Eichmann M (2022). T-Cell Autoreactivity in Type 2 Diabetes: Benign or Pathogenic, Smoke or Fire?. Diabetes, 71(6), 1167-1169.

Arif S, Pujol-Autonell I, Eichmann M (2020). Assessing effector T cells in type 1 diabetes. Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity, 27(4), 240-247. Abstract.

Yeo L, Pujol-Autonell I, Baptista R, Eichmann M, Kronenberg-Versteeg D, Heck S, Dolton G, Sewell AK, Harkonen T, Mikk M-L, et al (2020). Circulating β cell-specific CD8+ T cells restricted by high-risk HLA class I molecules show antigen experience in children with and at risk of type 1 diabetes. CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY, 199(3), 263-277. Author URL.

Eichmann M, Baptista R, Ellis RJ, Heck S, Peakman M, Beam CA (2020). Costimulation Blockade Disrupts CD4+ T Cell Memory Pathways and Uncouples Their Link to Decline in β-Cell Function in Type 1 Diabetes. J Immunol, 204(12), 3129-3138. Abstract. Author URL.

Edner NM, Heuts F, Thomas N, Wang CJ, Petersone L, Kenefeck R, Kogimtzis A, Ovcinnikovs V, Ross EM, Ntavli E, et al (2020). Follicular helper T cell profiles predict response to costimulation blockade in type 1 diabetes. Nat Immunol, 21(10), 1244-1255. Abstract. Author URL.

Yeo L, Woodwyk A, Sood S, Lorenc A, Eichmann M, Pujol-Autonell I, Melchiotti R, Skowera A, Fidanis E, Dolton GM, et al (2018). Autoreactive T effector memory differentiation mirrors β cell function in type 1 diabetes. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, 128(8), 3460-3474. Author URL.

Ali MA, Liu Y-F, Arif S, Tatovic D, Shariff H, Gibson VB, Yusuf N, Baptista R, Eichmann M, Petrov N, et al (2017). Metabolic and immune effects of immunotherapy with proinsulin peptide in human new-onset type 1 diabetes. SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE, 9(402). Author URL.

Harbige J, Eichmann M, Peakman M (2017). New insights into non-conventional epitopes as T cell targets: the missing link for breaking immune tolerance in autoimmune disease?. JOURNAL OF AUTOIMMUNITY, 84, 12-20. Author URL.

Gomez-Tourino I, Arif S, Eichmann M, Peakman M (2016). T cells in type 1 diabetes: Instructors, regulators and effectors: a comprehensive review. JOURNAL OF AUTOIMMUNITY, 66, 7-16. Author URL.

Knight RR, Dolton G, Kronenberg-Versteeg D, Eichmann M, Zhao M, Huang GC, Beck K, Cole DK, Sewell AK, Skowera A, et al (2015). A distinct immunogenic region of glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 is naturally processed and presented by human islet cells to cytotoxic CD8 T cells. CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY, 179(1), 100-107. Author URL.

Collison JL, Carlin LM, Eichmann M, Geissmann F, Peakman M (2015). Heterogeneity in the Locomotory Behavior of Human Monocyte Subsets over Human Vascular Endothelium in Vitro. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, 195(3), 1162-1170. Author URL.

Skowera A, Ladell K, McLaren JE, Dolton G, Matthews KK, Gostick E, Kronenberg-Versteeg D, Eichmann M, Knight RR, Heck S, et al (2015). β-Cell-Specific CD8 T Cell Phenotype in Type 1 Diabetes Reflects Chronic Autoantigen Exposure. DIABETES, 64(3), 916-925. Author URL.

Eichmann M, de Ru A, van Veelen PA, Peakman M, Kronenberg-Versteeg D (2014). Identification and characterisation of peptide binding motifs of six autoimmune disease-associated human leukocyte antigen-class I molecules including HLA-B*39:06. TISSUE ANTIGENS, 84(4), 378-388. Author URL.

Knight RR, Kronenberg D, Zhao M, Huang GC, Eichmann M, Bulek A, Wooldridge L, Cole DK, Sewell AK, Peakman M, et al (2013). Human β-Cell Killing by Autoreactive Preproinsulin-Specific CD8 T Cells is Predominantly Granule-Mediated with the Potency Dependent Upon T-Cell Receptor Avidity. DIABETES, 62(1), 205-213. Author URL.

Kronenberg D, Knight RR, Estorninho M, Ellis RJ, Kester MG, de Ru A, Eichmann M, Huang GC, Powrie J, Dayan CM, et al (2012). Circulating Preproinsulin Signal Peptide-Specific CD8 T Cells Restricted by the Susceptibility Molecule HLA-A24 Are Expanded at Onset of Type 1 Diabetes and Kill β-Cells. DIABETES, 61(7), 1752-1759. Author URL.

Luber B, Deplazes J, Keller G, Walch A, Rauser S, Eichmann M, Langer R, Hoefler H, Hegewisch-Becker S, Folprecht G, et al (2011). Biomarker analysis of cetuximab plus oxaliplatin/leucovorin/5-fluorouracil in first-line metastatic gastric and oesophago-gastric junction cancer: results from a phase II trial of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Internistische Onkologie (AIO). BMC CANCER, 11 Author URL.

Chapters

Eichmann M, Peakman M (2013). The role of T lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of autoimmune type 1 diabetes: Implications for potential virus-mediated pathways. In (Ed) Diabetes and Viruses, 271-286. Abstract.

Conferences

Eichmann M, Peakman M (2010). Investigating genotype to phenotype influences in the type 1 diabetes-risk gene IFHI1. Author URL.