Helmut Salih

Prof. Dr. Helmut Salih is a Professor of Translational Immunology at the University of Tübingen, affiliated with the University Hospital Tübingen. He leads a research group focused on developing novel immunotherapeutic strategies for cancer treatment, with particular emphasis on bispecific antibodies, Fc-optimized antibodies, and immunocytokines.

His research interests center on understanding molecular mechanisms of tumor-immune interactions, specifically studying the NKG2D/NKG2D ligand system and TNF/TNFR family in immune and tumor cells. His work aims to improve existing immunotherapies and identify novel targets for cancer treatment, with a strong translational focus bridging laboratory research to clinical application.

Analysis of his recent publications (2019-2024) reveals a consistent focus on bispecific antibody development for various cancers including leukemia, prostate cancer, and gastrointestinal malignancies. His research demonstrates expertise in antibody engineering, targeting strategies, and understanding tumor immune evasion mechanisms. The publications span high-impact journals including Science Translational Medicine, Nature Communications, and Journal of Hematology & Oncology.

Prof. Salih has successfully translated his research into clinical applications, with 15 clinical trials initiated as of 2024 evaluating immunotherapeutics developed in his lab. These include Fc-optimized FLT3 antibodies for leukemia, PSMAxCD3 bispecific antibodies for prostate cancer, and CD276xCD3 bispecific antibodies for colorectal and breast cancer.

He leads a substantial research team including multiple postdocs (Ilona Hagelstein, Annika Henrich, Sebastian Hörner, Boris Klimovich, Martina Lutz, Julia Steinbacher) and PhD students. His work has led to the founding of Twyce GmbH, a spin-off company supported by Sprin-D with 45 Million € funding to develop combinatorial BiCo approaches for cancer immunotherapy.