Percy A. Knolle

Prof. Dr. Percy A. Knolle serves as Professor of Molecular Immunology at the TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich (TUM), where he is founding director of the Institute of Molecular Immunology and co-founder of the Center of Infection Prevention. Previously, he established the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Experimental Immunology at the University of Bonn as full professor (2002-2013) and led research at the Center for Molecular Biology Heidelberg.

His educational foundation includes medical studies at Frankfurt, Birmingham (UK), Geneva, and Strasbourg universities, an MD from the German Cancer Research Center, and specialist training in Internal Medicine/Hepatology at Mainz University Hospital.

Knolle's research pioneers liver immunology and tissue immunity mechanisms, investigating how immune regulation influences surveillance versus tissue damage in infection, cancer, and autoimmunity. His work bridges fundamental immunology with clinical translation, focusing on hepatic immune responses through interdisciplinary approaches combining molecular biology, cellular immunology, and clinical medicine.

Analysis of his publications (2000-2022) reveals sustained innovation in liver immunology, evolving from foundational work on antigen presentation and tolerance to contemporary studies on SARS-CoV-2 immunity and metabolic liver disease. His research consistently identifies novel cellular mechanisms—such as myeloid cell aggregates in viral infection, CXCR6+ T cells in NASH, and methylglyoxal-mediated immunosuppression—demonstrating translational impact across infectious disease, oncology, and autoimmune disorders.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Research Award of the Volkswagen Foundation (2001)

As institute director and Center of Infection Prevention board member, Knolle leads multidisciplinary teams advancing immunotherapeutic strategies. His leadership established TUM's Institute of Molecular Immunology as a hub for infection research, fostering collaborations between basic scientists and clinicians to develop novel interventions for liver pathologies and systemic immune disorders.

The Institute of Molecular Immunology under his direction integrates advanced imaging, omics technologies, and clinical cohorts to dissect tissue-specific immunity, with ongoing projects targeting immunotherapy optimization for viral hepatitis, liver cancer, and autoimmune hepatitis through mechanistic insights from his foundational discoveries.