Wienke group
Novel immunotherapies for pediatric solid tumors
We develop innovative immunotherapeutic interventions for pediatric solid tumors to overcome immunotherapy escape.
Contact
Judith Wienke
We use multi-omics, including scRNA+TCRseq and (spatial) proteomics, to decipher the pediatric solid tumor immune-environment and immunosuppressive mechanisms, with a focus on tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte dynamics and immune regulation. With these insights, we design next-generation adoptive cell therapies which can withstand the pediatric solid tumor microenvironment, applying diverse engineering strategies. We optimized complex 3D in vitro (co-)culture systems to test these new interventions. In addition, we focus on high-throughput data-driven therapeutic combination strategies to enhance the efficacy of existing immunotherapies.
“We uncover the complex microenvironment of pediatric tumors to guide next-generation adoptive cell therapy development.”
Dr. Judith Wienke
Research group leader
Grants and awards
Key publications
- Key publications
1. Castenmiller SM, Borst AL, Wardak L, Molenaar JJ, Papadopoulou M, De Krijger RR, Van der Steef AFW, Vermijlen D, De Groot R, Wienke J, Wolkers MC. γδ T cells are the prime anti-tumoral T cells in pediatric neuroblastoma. Life Sci Alliance (2025) doi: 10.26508/lsa.202503249.
2. Bergsma FJ, Koster J, Baalman B, Mussai F, Caron HN, Molenaar JJ, Wienke J. The immune landscape of pediatric (extra)cranial solid tumors: A systematic review and integration of immunohistochemistry and single-cell RNA sequencing data. Eur J Cancer. (2025). doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2025.115708.
3. Barisa M, Zappa E, Muller H, Shah R, Buhl J, Draper B, Himsworth C, Bowers C, Munnings-Tomes S, Nicolaidou M, Morlando S, Birley K, Leboreiro-Babe C, Vitali A, Privitera L, O’Sullivan K, Greppi A, Buschhaus M, Barrera Román M, De Blank S, Van den Ham F, Van ‘t Veld BR, Ferry G, Donovan LK, Chesler L, Molenaar JJ, Drost J, Rios A, Chester K, Wienke J, Anderson J . Functional avidity of anti-B7H3 CAR-T constructs predicts antigen density thresholds for triggering effector function. Nat Commun (2025). doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-61427-4.
4. Strijker JGM, Pascual-Pasto G, Kalmeijer YJ, Kalaitsidou E, Zhao C, McIntyre B, Matlaga S, Visser LL, Barisa M, Himsworth C, Shah R, Muller H, Schild LG, Hains PG, Zhong Q, Reddel R, Robinson PJ, Catena X, Soengas MS, Margaritis T, Dekker FJ, Anderson J, Molenaar JJ, Bosse KR, Wu W, Wienke J. Blocking MIF secretion enhances CAR T-cell efficacy against neuroblastoma. Eur J Cancer. (2025). doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2025.115263.
5. Wienke J, Visser LL, Kholosy WN, Keller KM, Barisa M, Munnings-Tomes S, Calton E, Poon E, Rodriguez A, Bernardi R, Van den Ham F, Van Hooff SR, Matser YAH, Tas ML, Langenberg KPS, Lijnzaad P, Strijker JGM, Sanchez-Bernabeu A, Cornel AM, Holstege FCP, Gray J, Tytgat LAM, De Krijger RR, Scheijde-Vermeulen MA, Wijnen MHWA, Dierselhuis M, Straathof K, Behjati S, Wu W, Heck AJR, Koster J, Nierkens S, Chesler L, Anderson J, Caron HN, Margaritis T, Van Noesel MM, Molenaar JJ. Integrative analysis of neuroblastoma by single-cell RNA sequencing identifies the NECTIN2-TIGIT axis as a target for immunotherapy. Cancer Cell. (2024). doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2023.12.008.
6. Zappa E*, Vitali A*, Anders K, Molenaar JJ, Wienke J*, Künkele A*. Adoptive cell therapy in paediatric extracranial solid tumours: current approaches and future challenges. Eur J Cancer. (2023). doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2023.113347.
7. Wienke J, Dierselhuis MP, Tytgat GAM, Künkele A, Nierkens S, Molenaar JJ. The immune landscape of neuroblastoma: challenges and opportunities for novel therapeutic strategies in pediatric oncology. Eur. J. Cancer. 144:123–150 (2021). doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2020.11.014. Review.
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