Maya André

PD Dr Maya André serves as Deputy Head of the Paediatric Intensive Care Service (IPS) at the University Children’s Hospital Basel (UKBB), Switzerland, and is a physician-scientist with venia legendi in Paediatrics from the University of Tübingen. She concurrently directs her own research laboratory at the University Children’s Hospital Tübingen, Department I Haematology & Oncology, focusing on anti-leukaemic NK-cell immunotherapy.

Education & Training

• MD, Universities of Bonn, Freiburg & Vienna (1990-1996)
• Dr. med., University Children’s Hospital Freiburg – thesis on Valproate and haemostasis (1998)
• Specialist certificate in Paediatrics (2002)
• Additional qualification in Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine (2005)
• Specialisation in Neonatology (2006)
• Dr. rer. nat., Faculty of Mathematics & Natural Sciences, Tübingen – thesis on Functional conversion of bacterially reprogrammed monocytes (2012)
• Habilitation & venia legendi in Paediatrics, University of Tübingen – thesis on Donor-patient-specific xenotransplantation model for NK-cell graft-versus-leukaemia reactivity (2016)

Research Focus

Maya André’s scientific work bridges bedside paediatric intensive care with cutting-edge cellular immunology. Her laboratory pioneered patient-specific zebrafish and murine xenograft models to dissect how natural killer (NK) cells eradicate acute leukaemia. She has advanced the concept of tumor-priming to generate memory-like NK cells with enhanced anti-tumour activity and currently investigates TIGIT-CD155 blockade to potentiate NK-92 and cytokine-induced memory-like NK cell therapies. Her translational studies integrate multi-parameter flow cytometry panels, real-time intravital imaging, and rigorous pre-clinical validation in preparation for first-in-child trials.

Scientific Awards & Funding

• Sponsorship Prize, Society for Neuropaediatrics (1995)
• Continuous third-party funding since 2010 totalling 1.5 million CHF from: German Research Foundation, Jose-Carreras Foundation, Else-Kröner-Fresenius Foundation, Fortüne Programme (Tübingen), Madeleine-Schickedanz Foundation, German Childhood Cancer Foundation, Manchot Foundation.

Professional Memberships

• German Society for Paediatrics (DGKJ)
• Reviewer for Blood, Epilepsy, Haematologica, Plos One, International Journal of Cancer, Journal of Leukocyte Biology, Human Immunology, Leukaemia Research

Laboratory & Clinical Team

She heads a dedicated research group located at the University Children’s Hospital Tübingen, collaborating closely with the Departments of Paediatric Haematology & Oncology and the Centre for Translational Immunology (CTI). The team includes post-doctoral scientists, graduate students, and clinical fellows who straddle bench-to-bedside research pipelines.