Hans-Christian Reinecker

Hans-Christian Reinecker, M.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, with affiliations in the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, the Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, and the Department of Immunology. He joined UT Southwestern in 2020 after a long tenure at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. His research focuses on molecular mechanisms underlying chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer, particularly innate and adaptive immune responses, microbial pattern recognition, and anti-tumor immunity.

Dr. Reinecker earned his medical degree from Christian Albrecht's University in Kiel, Germany, followed by residency training in internal medicine at Altonaer Children's Hospital in Hamburg, Germany. He completed advanced fellowships in gastroenterology, postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania, and a second postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School.

His research interests include targeting microtubule-based microbial recognition, STING pathway regulation in immunity, and development of anti-tumor therapies. The Reinecker Lab uses genetic mouse models and human organotypic systems to study disease mechanisms and therapies. Key projects involve Schlafen family proteins and STING signaling in inflammatory disorders.

Dr. Reinecker’s work has led to publications in high-impact journals such as Science, Nature Immunology, and Gastroenterology. His lab collaborates on grants exploring mucosal immunity and cancer biology, and he mentors postdoctoral researchers and graduate students. The Reinecker Research Lab is part of UT Southwestern’s robust immunology and gastrointestinal research programs.