Dr. Meike Hohwieler

Dr. rer. nat. Meike Hohwieler is a group leader and, since October 2022, the deputy head of the newly established Institute of Molecular Oncology and Stem Cell Biology at Ulm University Hospital, under the leadership of Prof. Alexander Kleger. As stem cell biologist, she is focused on investigating the development of pancreatic diseases using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Her primary research interests include the differentiation of hPSCs into the acinar and ductal pancreatic lineage, as well as modelling hereditary disorders of the exocrine pancreas in vitro. To achieve this, Dr. Hohwieler creates pancreatic organoids from patient-derived induced pluripotent or genetically engineered embryonic stem cells. By generating hPSCs-based pancreatic duct-​like organoids with cancer-​specific mutations, such as CDKN2A loss or inducible KRASG12D or GNASR201C, Meike and her team have successfully recapitulated oncogene-driven dysplasia in vitro and corresponding tumorigenesis in vivo, thereby uncovering earliest mechanisms of pancreatic tumor formation. 

Ultimately, her findings lay the foundation for studying developmental processes of the human pancreas and its diseases, while also offering promising prospects for early detection of pancreatic carcinomas and the development of personalized therapies. Currently, Meike is also exploring the differentiation of hPSCs into cholangiocyte-like cells, aiming to create an organoid-based system for modeling biliary tract tumorigenesis, triggered by specific genetic mutations that are thought to cause either intra- or extrahepatic biliary tract cancer.