PD Dr. med. habil. Thomas Ernst (Group Leader)

Abt. Hämatologie und Internistische Onkologie
Klinik für Innere Medizin II
Universitätsklinikum Jena
email:

Research Focus

The group is working on the molecular pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy of myeloid leukemia with a focus on chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and related myeloproliferative (MPN) and myelodysplastic (MDS) diseases. In close connection between the clinic and the laboratory, several translational research projects in the fields of molecular genetics, epigenetics, clonal evolution and aging are being worked on. Using state-of-the-art sequencing techniques (pyrosequencing, next-generation sequencing) and array technology, genome-wide studies of genetic and epigenetic alterations are performed and functionally characterized in the cell model. The data obtained are analyzed and correlated with clinical parameters (e.g., response to therapy and disease progression). As a result, new prognostic markers and molecular targets can be identified, which could help to develop new targeted therapies for affected patients.

Publications (Selection; Top 10) 

1. Chan LN, Chen Z, Braas D, Lee JW, Xiao G, Geng H, Cosgun KN, Hurtz C, Shojaee S, Cazzaniga V, Schjerven H, Ernst T, Hochhaus A, Kornblau SM, Konopleva M, Pufall MA, Cazzaniga G, Liu GJ, Milne TA, Koeffler HP, Ross TS, Sánchez-García I, Borkhardt A, Yamamoto KR, Dickins RA, Graeber TG, Müschen M. Metabolic gatekeeper function of B-lymphoid transcription factors. Nature 2017;542(7642):479-483.
2. Shojaee S, Chan LN, Buchner M, Cazzaniga V, Cosgun KN, Geng H, Qiu YH, von Minden MD, Ernst T, Hochhaus A, Cazzaniga G, Melnick A, Kornblau SM, Graeber TG, Wu H, Jumaa H, Müschen M. PTEN opposes negative selection and enables oncogenic transformation of pre-B cells. Nature Medicine 2016;22(4):379-87.
3. Schmidt M, Rinke J, Schäfer V, Schnittger S, Kohlmann A, Obstfelder E, Kunert C, Ziermann J, Winkelmann N, Eigendorff E, Haferlach T, Haferlach C, Hochhaus A, Ernst T. Molecular defined clonal evolution in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia independent of the BCR-ABL status. Leukemia 2014; 28(12):2292-9.
4. Rinke J, Schäfer V, Schmidt M, Ziermann J, Kohlmann A, Hochhaus A, Ernst T. Genotyping of 25 Leukemia-Associated Genes in a Single Work Flow by Next-Generation Sequencing Technology with Low Amounts of Input Template DNA. Clinical Chemistry 2013; 59(8):1238-50.
5. Ernst T, Pflug A, Rinke J, Ernst J, Bierbach U, Beck JF, Hochhaus A, Gruhn B. A somatic EZH2 mutation in childhood acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia 2012; 26(7):1701-3.
6. Gruber FX*, Ernst T*, Porkka K, Engh RA, Mikkola I, Maier J, Lange T, Hochhaus A. Dynamics of the emergence of dasatinib and nilotinib resistance in imatinib-resistant CML patients. Leukemia 2012; 26(1):172-7. *geteilte Erstautorschaft
7. Ernst T, Chase AJ, Score J, Hidalgo-Curtis CE, Bryant C, Jones AV, Waghorn K, Zoi K, Ross FM, Reiter A, Hochhaus A, Drexler HG, Duncombe A, Cervantes F, Oscier D, Boultwood J, Grand FH, Cross NCP. Inactivating mutations of the histone methyltransferase gene EZH2 in myeloid disorders. Nature Genetics 2010; 42(8):722-6.
8. Grand FH, Hidalgo-Curtis CE, Ernst T, Zoi K, Zoi C, McGuire C, Kreil S, Jones A, Score J, Metzgeroth G, Oscier D, Hall A, Brandts C, Serve H, Reiter A, Chase AJ, Cross NC. Frequent CBL mutations associated with 11q acquired uniparental disomy in myeloproliferative neoplasms. Blood 2009; 113:6182-92
9. Ernst T, Erben P, Müller MC, Paschka P, Schenk T, Hoffmann J, Kreil S, La Rosée P, Hehlmann R, Hochhaus A: Dynamics of BCR-ABL mutated clones prior to hematologic or cytogenetic resistance to imatinib. Haematologica 2008; 93(2):186-92.
10. Jones AV, Kreil S, Zoi K, Waghorn K, Curtis C, Zhang L, Score J, Seear R, Chase AJ, Grand FH, White H, Zoi C, Loukopoulos D, Terpos E, Vervessou EC, Schultheis B, Emig M, Ernst T, Lengfelder E, Hehlmann R, Hochhaus A, Oscier D, Silver RT, Reiter A, Cross NC: Widespread occurrence of the JAK2 V617F mutation in chronic myeloproliferative disorders. Blood 2005; 106:2162-8.

Wissenschaftliche Arbeiten

Bei Interesse an einer experimentellen Doktorarbeit bitte PD Dr. Ernst kontaktieren.

Funding

Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), Deutsche José-Carreras-Leukämie-Stiftung, Hector-Stiftung