Eva Riethmacher

Eva Riethmacher is an Assistant Professor at Nazarbayev University School of Medicine (NUSOM) in Kazakhstan, where she has been working since February 2016. She serves as the program director for the Ph.D. program in Biomedical Sciences at NUSOM. Prior to joining Nazarbayev University, she worked at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK (2008-2016), was a Senior Scientist at ZMNH, Hamburg, Germany (1999-2008), and completed postdoctoral training at MDC, Berlin, Germany (1995-1999) and MDL/MPI, Cologne, Germany (1993-1995).

Dr. Riethmacher earned her PhD from the University of Cologne in 1993 and completed her Diploma at the same institution in 1989. Her academic journey spans over three decades with significant contributions to biomedical research.

Dr. Riethmacher's research focuses on cancer development and progression, inflammatory bowel disease, and the application of mouse models in studying disease development. Her work has increasingly centered on periostin, a matricellular protein that plays crucial roles in inflammation, allergy, and cancer progression. She has made significant contributions to understanding the role of periostin in inflammatory bowel disease, bladder cancer, and its interactions with the CCL5-CCR5 axis. Her research has evolved from early work on signal transduction during development using mouse models to current investigations of cancer mechanisms and inflammatory processes.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on the role of periostin in various disease contexts, particularly inflammatory bowel disease and cancer. This work has revealed important connections between periostin expression, immune regulation, and disease progression. Her research bridges basic science with potential clinical applications, particularly in understanding disease mechanisms that could lead to new therapeutic approaches.

Dr. Riethmacher has received significant research funding for her work, including as Principal Investigator on grants related to genetically engineered microbiome treatments for inflammatory bowel disease and expanding the therapeutic landscape of CCR5 blockade. She has also served as Co-PI on multiple grants studying periostin in bladder cancer, colon cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease.

As an educator, Dr. Riethmacher is heavily involved in supervising MD students, master's students, and PhD candidates in their research. She has supervised diploma and PhD students throughout her career, demonstrating a strong commitment to training the next generation of scientists and clinicians.