Andreas Diefenbach

Andreas Diefenbach discovered NKp46-expressing ILC3 cells in the intestinal mucosa and demonstrated their critical role in maintaining epithelial barrier integrity and immune surveillance against colorectal cancer through IL-22 production and direct cytotoxicity. His work revealed that microbiome-derived signals through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) regulate ILC3 function, and that disruption of this axis promotes intestinal tumorigenesis. He has shown that ILC3 depletion in colorectal cancer accelerates tumor progression by compromising epithelial barrier function and enabling microbial translocation that fuels tumor-promoting inflammation.